My Life As A GP Registrar
By Suzi Mikahil, 2005 IGPE RLO
The 12 hour night shift in A&E started.
Long and draining it went by,
From trauma to back ache it never halted.
Coughs, sniffles, chest pain and stye
Soon the place was flooded,
Despite the code red cry.
The weary doctor soon became exhausted,
Hoping for dawn to shine its rays,
Blasting this nightmare shift away.
A busy day on the wards it has been.
Thirty patients have been seen.
Lots of work to be done,
Time was short, it wasn't fun.
An evening shift was approaching,
Soon everyone has gone.
The pager never stopped ringing.
From ward to ward the march began,
Right till midnight the onslaught went on.
Halleluiah! Handover has been finally done
For tomorrow at eight a busy day yet to come
After sixteen hours of labouring wearisome
Those were the days my friend,
We thought they never end.
But here comes general practice with a new trend.
No more ward plodding or night shift suffer
A pleasant lifestyle and flexible training on offer
Full time, part time it is your choice
Finally someone can really hear your voice
Interesting cases and a fascinating blend
Of patients that you can truly befriend
Real people, not bed numbers, on you depend
To stretch your healing hand and mend
Their physical and mental ill health and lend
Advice on life and well being to the end.
Busy days, house calls and nursing homes
Oldies, psychos and a difficult some
Make the deal thorny and troublesome
Pink! No, I am afraid it is not all so
Inner metro, outer metro are all part of the deal
Going rural is another kind of ordeal
Nothing is ever perfect in its flow
But the knottiness of the path cannot steal
The allure of the training goals appeal
Life and work are both a pleasure
You're never crushed under pressure
All experiences, good and bad, are a treasure
To carry along the challenging venture
Of turning into your patients' dishy star
So if you want the house and the car
With a life that's cool and full of cheer,
And time to spend with family and peer
Yet it is a relaxed and rewarding career
The choice is easy and rightly clear
Just become a GP registrar
Like me, my dear!