Getting an insider's look at working a doctor's shift at Hospital Privado - that was my aim for the MYP Personal Project and thanks to Dr. Mauro I got the chance to do just that. So, what did I learn about the day-to-day of a career in medicine? Reporting by Claire With a growing curiosity in the medical field I saw an opportunity in shadowing a doctor for my Personal Project. Already considering studying medicine in the future, the personal project helped me indulge in my passion and learn more about it. After having a hard time finding a local doctor to shadow, I consulted the school nurse, Ms. Ivandra for suggestions. She was able to put me in touch with Dr. Mauro working at a Private Hospital in Maputo. My day-long shadowing opportunity provided me with a view into the duties and responsibilities, patient care and public vs private health (specifically in Mozambique). Dr. Mauro is a doctor specialized in Otorhinolaryngology. After working as a general practitioner he did his specialization in ENT (ear, nose and throat). In Mozambique, there is a significant difference in Public and Private Health. Dr. Mauro has worked on and off in public health for 13 years and in the private sector for 9. Currently, he works at the Private Hospital in Maputo. The day started early at 8:30 with rounds in the hospital, where the doctor checks on their current patients. The doctor also spends time reviewing test results and making treatment plans with the medical team. During the day, the doctor may also perform procedures such as surgeries or diagnostic tests. Doctor Mauro had performed surgery on a child with tonsillitis the day before. During the 5 hours I spent at the hospital, I was able to observe 9 different patients all with different diagnoses, the theater, a post-op check-up, interaction with other doctors and an insight into the differences between Private and Public health in Mozambique. Shadowing Mr. Mauro provided a front-row seat to the delicate and often emotional interactions between medical professionals and their patients. I observed that the doctor must strike a balance between providing necessary information and offering comfort and support to patients and their families. Ranging from just a minor ear infection, to removing fungi within the ear, Dr. Mauro was able to aid each patient. One of my key observations made during the day was, when coming to a diagnosis, doctors also have to consider the patient's lifestyle. This means that the common social activities may be a contributing factor to their problem. They have to relate possible diagnoses to other events happening in people's lives. For example, in Mozambique it is extremely hot, leading to people swimming a lot. The majority of the diagnoses that I saw during the day were infections caused by the humidity (from swimming) in the ear. Being a doctor requires an extensive amount of knowledge not only in the medical field but also in other areas. After every diagnosis, he had to relate the problem back to the patient's lifestyle to see if there could be any changes made to benefit the patient. For example, one of the patients had an excessive amount of earwax in the ear canal. This was caused by the constant machines the patient was surrounded with. From the loud noise caused by the machines, her ears would create more and more wax to protect its canal. This led to severe ringing, lack of sleep and blocked ears. Coming to a diagnosis is almost like a mystery in a sense, where you try to unravel the case. 70% of all diagnoses with patients come from talking to them, according to Dr. Mauro. In addition to being informative, this shadowing experience was also humbling. I observed patients that suffer from pain caused by accidents, day-to-day difficult lives, etc. I saw how drastically the pain had changed people’s lives, from the loss of being able to work productivity to decreased physical activity. I witnessed Dr. Mauro’s passion for patient care put to work as he helped patient after patient regain control of their life and provide relief. Follow-up patients that praised him for their pain relief and improvements with their range of motion were inspiring and satisfying to see. During the experience, I noticed that a crucial element is the importance of teamwork in delivering quality medical care. The doctor works closely with nurses, medical assistants, and other healthcare professionals to ensure that patients receive the best possible care.
Being a doctor is not without its challenges, and shadowing highlights the heavy workload and long hours that many medical professionals face. Within Mozambique, there is a large struggle of under-staffing, low renumeration and lack of resources. Dr. Mauro mentioned that the reality of Mozambique is that you have to work hard and build yourself up to gain a sufficient amount of money. The doctor must also navigate complex ethical and legal issues, such as patient privacy and informed consent. Shadowing a doctor for a day offers a valuable learning experience for anyone interested in pursuing a career in medicine. It provided me with a behind-the-scenes look at the daily duties and challenges faced by medical professionals and highlighted for me the crucial role of doctors in our society. This experience only served to strengthen my decision to pursue a career in medicine.
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