How many doctors does it take?.....

So on the upside I am now entititled to walk a hospital and say 'Hello there- my name is _____ and I'm a second year medical student'.

The downside of that- it's back to the books for dissertation time.

This year I am carrying out a project on juvenile arthritis where I research the background of the condition as well as interviewing a number of patients and their families. Having already visited a couple of paediatric clinics I visited my local hospital here and asked if the rheumatologist wouldn't mind me tagging alone to observe theirs.

Apparently I wasn't the only one

When you take your slightly poorly child to an outpatient clinic and enter the consulting room- how many medical professionals do you expect to see?


The patients on Tuesday may have considered themselves lucky or unlucky to open the door and meet

• The Consultant whose clinic it was,
  
• A rheumatology registrar
• an F1 (junior doctor)
• yours truly
• and an extra consultant just visiting to fill the time!

I've heard of getting a second opinion, but there has to be a limit, surely!