@dresmerelda

ID/Micro Academic Doctor & Smiley-faced lover of purple

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Category: Healthy Living

Time (or in reality ‘Me’) Management

November 27, 2017November 27, 2017Leave a comment

I'm pleased to say that I've managed to achieve a fair bit so far in my career while being utterly useless at time. How? Read on...

Rejection and the ‘Science’ of Recovery

August 1, 2017August 1, 2017Leave a comment

Thinking positively isn't always that easy. Here I discuss how I learnt self confidence and coping strategies for a healthier mind.

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Well, it’s been an intense month! Hence I’ve been quite absent from here (miss me?- don’t answer that) 😂 • So, I’ve been working on a number of things. I’ve been looking at PhD application deadlines, I’ve been to two conferences/meetings on ID/micro and the also the microbiome and I’ve presented at a meeting for gastroenterologist, talking about research around the microbiome and the relationship between it and obesity/diabetes. (Paper I really need to read more on- artificial sweeteners may cause changes in the microbiome that increase the risk of diabetes!) 😱 • All of this has sat alongside my clinical work, finishing an audit/research question, finishing a paper we’re writing, helping to supervise a Med student, tying up results for our study that are coming through, trying to see my family and trying to sort my next rotation in Virology that I start next week. 👍 • Gonna be a steep learning curve again as I try to get my head around viruses and work out my potential PhD options. How’s your November been? Any tips for learning about viruses and applying for PhDs welcome! 👇 • #doctorsofinstagram #scicomm #science #gutmicrobiome #microbiome #virology #microbiology #infectiousdiseases #laptop #bioinformatics #doctorslife #conferences #busylady #researchlife #academia #workhardplayhard #girlboss #womeninacademia #womeninscience #womeninmedicine #medstudent #premed #nurses #pa #workstyle

“Then I rose, and walking back to the suffering-house forgot again my own wounds, for the sake of healing theirs.” - Anon 👩🏻‍⚕️ • There is an odd dichotomy in medicine- as doctors we’re supposed to be both bullet proof guides through bad news and fear whilst simultaneously being compassionate human beings. We hold ourselves to account and we expect that each patient should also get the best from us, regardless what horrendous situation we’ve just come out from; regardless of which patients we might have just lost. 😔 • For the most part, this becomes doable with only a vague risk of hardening of the heart. But sometimes, you particularly connect with the person you’re caring for, the way human beings do and should. And sometimes, that means that your mum/dad/grandma’s doctor mourns their passing like they’ve lost someone when you lose them too. They just can’t always show it. 💕 • Over the years, some patients that you lose just stay with you. One of my first patients as a doctor, who comforted ME because HE was dying; the lady who told me she’d miss me because she thought I was ‘lovely’; the old man who wished me a life as grand as his; the brave lady who told me I couldn’t help everyone, every time. ❤️ • So on this night where the veil between the ‘worlds’ is most thin, I’m remembering not only my own lost loved family members, but those of other people too. 👩🏻‍⚕️ • Samhain 💕 • #doctorsofinstagram #medic #samhain #halloween #death #skeleton #alwayslearning #lovedones #humanity #humans #emergencymedicine #medicine #medstudent #nursing #pa #sepsis #acutemedicine #allhallowseve #skull #doctorslife #scrubslife #stethoscope #healinghands #healthcareprofessional

Much of microbiology is like gardening. Not everything grows, it takes some watering and patience to get things to grow, and sometimes there are weeds- not everything that grows is significant. 🔬 • Image: blood culture bottles 👩🏻‍⚕️ • #doctorsofinstagram #doctorslife #sepsis #infection #microbiology #scicomm #science #infectiousdiseases #blood #cultures #agar #photography #pretty #gardening #medicine #pa #nurses #medic #studygram #medical #artsy #biomedicalscience

