Meeting a man living with HIV and listening to him
discussing his illness really shocked me and made me
remember the reason why I chose to become a doctor.
This experience helped me when I met a girl with cystic
fibrosis….. the girl said that she knew there was not
much time left for her and there was not a lot doctors
could do for her. This made me feel angry and sad
because I really wanted to help her but I knew I
couldn’t.The GMC states that doctors should be able to
understand the impact of illnesses on patients and their
families – these two experiences have certainly given me
a small insight into the value of life and the impact of
illness on patients and loved ones. I hope in future
practice I will not forget this lesson and ensure that I
always have time for patients and that I will treat them as
people and not as illnesses