A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN INTERN
Hello there, my name is ROBIUL ALAM RONI. I’m from 2016 batch of Medical College of China Three Gorges University.
Firstly, let me introduce myself. I was born and raised in Cumilla, Bangladesh and I’m currently doing my internship in the First Clinical Medical College of CTGU. After successfully completing my 5 years M.B.B.S. course in CTGU, I started my internship in the First Clinical Medical College of CTGU (Central hospital of Yichang). I had a little bit experience as a Pre-internship student in the hospital during my 3rd to 5th year M.B.B.S. life, so I knew from the beginning that it would not be easy nor hard. However, as someone who’s been fortunate enough to have continued the internship program in this hospital for one year, I’ve learned tons about working in the hospital, met so many kind & inspiring people and have been involved with very interesting projects, events, and tasks.
No day is exactly like the other in an internship — it can be exciting, bustling, unexpected and unplanned, but when you’re working to make the best out of your experience, it’s extremely rewarding. So, what’s an average day of an intern in the First Clinical Medical College of CTGU?
Here’s what my day tends to look like!
6.00 to 7.00 a.m. – Morning
My alarm goes off. I admit that most of the days I hit the snooze button for 10 extra minutes as the transition time to start the day. Then Get out of bed, freshen up, grab a cup of tea and get dressed then off to the hospital.
7.00 a.m. – Out the door
One of the fantastic things about Yichang is that you can live within walking/biking distance to the hospital. I take my e-bike and ride to the hospital. It takes about 15-20 minutes to reach the hospital. After reaching the hospital I must put my fingerprint as sign-in arrangement. It’s a must to put fingerprint before 8.00 a.m., otherwise it’ll be considered as absent.
8:00 a.m. – Morning meeting
After sign-in I reach the department and join the morning meeting with all the doctors, nurses, residents and interns. In this meeting we will get to know the updates about the current conditions of the old patients and updates about new admitted patients also difficult situations of the patients. The director of the department will discuss the difficult situations with everyone and ask for our opinions. It takes about 30-40 minutes.
8:30 to 9.30 a.m. – Rounds
One of my favorite things about medicine is team-driven. Rounds is the time when all the team members come together to decide how to provide best care for the patients. We start bedside rounds with a team including attendings, residents, interns, medical students and nurses. We see our patients, formulate plans and write orders. There will be a lot of learning that happens along the way. Sometimes we need to attend a surgery in the morning as most of the surgeries take place in the morning in this hospital.
9.30 to 11.30 a.m. – Making reports
After the round it’s time to write progress notes for our patients. We usually submit the reports to our supervisor for review. To make sure there is no mistake in the reports, the supervisor reviews the reports very carefully. In every two weeks we have to complete the writing of three case reports and need to shoot an examination video. Then we submit the reports & the video to the hospital teaching management office (TMO). Also on the last day of the department rotation, our supervisor gives us a theoretical test to check our mastery of the knowledge.
11.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. – Lunch time
After 11.30 I put 2nd fingerprint as sign-out arrangement. Then I hop in my e-bike and head back to home for lunch. Now it’s time for some cooking. After having the meal I take a power nap for a while to refresh my mind.
2:30 to 5:30 p.m. – Notes, admissions, pages, and calls to family
A day in the life of an intern is unpredictable. Anything can happen at any point. This is both exciting and a little terrifying. Luckily, I am surrounded by a fantastic team of co-interns, senior residents and approachable staff that can help answer or help me seek the answer to any question that come up throughout the day, allowing me to learn as much as possible. And another thing that happens a lot in the afternoon: teaching! I love being in a team with medical students. They bring fantastic energy and insightful questions that push me to be a better educator and consequently a better doctor.
6.00 to 10.00 p.m. – Some me time
After a whole busy & knowledgeable day during this period of time I have my dinner and relax for a bit or scrolling on social media. Then it’s time for some reading, As my license exam is coming near I need to take preparation.
10:15 p.m. – Bed time
It’s time to go to bed. Get to wake up next morning at 6 a.m. and do it all over again.
Medical school and residency can be hectic sometimes, but many graduates describe the process as transformative. Knowing what it's like to walk in an intern's shoes for a day is important in making a decision on whether medicine is the best fit for you.
Free time in Yichang
Yichang is one of the most beautiful cities in China and home of the Three Gorges Dam which is the world’s largest power station in terms of installed capacity that spans in the Yangtze River. With boundless natural beauty, it attracts many people from all over the world. I have been exploring the beauty of Yichang in my free time. I have visited many tourist attractions of Yichang like Xiling gorge, Shennong stream, Gezhou Dam, Three gorges Dam, Shennongjia scenic spot, Three visitors cave, etc. It’s a city where I feel like I am not far from my home & for me it has become my Second home.
