My FY1 was so poor he ate the doctor's mess Weetabix for months as he couldn't afford food.
Back when I was a FY2, I noticed that my junior was always in the mess early.
He made himself a hefty bowl of weetabix every single day.
We all used to poke fun at him and comment on how robust his bowel movements must be. (They were.)
We didn't realise he was genuinely struggling.
What people don't realise is that young doctors are in very precarious financial position at the start of their careers.
Formidable student loans,
Rising cost of living,
Increased expenses
All leads to a hidden poverty.
________________________________
He was the hardest working FY1 I know.
He would be in the wards the earliest,
And leave work the latest.
He would take every single locum shift available.
And did a good job every single time.
But yet at this day and age,
He would have been labelled “greedy“ by the public.
For taking on expensive locum shifts.
Fingers will be pointed at him for dwindling budgets,
As though he was the cause of staff shortages.
I find it ironic that those working hard to ensure safe cover and to reduce the immense pressure on the health system are being crucified by the public.
Clinicians shouldn't be made to feel like criminals for trying to make ends meet.
It is cruel and unbecoming of a caring society.
Back when I was a FY2, I noticed that my junior was always in the mess early.
He made himself a hefty bowl of weetabix every single day.
We all used to poke fun at him and comment on how robust his bowel movements must be. (They were.)
We didn't realise he was genuinely struggling.
What people don't realise is that young doctors are in very precarious financial position at the start of their careers.
Formidable student loans,
Rising cost of living,
Increased expenses
All leads to a hidden poverty.
________________________________
He was the hardest working FY1 I know.
He would be in the wards the earliest,
And leave work the latest.
He would take every single locum shift available.
And did a good job every single time.
But yet at this day and age,
He would have been labelled “greedy“ by the public.
For taking on expensive locum shifts.
Fingers will be pointed at him for dwindling budgets,
As though he was the cause of staff shortages.
I find it ironic that those working hard to ensure safe cover and to reduce the immense pressure on the health system are being crucified by the public.
Clinicians shouldn't be made to feel like criminals for trying to make ends meet.
It is cruel and unbecoming of a caring society.
