Georgia's Elective Diary - Part 4 (Homeward Bound, Reflections Abound)

As I sit on my flight to Melbourne, New Zealand bound by the end of the day, I thought it was an opportune time to reflect on my last five weeks in Adelaide.

Five weeks ago, when I stepped foot in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital for the first time, and my supervisor asked me why I chose Paediatric Surgery for my placement, and what I wanted to get out of my five weeks, my answer was simply that I loved working with children but that I’d had merely a half day in Paediatric surgery through my previous medical education.

Did I have any aspirations to be a surgeon?

Not really. (but of course I didn’t tell them that, to them my “options were still open”).

So I began this journey in Paediatric Surgery, enjoying standing in theatre watching these tiny humans, watching the baby with a congenital duodenal atresia have its intestinal tract restored, or an umbilical hernia be repaired. I got to see the compassionate and highly skilled way the anaesthetists interacted with children, and how quickly children rebounded after a procedure, ready to continue living their lives.

During this time I received my 5^th year results feedback, and not surprisingly, Surgery was one of the areas I performed highest in. I got to scrub into theatre, and help the anaesthetists bag mask ventilate, or put cannulas in. I learnt all about Pepper Pig’s friend George, and that George’s favourite toy is a dinosaur.

And now this leaves me in a dilemma. Ask me three weeks ago where I wanted to see myself in five years, and I would have said General Practice, Paediatric Medicine or Adolescent Psychiatry. I had this list ready to rattle off to anyone who asked. Yesterday the consultant, my supervisor asked me the same thing. And now?

This five weeks has opened up an area I didn’t think I’d enjoy. The physiology of congenital conditions makes perfect sense to me, and I like the clean cut nature of surgery (sorry for the pun!) where children have one problem, and we can fix it. Medicine has so many grey areas, and I don’t know whether that is something I would want or not.

The one thing I think I have learnt about myself is that I love the team environment. I like having consultants to teach you, and registrars to consider friends. Coming together every morning, and working together to ensure children get better. Like I thought when I started medicine, I think I’m starting to come back around to the idea that hospital based medicine is where I want to be. Even with the very early starts.

I guess this is an ongoing decision I’m going to have to continue thinking about, and I’m pleased I don’t have to decide immediately. I am excited by the next stage of my journey, and seeing if Paediatric Surgery in Malta will sway me anymore. I’m sure I’ll let you know how it goes.