(Source: YouTube)
22 years old and content with being clueless as to what speciality I want to go into, I'm pretty easily swayed. If you: a) smile at me, b) try not to make me feel like I'm getting in your way and, c) make it look like you're loving what you do then I'll probably decide (at least for a day or two) that I want to do your job. It doesn't take much to convince me, clearly.
But my check-list works both ways, if you don't to any of the above then I probably can't think of anything worse than working in your speciality. I'm 99.9% sure that I'm not to the only medical student who has felt like a nuisance on the wards. Ward rounds can be a prime example of this - you follow a consultant, junior doctor and nurse around for a couple of hours and (sometimes) you are ignored by all of them.* But you're keen to learn, so you stay. Rumour has it one medical student got so attached on the ward round that he/she accidentally followed the consultant into the bathroom. Classic.
Hospitals are busy places though, so I get it. Doctors, nurses and other professionals just don't always have the time to teach you. So I've changed tactic, those who know me well will know that I don't like to waste time. So rather than shuffling my feet uncomfortably, I've decided to find learning opportunities rather than wait for them to come my way. Why? Because my (limited) experience has informed me that teaching rarely comes to you. Thus far, it's working.
And in case you wondered why I've attached 'The Jungle Book' video, it's just a great song. It cheers me up. Go on, have a listen.
*I would like to stress the fact that I've also been on a lot of great ward rounds where I've been taught by the staff, involved in the discussion and given the opportunity to present my own findings. I'm not
