HEALTHCARE
A career in medicine?
Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) encourages students to pursue careers in healthcare and manages a number of programmes aimed at exposing young Bermudians to occupations in the fi eld. Neil Cattell is an example of how these programmes benefi t young people in Bermuda.
by volunteering at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH). A
BHB’s Workforce Planning and Development (WP&D) team is responsible for running volunteer and summer employment programmes, and was instrumental in matching Neil’s interests and talents with placements at KEMH.
Neil initially spent time in the emergency department, where he shadowed emergency medical technicians and physicians who were treating both simple and acute injuries and illnesses.
“Hospital staff were all very encouraging and supportive. They gave me advice and direction about career paths in healthcare and how to pursue my goal of medicine. Volunteering at the hospital was like a lot of things in life: you can only expect to get out of it what you put into it. I went in with an open mind, eager to learn and that’s exactly what I did.”
Neil was given an opportunity to shadow Dr. Daniel Stovell in radiology. “Seeing how various parts of the body are imaged to assist or confi rm a diagnosis was an eye-opening experience. Volunteering in different areas was extremely helpful and provided an understanding of how hospital departments interact to create a functioning whole.”
In 2004, Neil was offered a position at BHB as a laboratory assistant in the pathology department, which gave him additional time to explore healthcare career options. “It was exciting to be working in the laboratory and to see how pathologists play an integral role in a patient’s care.”
After a year in the lab, Neil took steps to become a physician and enrolled at Hull York Medical School in the United Kingdom. For the past four years, Neil has been returning to Bermuda during his summer breaks to participate in the hospital’s Summer Employment Programme.
During his fi rst year, Neil worked in pathology, gaining additional experience in haematology, biochemistry, blood transfusion and microbiology. “The following year, I was placed with the hospitalist programme, just as it was fi rst introduced. Last year and this year, I have been in the emergency department, as well as on the wards helping to manage patients as part of a larger team of physicians and medical students.”
42 FAST TRACK / Careers module / 2010-2011
“Physicians, nurses, lab staff and other professionals at the hospital have been very helpful in guiding me, giving me advice and offering their time to mentor and teach me. I am grateful to have received hands-on clinical experience at the hospital. This is a rare opportunity for a medical student—not all of my classmates have been as fortunate nor had such an advantage. Working at KEMH allowed me to become familiar with a different medical environment and to gain clinical knowledge and skills. It has also helped me focus on which area of medicine would best suit my attributes and has given me insight into medical specialties that would most benefi t our community.”
Neil highly recommends volunteering at the hospital. “There is great personal satisfaction to be had from helping others, without being paid. And as a volunteer, you can explore your interests in healthcare and decide if it is the right career path for you. In my personal case, volunteering at KEMH led to a full-time job and my choice to become a doctor.”
After he completes his medical degree and registration as a doctor, Neil plans to return to Bermuda to work and looks forward to partnering with other young Bermudian professionals to develop the future of healthcare in our community.
As for the assistance he received at the hospital, Neil says: “Without help from the team at KEMH, my journey to becoming a doctor would have been much more diffi cult. Support from the chief of staff offi ce and WP&D staff is greatly appreciated by students pursuing a career in healthcare. Whether we choose to become a nurse, dietitian or physiotherapist, the hospital makes a signifi cant effort to support us.”
For further information about volunteering and student employment options at Bermuda Hospitals Board, please contact the Workforce Planning & Development Team at: 239-2134, via email at: wp&
d@bhb.bm or by mail at: Box HM 1023, Hamilton, HM DX, Bermuda.
WWW.FASTTRACKBERMUDA.COM
fter Neil Cattell graduated from Saltus Grammar School, he studied biology at New York University before returning to Bermuda in 2003. Because he was interested in healthcare careers, Neil decided to explore his options
Neil confi rms that his experience volunteering and working at KEMH had a big impact on his decision to become a doctor and has provided an excellent support network as he completes his medical degree.
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