It’s been one week of placement at The Alfred. Here are some of my thoughts and observations from my first experience in a hospital.

My first day was on a Ward Round in the Cardiothoracics. We turned up late because we were in the wrong place, but the medical staff on my rotation, especially the Fifth Year Student, were helpful. After that, we can do jobs for the doctors, or go around the wards seeing patients by ourselves.

  1. Hospital is a place for doctors to help patients. Students (rightfully - although it has been difficult to understand everything we need to know, and communication regarding timetabling has been very messy) are expected to contact doctors regarding times. There is no attendance from doctors because their job is to teach - they are not employed by the university but by the hospital.

Having said that, we are definitely allowed, and indeed encouraged, to approach patients to take histories, perform exams or listen to sounds from them.

  1. The Alfred Hospital is big and busy. Doctors are always rushing for ‘Met calls’ (doctor needs to attend) or ‘Code blue’ (anaesthetist needs to attend because of potential need for intubation)

  2. Tutorials and lectures are more supplementary materials for self-directed study. I haven’t begun studying the Matrix, but most of the conditions aren’t even covered on tutorials. Instead, we are expected to learn everything by ourselves.

  3. The Hospital Hierarchy: student-doctor dynamics vary widely. Some doctors will be very open with students, encouraging them to ask questions and leading them on. Other doctors will be concentrated on their patients (fair enough) and unable to spare a lot of time to communicate with students, but still make the students comfortable by informing them of this. Other doctors will be stricter on the academic front and perhaps less inclined to form close relationships with students.

Nevertheless, the majority of doctors are very happy to answer questions, as long as they are posed at an appropriate time - all doctors were students once and likely benefitted from their superiors.

On the extra-academic front

  1. Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell whether to call a doctor by their first name or their title. For example, when we had a meet and greet with the Head of the Clinical School, she introduced herself by her first name. But, for my cardiothoracic tute, the tutor introduced himself as Professor ___. This ties in with student-doctor dynamics.

  2. Balanacing extracurriculars is difficult. We are expected to turn up to ward rounds or theatre every day, but there is no attendance. However, we are also expected to study outside of hours, and earn money to support ourselves financially.

  3. Parking and transport. Parking costs $10 for concession card holders (only government-issued, not students). I park at a lot that costs $7.70 are a 4 minute walk away. Also, there is a set of 12 car parks that are P about a 5 minute walk away, but given their advantage, I’m sure they will be occupied very early.