Acceptance – why don’t I like medicine?
I’ve been resisting this feeling for a very long time. In 2015, I began to realise medicine wasn’t for me….
Analysing my personality and mind set
Back to step one, but let’s do it properly and in depth. What are the barriers I’m self-imposing in my…
Making one of my first life decisions
Up until now, choosing my partner has been the only real life decision I’ve properly made. I have a quite…
My rocky year after finishing residency
Woah. 2022 has been a year full of ups and downs. I figured it would have been a year of…
The power of self reflection
My recent posts have been heavy and a little dark. However, I believe there is a strong power in self…
My struggle with anxiety
So yesterday I was speaking with my partner about the same old issues. We kind of run in circles…much to…
Why I haven’t left medicine yet
If you’ve read my other posts it’s no secret that I want to leave medicine. But why haven’t I done…
Should I leave clinical medicine?
I’ve written a similar post about whether I should quit or stay. My previous post was written as if I…
10 things I would tell my intern self
…if I could go back in time The other day I was reflecting on the past few years, and realised…
How to become a locum doctor
During internship and residency you start to think about the future. What specialty do you want to do? What job…
Living la vida locum
It’s been a while since my last post, and a lot has been happening. I’m working as a locum in…
This Is Going to Hurt (TV series)
I’ve spoken about the book by ex-doctor Adam Kay This Is Going to Hurt, now it’s time to speak about…
Dealing with patient complaints
When you decide to become a doctor you’re usually wanting to help others, and maybe even save lives. Caring for…
Your life begins at consultancy – or so they say
I’m sure you’ve heard this line before – your life will begin at consultancy. I have to say I’m over…
History has a way of repeating itself
And here we go again. I’ve fallen back into my old habits. History has a way of repeating itself. My…
Paying $1600 to find out I was stressed
It was the end of internship, I had a chronic sore throat, weight loss, no appetite, nausea, and epigastric pain….
Promoting Wellbeing for Doctors
There’s a lot of posts about the negative health aspects of doctors. Today I wanted to shift the mindset in…
Imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome is something we’ve all heard of. It’s often a label thrown around and assigned to people who doubt…
I don’t have it all figured out
If you’re reading my blog you’re probably a medical student or junior doctor who is struggling with medicine. Maybe you’re…
Becoming a sustainable doctor – preventing burnout
Being a medical student and junior doctor is tough. With each transition you can be thrown into new uncomfortable experiences…
Doctors suffering from PTSD, anxiety or depression – more common than you think
Troubled sleep, change in mood, intrusive memories, feelings of isolation, excessive worry, changed appetite, difficulty in enjoying what you normally…
Junior doctor – fatal car crash – fatigue a factor
Two days ago a junior doctor in Australia left court. She is being charged for being involved in a fatal…
Finding my why – finally a moment of clarity
While writing my previous blog post my mind finally clicked. After years of being unsure and clouded about what I…
My first two weeks of unemployment
It’s official. I have been unemployed for two weeks now. Going from full time junior doctoring to no work whatsoever…
Maybe I’m just saying goodbye to medicine as I know it…
As I near the end of residency I’m realising that maybe I’m only saying goodbye to medicine as I know…
I’m scared
These past few weeks I’ve been feeling pretty calm and collected (on my holidays). As my annual leave is about…
Dealing with the financial side of leaving medicine
When you begin to want to change your current situation in medicine there can be a few fears surrounding this….
Officially unemployed: what now?
I have eleven shifts left, starting Monday. Currently I’m on annual leave and enjoying my final few days before returning…
Chasing your dreams: is it just privilege talking?
My family is a collision of ethnicities in the cultural melting pot that is my city. One side having been…
Third year of COVID and how the world is adapting
I don’t think anyone in January 2020 could’ve predicted that we’d be in our third year of a global pandemic…
Counting my blessings
Though a lot of my posts were written after a difficult day at work, medicine isn’t all bad. Today I…
Getting out at the right time
COVID-19 case numbers are rising daily. Worldwide there are over 2.5 million new cases daily. The new variant, Omicron, is…
Actions speak louder than words: empty thank you from the government
Since the pandemic started governments around the world have been thanking healthcare workers. A perfect example is the applauding from…
Nearing the end and also the beginning
As I start to near the end of my residency I feel strange. It’s what I’ve waited for these past…
The Omicron Wave
Omicron has swept the world this December. First identified in South Africa in late November, it has quickly spread throughout…
Different isolation rules for healthcare workers
The state government has just revealed that they are thinking of lifting COVID-19 isolation for healthcare workers. This is in…
Resources for medics questioning everything
If you’re reading this then you’re probably like me. A doctor rethinking their whole career choice. It can feel lonely…
A very COVID Christmas (spent in isolation)
I’m on the home stretch of finishing my residency, I have exactly 11 shifts left. Before Christmas, New Years and…
End of the clinical year, and why I didn’t apply for a job
As the clinical year comes to an end, it’s a huge time of transition and looking towards the future. Since…
The perks of taking time off from medicine and how to do it
Since my first year in medical school I’ve taken a total of two years off from my medical career. Each…
Working during the COVID outbreak
Australia was doing great, we were at zero cases daily for months. Everyone was out, restaurants were open, even bars….
