The Hard Life of a PGI
Life is tough and perhaps tougher when you are a post graduate intern a.k.a. PGI. For a PGI, the day begins as early as 7 a.m. when the intern does his usual morning rounds from the hospital basement, where the wards are usually located, up to the highest floor (in our case, the 5th floor) where all of the private rooms, ICUs and nursery are located. He has to finish his rounds by 8 a.m. and turn in all of his progress notes (daily updates of the patient's condition in the hospital) inside the charts just in time for endorsements. Endorsement is that time when the intern who was previously on 24 hour duty informs the incoming intern on 24 hour duty, the consultants and the rest of the PGIs about the number and kinds of admissions during the past 24 hours. The intern is expected therefore to know all of his admitted patients, their history, physical examinations, even latest laboratory results and the diagnosis and other differential diagnoses. Endorsements however do not just end there. Most of the times, consultants would interrogate the intern regarding the management and other basic questions regarding the case. Endorsements can take the whole morning.
doctors
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After endorsements, the morning is spent depending on your status. A PGI is FD (from duty) if he was previously from a 24 hour duty. A PGI is OD (on duty) when he is on 24 hour duty on that day. A PGI is OC (on call) or pre-duty if he is to have his 24 hour duty day the next day. Each type of PGI may have different functions in the hospital. For example, the PGI - OD mans the ER (emergency room) or LR (labor room) whichever is applicable. The PGI - OC mans the OR (operating room) while the PGI-FD takes all the ward calls. Regardless of their status however, there are really some PGIs who are "OD looking FD".
doctors
Bayen Trademark
In my hospital, there are 3 PGIs assigned for each department. There are the PPGIs (pedia PGIs), SPGIs (Surgical PGIs), the MPGIs (medical PGIs), the OBGYNEPGIs (OB-GYNE PGIs :-)) and the CPGIs (community PGIs). During the morning, all of us would go to our respective posts, do rounds with our respective consultants and answer calls from our respective wards. It is only during lunch time when all 14 of us would huddle inside our On-Call Room, share lunch (the lunch alloted for the 4 PGIs on duty) and chit-chat, study, watch a DVD, study, eat, study, tell jokes, study and take a bath. Oh, did I mention studying?
doctors
Bayen Trademark
After lunch time, all of us attend the afternoon conferences in the board room. During Mondays, it is the surgical conference, Tuesdays are Pedia Conferences, Wednesdays are OB-GYNE conferences, Thursdays our Grand Conferences, Fridays our for Medical Conferences. Saturdays, Sundays and Official Holidays are half days so those who are not ODs go home to rest and study and sleep and study. During weekdays, all PGIs who are not ODs go home at 5 p.m. For those who are ODs, the day has just begun.
doctors in a conference
Bayen Trademark
Life is tougher indeed but we do get a break every 15 days, when we get to receive our stipends. Then those who are not ODs break out and turn themselves into one-day millionaires. Today I received my first ever stipend and 60% of which will be saved for my son's enrollment fees. The rest goes to the wifey of course. And I shall be poor once again :-). Oh well, I have to find my bed and sleep. Tomorrow I'm an SPGI - OD, in charged of the ER and if need be the O.R.
doctors
Bayen Trademark
After endorsements, the morning is spent depending on your status. A PGI is FD (from duty) if he was previously from a 24 hour duty. A PGI is OD (on duty) when he is on 24 hour duty on that day. A PGI is OC (on call) or pre-duty if he is to have his 24 hour duty day the next day. Each type of PGI may have different functions in the hospital. For example, the PGI - OD mans the ER (emergency room) or LR (labor room) whichever is applicable. The PGI - OC mans the OR (operating room) while the PGI-FD takes all the ward calls. Regardless of their status however, there are really some PGIs who are "OD looking FD".
doctors
Bayen Trademark
In my hospital, there are 3 PGIs assigned for each department. There are the PPGIs (pedia PGIs), SPGIs (Surgical PGIs), the MPGIs (medical PGIs), the OBGYNEPGIs (OB-GYNE PGIs :-)) and the CPGIs (community PGIs). During the morning, all of us would go to our respective posts, do rounds with our respective consultants and answer calls from our respective wards. It is only during lunch time when all 14 of us would huddle inside our On-Call Room, share lunch (the lunch alloted for the 4 PGIs on duty) and chit-chat, study, watch a DVD, study, eat, study, tell jokes, study and take a bath. Oh, did I mention studying?
doctors
Bayen Trademark
After lunch time, all of us attend the afternoon conferences in the board room. During Mondays, it is the surgical conference, Tuesdays are Pedia Conferences, Wednesdays are OB-GYNE conferences, Thursdays our Grand Conferences, Fridays our for Medical Conferences. Saturdays, Sundays and Official Holidays are half days so those who are not ODs go home to rest and study and sleep and study. During weekdays, all PGIs who are not ODs go home at 5 p.m. For those who are ODs, the day has just begun.
doctors in a conference
Bayen Trademark
Life is tougher indeed but we do get a break every 15 days, when we get to receive our stipends. Then those who are not ODs break out and turn themselves into one-day millionaires. Today I received my first ever stipend and 60% of which will be saved for my son's enrollment fees. The rest goes to the wifey of course. And I shall be poor once again :-). Oh well, I have to find my bed and sleep. Tomorrow I'm an SPGI - OD, in charged of the ER and if need be the O.R.
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