Its a way of life not just a job

Doctors have one of the highest burnout rates in the country, more than likely because we never swtich off. Even if we do appear to switch off, theres a small part of us prepared for the collapsing woman in the supermarket or the heart attack at the theatre. Its part of our calling to help whether the white coat is hung on us or on a peg in our lockers.
As a medical student its easy to ignore this fact as you chill out in front of the tv or have a few pints at the local as at the end of the day no patients are your responsibility. However if we come across a member of the public in need we're back in the doctor zone in the way we think speak and act. Quite simply we can't help it.

Just last week i was walking across the hospital residences car park on the way to some friends for dinner (I myself live safely off hospital grounds!) when i saw an elderly gentlemen wandering towards some garages in his pj's and slippers. Now it was cold and wet outside and I could just as easily have walked on by without saying a word. Something in my brain clicked and I wondered over to this chap to enquire what he was doing out at this time of night. He replied that he was on his way to a town high street 20miles away and that his wife was following close behind. Many would have considered this chap a tad looney and left him be, however to me he just presented as a confused old chap. I enquired as to whether he was staying at the hospital, to which he wasnt sure, neither was he sure of the town we were in. (this is common where im training as the county has only one acute hospital and patients are often many miles from home). A quick check revealed he had a hospital wrist band on so i had to convince him that going back to the hospital was the way forward rather than his slightly odd ideas. It took me a good 30mins from the time i met this lovely gent to delivering him to the safety of a ward (all beit the wrong one!), 30mins i had other plans for but when it came to the crunch was more than willing to give up.
Either that or its my concious making up for not responding to the call for a first aider in sainsburys. On that occasion myself and my colleague had rationalised that the supermarket was so close to the hospital there would be an ACTUAL doctor somewhere in the close vicinity either that or someone had taken a minor tumble. I felt bad as we walked past the aisle but my guilt increased as the ambulance drove past us with lights and sirens blazing.
Its hard for us to know how much help we can be in accidents, often we're advised to just stay out of the way rather than go roaring in declaring you're a medical student.
In fact i was at a wedding in the summer when the brides mother came rushing over as one of her elderly relatives had collapased and was vomiting. after enquiring is this was merely a joke i shook of my heels and pegged it across the marquee whilst thinking dear lord now i have to say something intelligent. I got it together enough to question about her medical history and what exactly had happened. Nothing major in the history however she was at least 90, it was a boiling summers day and she hadnt drunk that much. A simple case of dehydration that i was able to advise on and save everyone the hassle of a trip to hospital.
Now helping there truly made my week!