There is a bright side to medicine

“Life does not stop because you have an exam, job application or Masters essay. And our humanity is not immune to the impact of failures. The acknowledgment of this human reality is crucial to balance work and life. Each time a consultant anticipated the impact of life events, humbly shared their stories of struggles, sent a text message to check in, took time out to have a chat over coffee, altered a roster to ease work pressures, stayed back hours unpaid to help me pass exams, offered me time off, or showed an interest in me outside medicine; untenable situations become moments of gratitude.”

As vast number of interns begin their training across hospitals in Australia this month, Dr Bernadette Wilks, Deputy Co-Chair AMA Council of Doctors in Training, has shared her stories about her journey through medical training.