House job, an 11 months slavery in disguise with a month of nursing wounds and injury. A bitter and as well experience - filled period garnished with some exciting moments. Life lessons are learned by the job, ensuring lives are saved and diseases are cured at the expense of your own health.
It took seven months post medical school to secure a spot in the one year housemanship training, after applying to several hospitals. Fate of a 4th class citizen is to apply, vibes, inshaa Allah, rinse and repeat. When the son of nobody wants to become some body.
"From inability to let well alone; from too much zeal for the new and contempt for what is old; from putting knowledge before wisdom, science before art and cleverness before common sense; from treating patients as cases; and from making the cure of the disease more grievous than the endurance of the same, Good Lord, deliver us."
- Sir Robert Hutchinson,
It took seven months post medical school to secure a spot in the one year housemanship training, after applying to several hospitals. Fate of a 4th class citizen is to apply, vibes, inshaa Allah, rinse and repeat. When the son of nobody wants to become some body.
It started on a soft spot with the paediatric department in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Exciting as it were, I met amazing colleagues from different part of the country, those who schooled home and in the Caribbean.
It's a federal medical center, so I didn't have the chance to do my routine clinical dazing as there were no students around. No one really pushed me to read, as only few questions were asked during the rounds by the attendings.
Yeah, you learn on the job basically "if you want to". Under the tutelage of Dr Kalu, a cardiology paediatrician, Dr Adio, etc. During call hours, you man the NICU - outborn and inborn, Accident and Emergency, Maternity ward, and Neonatal resuscitation following caesarian sections.
It could be that crazy, having to collect SB samples from 10+ babies, hourly monitoring of NICU babies glucose levels and possible correction, strenuous and patient setting of neonatal lines, and 12 hourly antibiotics administration, with mothers running after you for their babies blood investigation result, and subsequent urge to be discharged.
It went on and on till I nearly became a champ in the department, shaved hair to place in IV line on a dehydrated baby's scalp, etc. One of those happy and passionate moments was when a 10 year old presented with cerebral malaria, subsequently managed for 10 days, got well and was discharged home.
Paediatric posting ended with a distinction from the head of department. Sleepless nights well paid for.
Started surgery the next Monday where I was assigned to the CTSU under Dr Olusoji. I learned how to place in a chest tube in some of the ATOM FC surgical emergencies.
I attended to victims of ENDSARS as one of the few health workers on ground. Perfected my hazy suturing skills, assisted lot of surgeries from exploratory laparotomy to chest tube insertions to splinting of fractures from gun shot injuries.
One of those interesting surgical moments was passing an NG tube for a patient with abdominal distension on the ward, who sustained gunshot injuries by "cultist". It drained close to 700mls of bullous effluent. We eventually lost him but he fought.
Then came internal medicine posting where I certified lots of death after many fruitless, energy consuming cardiopulmonary resuscitations. A day would not go normally without recording a mortality as most of their patients are terminally ill, some on long term dialysis, many stroke / repeat stroke, etc.
Everyone who knew me, would know I enjoyed my surgical posting the most. It's expected, as I want to be a practicing surgeon. Internal medicine has a lot of stuff which I enjoyed, but it's a no no for me. Let's be in the OR cutting and coagulating with a nice scent from the diathermy machine.
O/G, a posting which I didn't like right from school. I didn't want to limit my learning to the pelvic and perineum. As irritating as it could be, it happened to be most praised and most cherished aspect of medicine with good mother and child care. Our HOD would always lament how we did not know anything theoretical. The little interest I had was overshadowed by mildly toxic learning environment. XX factor always come into act.
One of those shocking moments 😂 was on 03/06/2021, a usual busy day at the A/É where I worked as an O/G casualty officer. I had been sick for 3 days prior, checked into the lab for some investigations. Going through the results, HIV was positive.
Was it from needle pricks, blood splashes, mishandling of patients blood and fluids, attending to HIV positive patients ? I kept thinking, my life was about to be more private. I rushed to the lab for confirmation. There was a mistake, the attendant said. I felt relieved and same time felt like scattering the whole hematology unit. But a calm soldier is always calm till there is a war.
I spent some days at the labour ward, where I learnt how to manage labour and suture perineal tears post delivery. Unsupervised, I can do an MVA, pap smear collection, etc. If left with a primary CS, I will perform if not near perfect. I've assisted and watched how it is done severally.
House job finished on a good mood, with distinction remarks in paediatric, surgery, and internal medicine...Also to add a feather to my cap was winning the most hardworking officer title. I received one query in O/G due to a patient that presented at the emergency with a forgotten perineal pad complicated by foul smelling vaginal discharge. Obviously, I didn't put the pad there but I could not examine her well after thinking it's a wound gape from episiorhaphy, and a third degree hemorrhoid that might have caused the pain.
I met amazing people during house job, from consultants to attendants. To mention a few into no particular order or importance, Dr Adeyanju - Consultant General surgeon, Dr Olusoji - Consultant Cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Àjọṣe - Orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Ajayi - Consultant Hematologist, Dr Olowoyo - Consultant Nephrologist, Dr Kalu - Consultant Paediatrician, Dr Adio - Paediatrician, Dr Fadeyibi, Dr Adebiyi, Dr Windapo, Dr Olutola - Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr Daramola, Dr Salau, Dr Oguntunde, Dr Omonibinu, Dr Palmer, Dr Sowade, Dr Dauda, Dr Iwu, Dr Osondu, Dr Aseyan, Dr Ayoade, Dr Imagbe, Dr Oredips, Dr Kuku, Dr Adeniji, Dr Adedotun, Dr Adéọlá, Dr Tayo, Dr Agboola, Dr Onakoya, Dr Ekene, Dr Yinusa, Dr Obilo, Dr Odusanya, Dr Atim, Dr Ale, Dr Esho, Dr Oduwole, etc.
Special shout-out to all FMC Nurses, they are all amazing. They are all mothers and sisters, no cap.
Overall, house job was a nice experience.
- Acetyl 2021.
Such a wonderful experience ❤
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