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8 Things I Wish I Knew About Being a Doctor
These are the tough parts that I wish I knew about
1 — You have to move house A LOT
Since graduating from medical school, I have lived in eight houses and one hospital lodging, across two continents. I am now a pro at packing and unpacking, I can have a house feeling like a home within a couple of weeks — and I’m definitely not a minimalist. However, I realised pretty quickly that having a house with a homely feel instantly grounds you to your new residence, and it takes the bite out of moving yet again. Plus, once things no longer fit in your car and you need a van — you may as well fill the van!
Unfortunately, this means that you start to become programmed not to settle, it's difficult to feel grounded enough to make really solid friendships (and even harder to keep them once you’ve moved away), and after six months in a location, I start to get itchy feet — looking for the next move.
2 — You move jobs A LOT
I have worked in hospitals and five GP (family medicine) clinics. Each of the hospitals had different operating systems, which means you become adept at picking up new computer systems and processes. Plus you learn that the hospital switchboard can be a lifesaver when you’re new at a job as they are often a literal…
