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FYi First Person


A DULL MOMENT


NEVER


Emergency medicine trainee Dr Craig Browndiscusses why he chose the specialty and shares his experiences of working on medicine’s frontline


collision with haemorrhaging scalp laceration, congestive cardiac failure and cardiac arrest then, just before handover, a paediatric seizure. This was in addition to a string of other minor injuries including the intoxicated patient who thought it would be a good idea to put their fingers into the food processor at 3am. Medicine is a career that offers something


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for everyone. From the nuances of auto- antibodies in the rheumatology clinic to practical skills in the operating theatre, career options abound for medical graduates. Deciding on a specialty is rarely easy but for me the choice was obvious. One of the reasons I applied to medicine in the first place was as a response to the question – ‘if someone collapsed in the street


T IS fair to say that no two days are the same in emergency medicine. In the space of just one memorable nightshift as part of the emergency department team, I had to manage an acute exacerbation of asthma, status epilepticus, a road traffic


in front of me, would I know what to do?’ Fortunately I’ve never been in this position but now, thanks to my training in emergency medicine, I can answer ‘yes’.


A satisfying buzz Throughout medical school and the foundation programme I found myself interested in the acute care aspect of treating patients, having had a number of acute foundation jobs including trauma and orthopaedics, general medicine, surgical admissions and emergency medicine. The satisfaction of diagnosing, stabilising and treating unwell patients was what gave me a buzz during the early part of my training and prompted a further desire to specialise in emergency medicine. Emergency medicine (EM) is defined by the


International Federation for Emergency Medicine as: “A field of practice based on the knowledge and skills required for the prevention, diagnosis and management of acute and urgent aspects of illness and injury


affecting patients of all age groups with a full spectrum of undifferentiated physical and behavioural disorders. It further encompasses an understanding of the development of pre- hospital and in-hospital emergency medical systems and the skills necessary for this development.” What most attracted me to EM during my


foundation placement was the variety. The job was fast paced, and I could quickly apply theory learned in the lecture room in the resuscitation room. EM involves all aspects of medicine: adults and paediatrics, acute medical and surgical emergencies, major trauma and resuscitation, psychiatry, minor injuries, orthopaedics and of course general practice. This diverse spectrum of presentations captured my interest and, as the saying goes, “there is never a dull moment”. I enjoy the challenges of treating an


unselected group of emergency patients and being the first point of contact that they have with the NHS. Using my diagnostic skills and


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