Aneesh Kakarala
Hyderabad Public School, Ramanthapur

Becoming a doctor is divine, not all are fortunate to become one. My experience at the young doctor’s camp (YDC) was thrilling. During my participation in the young doctor’s camp, I learnt “hospital is not just doctors and patients but has a bigger picture”. All through my life, I understood that doctors are given utmost respect. But this comes with a price of hard work. This has motivated me to work hard to become a doctor. The briefing given by Dr. Lalitha and Dr. Bhavin about the various difficulties faced by a doctor gave me a literally true picture of a doctor. Day one we went to the emergency dept, radioactive oncology, diagnostics and the maintenance departments. I used to have a false notion that emergency means only RTAs, but I understood after visiting the emergency dept that cardiac arrest, snake bites etc also come under emergency cases. In the radioactive oncology department, I learnt about various ways to treat cancer and the precautions taken to do so. Later when I visited the diagnostics, I learnt the mechanism of how we get out medical test report. Dr.Gayatri had clearly explained about the CT and MRI scans. She had also demonstrated the working of the ultrasound machine. In the maintenance department, I discovered the colour code of trash bins used for various purposes in a hospital. Later we were given a briefing about CPR, how to perform and when to perform.

Day two we visited the blood bank, clinical lab, Cath-lab and the ICU. In the blood bank, we were explained about the various ways and means each component of the blood is stored. We were also motivated to donate blood when we reach the age of 18. In the clinical lab, we learnt about the mechanism of all the wings involved in conducting medical tests and precautions taken while performing some kinds of tests. In the Cath-lab we saw how the blockages in the blood vessels are removed. In the ICU associated with it, we learnt how the patient is prepared before going for any surgery and the various equipment used to do so. Then we went to the kitchens and were briefed about the methods to prepare food for patients. After that, we visited the dietitian. She briefed us about the need for different foods for different patients.

The third day will be one of the most memorable and thrilling days of my life because I was fortunate enough to see real operations. The day started with lessons related to vital signs shown by a patient and how to check them practically. And then we went on a tour to the various wards of a hospital. then came the much-awaited segment of the YDC, the Operation Theatre. We had taken the necessary precautions by wearing sterilised aprons and leggings, before entering the OT. I was fortunate enough to witness and prostate gland surgery and an appendicitis surgery. I was overwhelmed looking at the preparation done to a patient before getting operated. During the appendicitis surgery, as it was laparoscopic, we were able to see the live parts of the digestive system. This would be a lifelong memory.

Overall it was an exhilarating experience. Moreover, it made me nostalgic. I am thankful to Yashoda hospitals for conducting such an amazing camp and also to Dr. Altaf, our mentor for ensuring that we learnt something at the end of the day. I also want to express my gratitude to my parents for encouraging me to participate in the YDC.