Helena. Doctor

Helena is a twenty-seven-year-old Doctor originally from Barbados. She has been in the Hospital Medicine Industry, working for the NHS, for two years.

How did you get into your field? What inspired you?

‘I was always fascinated with Biology and learning about the human body from a very young age. I then spent a lot of time volunteering at the hospital and RSPCA in my summer holidays at school. As I got older, I learnt more about my personality traits and work ethic and knew medicine was right for me.’

What did you study at school and university and did this help you get into your field?

‘I did the sciences at A Level back home in Barbados and then went on to do a BSc in Medical Physiology at Leicester as a stepping stone to get into Medicine in Sheffield.’

Do you recommend any particular studies, courses or degrees for your field?

‘If you’re trying to get into Medicine from A Levels then you have to do the sciences. Each university will have a specific requirement on their website. If you don’t get in straight away and need to do a degree beforehand then Biological Sciences, Anatomy, Medical Physiology are all great choices.’

What does an average day look like in your role?

‘My work shifts are either 8am-5pm ‘normal working days’ or 8am-8:30pm ‘on calls’, which can be either day or night shifts. I start each day with a ward round which involves reviewing all of the patients on the ward and making a plan for the ‘jobs’ that need doing to make them better or to help them get discharged home. The ‘jobs’ include prescribing medications, intravenous fluids, doing blood tests, cannulas, updating families and discharge paperwork. I also spend a bit of time helping out in theatre! Usually the rest of the day involves completing all of the ‘jobs’. At the minute, I’m on the maternity ward so my day is made up of reviewing patients, performing Caesarean sections and delivering babies!’

What is the best part of your role?

‘Being a doctor is very rewarding. I love working in a team of other doctors, nurses, midwives and health care assistants. Genuinely helping to make someone’s life better has got to be one of the best things you can do and I feel lucky that my job gives me this opportunity on a regular basis.’

What is the worst part of your role?

‘The hard part about Medicine is that there are some patients that, no matter what you do, you just can’t fix them and that can be sad. We become doctors to help and fix people and that isn’t always possible. In addition to that, getting your work/life balance right can also be tricky due to the shift patterns but I try and make it work! The good bits definitely outweigh the bad!‘

How important is work/life balance to you and how much spare time do you have?

‘It’s super important to me! If I don’t get the weekend off then I usually get a day or two in the week to catch up on life admin. You have to find things you love doing which bring you joy and try and factor these things in whenever you can.’

Do you have any hobbies?

‘I love cooking (and eating out), I play golf (when it’s warm) and I’m planning on re-starting ballet - I danced for 10 years when I was younger and really miss it!’

Do you have any advice for people looking to start a career in the same field?

‘Don’t feel disheartened by the work load. Medicine is known to be one of the hardest degrees but that’s not because the material is particularly difficult. It just takes a lot of focus to get the information in your head but there’s plenty of time to have fun too. If you think it might be right for you but you’re not sure - volunteer! See what life is really like on the wards and in theatre.’

Have you ever experienced any uncertainties about your career? What did you do to overcome them?

‘I’ve never had any doubts about whether Medicine was right for me. I’m lucky in that I always knew (and it’s okay if you’re not sure). Throughout my training I’ve had uncertainties about whether certain specialties were right for me but I’ve decided on Surgery and haven’t looked back (yet).’

Who is your biggest female inspiration and why?

‘Definitely my mum! She is incredible - she’s taught me to be independent and strong and to be hardworking and never give up. I owe a lot to her.’