Some questions for Tania
Question: What do you do to unwind at the end of a long day? Answer: Nothing beats a good run or a walk at sunrise along St Brelade’s bay or at sunset in St Ouen. I do try to make this happen anytime there’s an opportunity as it provides me with uninterrupted time to gather my thoughts and feel re- energised. In the summer, I like to paddle board. Walking the dog also helps me unwind most days.
receptionists who are always happy to help with a smile on their face… Ok, almost always… we all have our days!
Doctors know what time they start work but never know what time they’ll finish. In my case, I need to make sure I leave on time for school pick up to collect my “Pepas”, as I call my daughters (it means beans in Spanish). I then start my evening job as a chauffeur and begin driving them to their extracurricular activities - tennis, swimming, acro-dance, musical theatre, violin… the list goes on. There’s always somewhere other than home to go to but we make it back eventually, to start homework and cook dinner, ideally a healthy one… at least for my daughters, as my husband would be happy with a 12 oz steak and no vegetables most days!
Fitness has always been important to me. I do enjoy exercising and if my husband is home to look after the girls and time allows, I always try to fit in a run as it helps me unwind after a busy and stressful day.
After kissing my “pepas” goodnight, I literally crawl into bed, read for a while or watch some T.V. As I finally drift off to sleep, I have a sudden panic… I forgot to walk Boris!
Question: What do you like the most about being an Ophthalmologist? Answer: It never ceases to amaze me that a small organ like the eye can be affected by such a range of conditions. I love the fact that, unlike many other medical specialities, it’s often possible to see what is wrong with an eye with the first examination. The eye is such a delicate organ and everything needs to be done with precision. Every patient is different and even if they suffer from the same condition, their experience will be different. Despite time constraints during clinics, there’s always time for a little chat and the chance to hear amazing stories about patient’s life experiences. One of the things I like most about working in Jersey General, unlike bigger hospitals, is the fact that it’s possible to get to know your patients. I have patients with chronic conditions who I have seen regularly for the past eleven years. This has allowed relationships to develop with patients which I previously thought was only possible for General Practitioners.
Question: What do you dislike most about being an Ophthalmologist? Answer: I don’t think I dislike anything badly enough to prevent me from enjoying my role. But like anything in life, it isn’t perfect. There can be frustrations, mostly when it comes to patient expectations. There are conditions that affect sight and although treatments can be tried, some diseases will continue to progress and cause permanent sight loss. It is very hard not been able to offer more to patients in this situation.
Question: How did you become an Ophthalmologist? Answer: It takes many years of hard work and lots of exams to train in any medical speciality. From very early on in medical school, I realised how much I liked learning about eyes. After graduating and working as a general doctor in my native Colombia, I made one of the biggest decisions in my life, and decided to move to another country. I always thought about training in Ophthalmology and what better plan than doing it in the UK? I spent several years training, mainly in Wales and the Thames Valley. Twelve years ago, my husband came to Jersey for a month’s Locum Consultant job, and we never left.
Question: What advice would you give someone, either just starting their career or midway through their career, who wants to be an Ophthalmologist?
Answer: Generally medical school and postgraduate foundation years give very little exposure to ophthalmology. I would advise them to make time to learn about this area of medicine as they could be missing out on a speciality they might really enjoy. Even if you don’t become an Ophthalmologist, eye complaints are very common in the Emergency Department as well as General Practice so it’s a very important skill to have. I also feel ophthalmology is a specialism where you can achieve a good work life balance.
20/20 A day in the life of... Page 103
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