The JUNIOR DOCTOR
SANNA WASEEM, 28, IS A JUNIOR DOCTOR TRAINING IN ACUTE MEDICINE AT GUY’S AND ST THOMAS’, LONDON
8AM I’m on a day shift today, so most of the morning I’m standing at a computer doing rapid assessment (making quick decisions about patients who come into A&E). They’re divided into minors (which could be a GP referral) and majors (anything from chest pain to appendicitis). It can be intense and constant, but I enjoy it; for me, stress isn’t a dirty word.
1PM I down a quick frappuccino. I rarely have time for lunch, so tend to grab things on the go. Sugar and caffeine help me get through the day.
1:30PM My afternoon shift is spent one-on-one with patients. Making decisions for people isn’t as scary as you’d think; obviously we’re trained, but there are also protocols. You have a Plan A, a Plan B and a Plan C. I’m like that in every part of my life – I’m never really late for anything because I’ll account for anything that could delay me. I’m very rational, organised and always thinking ahead. And actually, dealing with life and death puts your own problems into perspective. What does stress me out about being a doctor? Not being able to do enough for my patients.
8:30PM I go for a run. I’m not particularly fit, so I’d expect my heart rate to hit its peak here. But I don’t feel stressed at this point. As a doctor, you gradually learn not to take work home with you. There are emotionally draining days of course, and earlier in my career I may have cried on the journey home a few times. But that happens less now. The hospital staff room can be an incredibly supportive and cathartic place where you talk things through and process everything. You can’t carry it with you when you clock off.
HOW STRESSED IS SANNA?
‘Being a doctor in A&E is one of the most intrinsically stressful jobs you can have, and so the people who work in these roles tend to be those who can cope, which is certainly the case with Sanna,’ says Professor Cooper. ‘Sanna’s heart rate is consistently higher through the afternoon when she’s dealing directly with patients, which could suggest those more emotionally taxing exchanges are harder on her than the more rational decisions she makes from behind a computer.’