Sophia Kloosterboer, Medical Student, 5th year
Every medical intern recognizes the overwhelming feeling when a medical specialist asks them the question: “what kind of doctor do you want to be when you grow up?”. After finishing six internships I’m starting to get a better idea of what specialty I want to pick, but at the same new questions and concerns constantly enter my mind.
‘It felt liberating to discover that it’s possible to become a doctor, but still have a good night sleep and a balanced social life.’
During my psychiatry-internship I discovered that psychiatrists seem to have a more relaxing schedule than some other specialists. During this internship, there was time to eat lunch, to take a walk outside, to postpone some administrative tasks and to, every so often, start the day a little bit later than 08.00 o’clock. The psychiatrists don’t have to be present in the clinic during evening- and night shifts and sometimes they don’t even receive any phone calls! It felt liberating to discover that it’s possible to become a doctor, but still have a good night sleep and a balanced social life.
As a medical intern, this internship felt like a peaceful oasis, especially after finishing a very demanding internship at the Neurology department. At this psychiatric clinic, I took patients’ history, did psychiatric examinations and completed some administrative tasks for the residents. But I wasn’t expected to study hard and long every evening, or to analyze difficult CT-scans or laboratory results. I also wasn’t expected to sew a wound with shaking hands while an intimidating surgeon watched over me. If there weren’t any tasks for me, I was allowed to plan my own schedule, for instance by studying for my exam or joining activity therapy like arts and crafts of ‘Bingo’ with the patients.
While I enjoyed the peacefulness and lightness of this internship, I didn’t always feel satisfied after coming home. Sometimes I missed the challenge and the rush that I had felt during other internships in the hospital. Sometimes it felt as if the doctors were doing as little as possible, as if every new patient was one too many. Of course, I am aware that this atmosphere isn’t the same at every psychiatric clinic or hospital.
I’m not completely sure yet what kind of doctor I want to be after I graduate, and I still have several internships to go. But the dilemma between a feeling of freedom and autonomy within my work and a challenging and energizing workplace keeps me busy on a daily basis. Whatever I decide, I hope to find the ideal job where I can experience both.
