AMSA 2023 Internship Guide

SA NEW GRAD
PERSPECTIVE
Hey everyone – hope you’re getting excited for internship! Trying to decide what
to do and where to go with your intern year is a big decision, so take your time
and think it through before locking anything in. My name is Nathan Dignam, and
I’ll be talking a little bit about my perspective of interning in SA with the Central
Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN). I graduated from University of Adelaide
in 2021 and chose CALHN as I had done a few rotations through it as a student, it
was geographically convenient, and I had friends and family who are all there as
well. I’ve definitely been enjoying it so far but have heard very good things about
all the networks in SA so you’re in luck wherever you end up! Here’s a few
thoughts on the year so far:
The transition from student to doctor is confronting at first but you are ready
for it. While that first day on the wards, you may not know what you’re doing,
and you feel bad asking your reg what the dose for amoxicillin is for the 3rd
time that day – every new role is an adjustment. Quickly enough the little jobs
and specifics will become second nature to you and you can focus more on…
Being a doctor is different from being a student. Sure - you don’t actually have
more knowledge or experience than your final year, but your role is
fundamentally different. Once you’ve understood the transition, you can really
start to trust your gut with all your clinical training – prioritising sick patients,
managing complex situations and knowing when and how to escalate. These
things can all become easier on a new rotation if first you…
Take a step back and just learn how the ward/department/rotation actually
works. You’re the intern now – you have to know the functionality of it
completely, as you can’t just duck off ‘for a tute’ if a job is a little too
complicated. Learn the process for getting patients admitted/consulted
on/discharged, find out who your allied health and pharmacist are, discover
the best coffee – all vital aspects of making sure your day runs smoothly. And
you always want your day running smoothly as…
Sometimes it’s hard to give yourself a rest - but know that you always can. We
all got into medicine because we want to help people. And if you’re looking
after a patient – especially one that is unwell, in pain, or you’re generally
worried about them – sometimes we forget to look after ourselves. While
pretty much every clinical situation can handle a 15-minute delay for you to go
the bathroom with no consequences, it’s easier said than done. The most
important thing is that you never feel externally pressured to work too hard,
take breaks when you can and where you might be able to…
Make friends and have fun. What I think of are the moments in the office
joking with other teams, going out for drinks with other interns, dinner with
my team. These are the moments that make internship - the friends, the
connections and the memories made along the way.
Best of luck everyone with your decisions - I’m so excited for you all! If you’re
interested in coming to SA, CALHN, or just want to chat feel free to email me at
Nathan.dignam@sa.gov.au – more than happy to talk it all through.
Dr Nathan Dignam