WHAT THE BLEEP?

Emergency Medicine is the first thing that comes to people's minds when they think of medicine, and it's often the reason people go into medicine in the first place before being put off later down the line when they realise they don't think they can take the intensity of the job. It is by far the most exciting job where you have no idea what is going to be behind the next curtain and every day is different. An emergency physician is a doctor that will thrive in stressful situations, with a general knowledge in every speciality.

PERSONALITY

• Calm and decisive in emergencies

• Jack of all trades

• Excellent leadership and teamwork

• Enjoys problem solving

AVERAGE WEEK

As an emergency consultant you will spend time on the 'shop floor' supervising junior doctors, reviewing patients, providing a second opinion, and leading a resuscitation team, with time spent in A&E review clinics/short stay ward, and additional time for management sessions, teaching, and administration.

BEST BITS

• One of the most interesting specialities, you never knowing what you are going to see next.

• From a patient coming in through the door, you get to investigate, diagnose and start a patient on the road to recovery all within 4 hours!

• Sometimes you do actually get to save someone's life.

• You get to hear the best stories of any job!

CHALLENGES

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• Hours while in training can be highly unsociable, but much better once a consultant.

• A stretched speciality with added pressure from the government's 4 hour waiting target and hospital management regular involvement adding extra pressure.

• It can be difficult to follow up a patient, checking the initial diagnosis/management plan you made was correct.

• Seeing patients who abuse the system can be frustrating.