Multipotentialite
Multipotentialite, renaissance person, polymath, slashers… I recently watched a TED talk by Emilie Wapnick that explored why not everyone has…
Handling the emotional side of leaving medicine
One of the most useful blog posts I’ve read in a while Five Tips for Handling the Emotional Side of…
Mind shift – taking responsibility of your own life
Today I found myself with that familiar sense of dread I feel before starting a shift in the hospital. I…
Simone Biles “quitting” the Olympics: the importance of mental health
Simone Biles has drawn headlines by leaving the all round finals of the Olympic Games in artistic gymnastics. The reigning…
Top 6 reads if you’re a doctor questioning everything
If you’re anything like me, you’re desperately searching for answers. You may also be looking for someone else who feels…
The importance of a supportive work environment
Reflecting on my past two years working as a doctor I’ve realised how important your team is. A supportive team…
Alternative careers in medicine series – Management Consulting
Episode One – Physician training to management consulting Are you googling alternative careers for doctors? The list given can be…
Why every doctor is an expert in adaptability
When you imagine yourself leaving the world of medicine you often wonder if you have any transferable skills. Inserting an…
Facing your fear and letting love be the answer
When you start to question your career choice it can throw you into emotional turmoil. You may look into the…
Bringing work home and dealing with guilt
One of the hardest things to deal with once you enter the work force is leaving work at work. As…
Junior doctors – target of bullying
I have had an okay year so far as a junior doctor. It is better than my intern year. My…
Bullying and discrimination in the medical profession
Bullying and discrimination in the medical profession is more common than you think. I believe a lot of people experience…
Why doctors need a stronger union – and why we don’t have one already
It was an average day in the emergency department. People waiting, and less than enough doctors rostered to work that…
The highest of highs and the lowest of lows
The rollercoaster ride of being a doctor means that your high moments are a rush of adrenaline, and yet your…
The effects of shift work on your health
Medicine comes with a lot of challenges, one of them being shift work. My past 1.5 years have been spent…
Be sick in your own time
My four day long weekend has been spent largely in bed, sleeping. Nursing a sore throat and general fatigue, keeping…
Where the Wild Men Are – two medical students who left society
I was watching the series Where the Wild Men Are, a show about people who have left the modern world…
Square peg in a round hole
I don’t know if you’re also questioning if you like being a doctor. I have been giving it a go…
Is it burnout or depression?
Following on from my previous post on burnout and the signs of it, I thought it was fitting to write…
Medical error – life or death and how to deal with making mistakes
Medical error is a name we put to human mistakes in medicine. Mistakes that can lead to a range of…
Should I quit medicine?
It’s getting to that point where I am seriously considering not showing up to work tomorrow. I don’t know if…
Just one more year
In the world of medicine this is something we hear all too often. “Just one more year”. Just finish med…
Are you experiencing burnout?
How to recognise the signs of burnout, and what to do. Doctors have been found to have higher rates of…
Why you should be careful with telling your new idea
I was thinking about why you should be careful with telling anyone your new idea. This post is about protecting…
The danger of comparing suffering
A well meaning family member took me out for lunch the other day, and told me that I was lucky…
Notable Doctors Who Left Medicine
Not that you need an example, why not be a trail blazer? But just in case. I decided to research…
Your flavour of shit sandwich
Following on from my previous post about living someone else’s dream. Your dream isn’t about what makes you happy. It…
Living someone else’s dream
You’re at a dinner party and someone asks you ‘what do you do?’ You realise you need to come out…
My first year as a doctor + COVID
I knew my first year as a doctor would probably be one of my toughest. What I didn’t expect was…
A good day
Wow, today I had probably one of the best work days of my medical career. I was working in Fast…
The medical equivalent of the final year in high school
So you think you can make a choice of what you want to be when you grow up, and be…
Why do you want to be a doctor?
The question The question that was asked to everyone who ever applied for medical school. Every interviewee is sat down…
About this blog
Hi, if you’re reading this you’ve stumbled upon my blog Freehearted Medic. I created this space to share thoughts, frustrations,…