People may see life as an ER physician as challenging, with a fast-paced work dynamic in urgent care resulting in cases of ER physician burnout. In addition, since the pandemic, now more than ever, emergency medicine physicians are on the front line of healthcare, making them have a higher risk of exposure to infectious diseases. However, pursuing emergency medicine results in career satisfaction for these doctors. Why?
Emergency medicine requires a specific set of skills beyond medical education. They require quick thinking, versatile medical skills, and endurance to manage life-threatening situations. ER doctors find their daily work rewarding due to the demanding traits required in their profession.
Medical students and aspiring practitioners interested in emergency medicine, read on. Let’s explore more about life as an emergency physician, including their day-to-day endeavor in the emergency medicine department.
What does a typical day for an ER doctor look like?
Expect to have an odd schedule on the clock. An ER physician typically has 8-12 hours of shift work, 3-5 times a week, and it may start at a different time each day. Junior ER physicians are more likely to get a night shift. Emergency medicine practitioners often have midweek off days instead of weekends or holidays. This gig is made for you if you love flexibility rather than a 9-to-5 routine.
The day usually goes like this:
- At the beginning of the shift, ER physicians clock in and check the previous ER doctor’s report, then follow up on the existing patients who need care.
- When checking out existing patients, there will be an interruption from the next patient coming. That’s when ER physicians work with triage nurses to decide which patient to prioritize.
- ER physicians prioritize urgent cases like heart attacks, urgent pregnancy labor, and trauma from accidents.
- ER physicians must check x-rays and lab test results, then decide whether to discharge patients or refer them to other departments.
For a doctor in the emergency department, each day comes with mystery and, often, surprise. Some days an emergency medicine physician has to handle multiple life-threatening emergencies at once; other days, it’s just computer work and confused patients with headaches.
On managing expectations and tolerating interruptions
An emergency physician must expect interruptions as part of the daily dynamic. They change tasks and move from one to another patient in minutes, probably seconds. Lab updates, patient feedback, and new incoming patients will come without a heads-up. Therefore, every role in urgent care needs to be fully present and have a sense of teamwork.
Since the emergency department is a fast-paced work environment, ER physician burnout happens all the time. While doctors from other departments have the luxury of reviewing their diagnoses and scheduling patient appointments, emergency medicine physicians have to make do with what they have and are expected to think quickly in making immediate medical decisions.
Such situations happen to be a staple of ER physician lifestyle throughout their careers. If you decide to be one of them, you must have the right mindset and a good composure to solve various problems, compartmentalize each, and prioritize accordingly to prevent ER physician burnout.
Then at the end of your shift, you should conclude it with grace, pass on the report baton to the next emergency medicine doctor, go home, and recharge.
The perks of being an ER physician
Despite looking like a lifetime challenge, career satisfaction is likely for those in emergency medicine. Most emergency medicine physicians believe it’s a highly rewarding job, with an opportunity to have (surprisingly) a better work-life balance compared to other physician roles.
1. Flexible working hours
Due to the shifting structure, emergency doctors may have more days off than other medical specialties. Despite unconventional schedules and intense work, ER physicians don’t get an emergency call outside of their entire shift. In fact, they’re usually the ones making phone calls to other specialists in case of emergency inquiries. As a result, ER physician lifestyle may include enjoying their free time without disturbance, hence, better work-life balance.
2. A medical generalist’ haven
ER physicians are the medical jack of all trades, the true generalist with a comprehensive, wide spectrum of knowledge in medicine to support their work in making the firsthand assessment of patients. If you’re a medical student interested in exploring various medical cases, consider exploring emergency medicine as a specialty.
3. That thrilling excitement of saving lives and making a meaningful impact
Some medical school students enroll in emergency medicine because they want to save lives and impact society. Years later, working in emergency medicine remains a great way to serve one’s purpose. An ER physician gets up every day and goes to work, knowing they are making someone’s life better.
Skills to master for the emergency physician in training
Besides a wide spectrum of medical education and clinical skills, good ER physicians must have these traits to help them thrive in such a challenging healthcare battlefield:
Analytical skills
Every second matters more in the emergency department, so an ER physician has to be smart, decisive, and efficient in solving every case they’re facing when serving patients.
Communication and teamwork
ER needs a solid medical team effort of emergency medicine physicians, triage nurses, paramedics, and other healthcare staff in the department. The ability to delegate tasks, communicate well and have good bedside manners will ease your job as an emergency doctor.
Multitasking
The key to surviving ER for the physician on duty is the ability to manning various tasks coming at you without a prior appointment. The goal is to maintain a flowy dynamic of patient care in such a quick-paced environment.
Attention to detail
The next demand for ER physicians is to handle cases and treatments thoroughly. An outstanding observational ability with a sharp eye is more than necessary—it’s what makes you tick in emergency medicine.
Leadership
Every emergency medicine physician needs to direct and supervise the activities in the emergency room, so the ability to lead is essential. Be firm and concise in giving instructions. As you ascend the career ladder, this skill will come in handy.
High emotional intelligence
A good composure and the right mindset will help you face the challenge and uncertainty of whatever comes through the ER door every time. Sometimes it’s a tragedy, sometimes just a whiny, demanding patient. Handle situations calmly and professionally, and avoid taking emotional baggage home in uncontrollable circumstances.
Then comes the downside
Those perks and skills are delightful to acquire, but as the healthcare frontier, ER doctors will also get the ugly drawbacks firsthand. These are very common happenstances that you might often experience in emergency medicine:
- Not every patient who enters the ER room has the right reason to be there. Some people misuse emergency departments, like homeless individuals seeking shelter or drug addicts seeking free painkillers.
- High risk of emergency medicine physicians getting either physical harm from stressful, intoxicated patients.
- There is an above-average probability of getting sued by frustrated, dissatisfied patients’ families.
- Your circadian rhythm will always get disrupted due to the unconventional shift and dense schedule. There will be ER physician burnout due to this.
- You don’t always get the adrenaline rush of treating emergency medical conditions. There will be dull moments and monotonous work, as well.
Insights for students who are considering emergency medicine
At this point, you’ve got an idea of what emergency physicians will experience throughout their careers. If you’re a medical school student up for the challenge, here are some insights to keep in mind:
- Make sure you have the energy and patience in the long run.
- Balance your high-intensity work with positive activities outside. Some volunteers, the others have an active lifestyle to maintain their endurance.
- Use your reason and purpose as motivation in emergency medicine.
- People in the ER department come from all walks of life. Treat them with respect and train your humility.
- Good teamwork in emergency medicine involves knowing when to delegate and when to supervise hands-on.
- You’ll be challenged every time, not only medically but also emotionally and intellectually. May you get better at handling ER physician burnout each time?
Emergency medicine could be a stressful environment. But if you have what it takes and are up for the challenge and baggage that comes with it, you’ll thrive. Ready?
Are you an ER Doctor looking for a new role in the healthcare industry? Here at Doctor Jobs Today, we provide the most reliable and well-curated vacancies from the best medical institutions in Malaysia. You can also access various recommendations and guidelines to help you stay on track. Get your CV ready and find your future career in Doctor Jobs Today, now!
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Doctor Jobs Today has all the right vacancies you’re dreamed about: a higher salary, a better-equipped hospital for your specialisation, or even a career shift from patient care.
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Basics of Emergency Medicine Course – Part A
If you enjoyed reading this article, you may also appreciate our courses on Basics of Emergency Medicine Course – Part A and Part B, which delve into similar subjects.
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