Day in the life of
Senior Medical Officer – Dr. Lizz Kinyua
My name is Dr. Lizz Kinyua, a licensed MD.
My job title is Senior Medical Officer. I mainly work in the Intensive Care Unit, taking care of critical patients. I also look after COVID patients who are admitted to the hospital.
My Typical Day
I wake up at 5 am, pray and do a 15-minute workout. After that, I have breakfast and get ready for work. I leave the house at 6 am, and I’m at work by 6.50 am, 10 minutes ahead of time.
At 7 am, the handover begins from the night team to us, the day team. We discuss all the patients’ progress and the to-do list for the day, one by one.
By 8 am, we are done, and we start reviewing the patients, examining and following up on the latest laboratory results.
At 11 am, we begin rounds with our consultant for around 2-3 hours, during which we come up with action plans to execute for the rest of the day. After executing, we have lunch together, talk and laugh, and read about the conditions we manage.
At 5 pm, we have a 30-minute exit round and begin writing our evening handover forms.
At 7 pm, we hand over again to the night team, and I leave the hospital.
I get home at around 8 pm, shower, eat, then sleep by 10 pm, ready for the following day.
Pros
The pros of working in the healthcare industry are the fulfillment of seeing patients walk out of the hospital healthy compared to how they came in.
You get to work with other intelligent people, and the financial compensation can also be quite good.
You meet many people and interact with patients from all walks of life, which broadens your understanding of different cultures and religions.
Cons
The cons of this industry are the long work hours and many workdays. The learning never ends since new medications and diseases are always coming up, and pathogens are constantly mutating.
You sometimes miss out on family events and lose communication with your friends since you’re always busy.
Tips before Medical School
- Study on improving your grades so that you can get into the best medical school.
- Surround yourself with friends and family that encourage you to study and motivate you to be a doctor
- Think about what you are willing to sacrifice to be a doctor, such as traveling, friendships, getting married early, social life, etc.
- Get mentally prepared for extended work days, always reading, and reduced sleeping hours.
- Get ready for student loans since studying medicine is full time and you will rarely get time to work part-time.
- Volunteer in first aid events and attend training sessions that give you medical skills and knowledge.
- Read articles in medical journals such as in the New England Medical Journal, depending on your level of understanding. They usually update you on the latest advancements in medical care.
- Practice medical skills with mannequins when possible.
