Coping with the blood and guts
Hi,
Short version:
I'm thinking about applying to 2014 G.E.M but am a bit worried about how i'll handle the more gory aspects. How have you found this in practise? Does anyone have the same concerns? I've never fainted but sometimes, even just watching TV medical programmes like Junior Doctors, I have that feeling of nausea which seems to come with such a strong aversion to the experience that it makes me think I really do not want to do medicine at all. Are those feelings common and do they go away/get better? I'm attracted to so many aspects of the job but that's my major stumbling block. Nb. I'm fine with seeing the small amounts of blood I've seen, having injections, dealing with other bodily fluids.
Long version:
Many moons ago (about 15 years!) I wanted to be a doctor. I did a week's work experience at my local hospital during the sixth form which I thoroughly enjoyed - especially shadowing the junior doctor during the first part of a night shift. We got on well and she was keen for me to experience as much as possible - and on the last day she organised for me to see a post-mortem.
When the day came, to cut a long story short, I chickened out. I tried to build up the courage as I waited for the procedure to start - having never even seen a dead body before. I flicked through the black and white photos in pathology text books and even met a couple of post-post-mortem bodies (nicely dressed in the fridges). Still - when it came to the crunch, aged 16, I bottled it and as a result of that decided against medicine as a career, thinking I didn't have the stomach for it. I'm worried that if I did get on a course, the first experience of something unpleasant will cause me to have a similar response, and all this effort, expense and disruption will be for nothing and it will end once again in embarrassing failure. See my problem?
Any advice greatly appreciated!
Short version:
I'm thinking about applying to 2014 G.E.M but am a bit worried about how i'll handle the more gory aspects. How have you found this in practise? Does anyone have the same concerns? I've never fainted but sometimes, even just watching TV medical programmes like Junior Doctors, I have that feeling of nausea which seems to come with such a strong aversion to the experience that it makes me think I really do not want to do medicine at all. Are those feelings common and do they go away/get better? I'm attracted to so many aspects of the job but that's my major stumbling block. Nb. I'm fine with seeing the small amounts of blood I've seen, having injections, dealing with other bodily fluids.
Long version:
Many moons ago (about 15 years!) I wanted to be a doctor. I did a week's work experience at my local hospital during the sixth form which I thoroughly enjoyed - especially shadowing the junior doctor during the first part of a night shift. We got on well and she was keen for me to experience as much as possible - and on the last day she organised for me to see a post-mortem.
When the day came, to cut a long story short, I chickened out. I tried to build up the courage as I waited for the procedure to start - having never even seen a dead body before. I flicked through the black and white photos in pathology text books and even met a couple of post-post-mortem bodies (nicely dressed in the fridges). Still - when it came to the crunch, aged 16, I bottled it and as a result of that decided against medicine as a career, thinking I didn't have the stomach for it. I'm worried that if I did get on a course, the first experience of something unpleasant will cause me to have a similar response, and all this effort, expense and disruption will be for nothing and it will end once again in embarrassing failure. See my problem?
Any advice greatly appreciated!
You get used to it and you find coping methods like snacking and leaning on things.
Original post by Helloworld_95
You get used to it and you find coping methods like snacking and leaning on things.
Seriously.
But yes you do get used to it. Tbf a post-mortem is a hardgoing experience for anyone let alone a sixth former.
Original post by Democracy
Seriously.
But yes you do get used to it. Tbf a post-mortem is a hardgoing experience for anyone let alone a sixth former.
Seriously.
But yes you do get used to it. Tbf a post-mortem is a hardgoing experience for anyone let alone a sixth former.
It did conjure up the amusing image of someone compulsively comforting-eating after seeing any sort of trauma or anything unsettling, but I imagine he meant the common advice - have a drink or a snack when you're feeling faint/dizzy/nauseous.
There's a scene in House where he ****s with Cuddy by eating in the morgue on top of one of the cadavers.
This question gets asked a lot and it's always the same answer - you get used to it. Some people are able to go in first time and handle it no problem; others take a while to get used to it.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by nexttime
I still don't like watching people put in cannulas on tv. Doing it myself though, no problem.
But yeah - you get used to it. For no other reason than because you have to. And trust me, it becomes very routine, very quickly.
But yeah - you get used to it. For no other reason than because you have to. And trust me, it becomes very routine, very quickly.
Thank you for all the advice. Feel a bit reassured that this isn't a personal failing but something common and beatable!
Next up, GAMSAT revision. And there I was worrying about fainting - just remembered what organic chemistry involves!
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