Streptococcus agalactiae (or Group B Strep) can be a perfectly harmless bug that lives in our bowels, ‘bits’ and waterworks. However, as with any bug, if it gets into the wrong place, it can be trouble! 👩🏻‍⚕️ • This grew from someone’s blood sample (definitely not where you want to find it!) and this can happen particularly in elderly patients, diabetics... anyone with a weakened immune system. They often have features of cellulitis or other skin and soft tissue infections. 🔬 • I think it always looks quite ‘neat’ on a plate, but the only way to tell if it is a group B is to test it with an antigen kit and/or put it on MALDI. Treatment is often penicillin-based 💊 • There’s another group of people we might worry about this bug in, if we find it living happily in their genital tract. Any ideas? 👇 • #microbiology #inthelab #labcoat #womeninmedicine #infectiousdisease #infections #gbs #doctorsofinstagram #womeninscience #scicomm #healthcare #medicine #medic #agar #womenshealth #pregnancy #neonatal #obgyn #o&g #obstetrics #streptococcus #clinical #pa #nurses #midwives #medicalstudent #studygram

When you’re ‘the teacher’ rather than ‘the taught’ but you feel like it went pretty well after all the nerves before delivering it! 😕😝😁 • Image: the incredibly talented @little_lsquiz • #hiv #otherside #teacher #learningtoteach #medicine #medic #virology #redribbon #alwayslearning #doctordoctor #infectiousdisease #skeleton #dancing #medicalschool #throwback #womeninmedicine #confidence #scicomm #science #theory #pursuitofknowledge #meded #educating #skills #art #microbiology #outofthelab #colourful #fun

Got my flu jab today from Steve 🙌 • From a population point of view, we’re aiming to reduce transmission to patients. From a personal point of view, there’s increasing data that the vaccine reduces the severity of symptoms if you get flu. WIN! Totes should have remembered to smile but was too busy reading the label while keeping my camera hand steady 😂🙈👍 • #flu #flujab #timeofyear #vaccines #medicine #research #womeninmedicine #itu #infectiousdisease #infectioncontrol #science #scicomm #doctorsofinstagram #doctorslife #scrubslife #nurses #pa #medic #microbiology #virology #strikeapose #patientcare #girlboss #workstyle #fashion #vintagehair #sepsis #forthewin #purple

Sometimes being an ID/micro Reg is about pointing out associations between microbes and disease that other clinicians may not know 👩🏻‍⚕️ • Fusobacterium necrophorum is a good example of this. Isolated from patients with tonsilar/neck abscesses makes us think of Lemierre’s disease. In Lemierre’s, patients develop clots in their neck veins and at worst the infection tracks towards their chest and heart (mediastinum). Consequently we will often push for further imaging to rule out 1) clots and 2) mediastinal abscesses. Thankfully it tends to be a very sensitive bug to antibiotics and we don’t have to treat the clot itself. 🔬 • Caught early, outcomes are good and just require a prolonged course of antibiotics and a wash out of the neck abscess. At worst though, I’ve seen patients require ITU and multiple chest drains. It can sometimes get tricky convincing people that we have this worry just based on a bug though! 🙈 • Do you know any other bugs that make us think more laterally? 👇 • #doctorsofinstagram #medicine #friyay #science #sci #scicomm #ent #abscess #sepsis #clinical #medic #nursing #womeninscience #womeninmedicine #microbiology #intensivecare #emergencymedicine #microbes #doctorslife #pathology #stethoscope #infectiousdiseases #surgery #radiology #studygram #thinklaterally #braingame #alwayslearning #pathology

Oh the realisation of how much there is still to do! 🙈 This week is about action planning (you know, to complete the audit/2 case reports/systematic review/general review/PhD plan/teaching prep/presentation/exam prep etc (not counting day job!) that I have to crack on with...!) 💪 • So I’m working on following my own advice in order to keep achieving my goals: • 1️⃣ Break things into chunks- not just what needs doing but a starter on how can be really useful when you’ve got a long jobs list 2️⃣ Add variety- sometimes it’s helpful to focus and finish one thing but sometimes that zaps attention or just overwhelms you when you realise how much else there is too! 3️⃣ Do the work stuff you enjoy when you’re feeling like doing nothing at all- that way you don’t lose momentum 4️⃣ Write lists and tick boxes. Always 🙌 5️⃣ Don’t fill your to-do list with only work. This week, I have an early bed-time goal and 2 fun exercise classes I know I’ll enjoy 😊 • What tips work for you when your trying to catch up with a back-log? 👇 • #studytips #workstyle #fashion #vintage #studygram #research #worklifebalance #balance #stressrelief #stayhealthy #microbiome #microbiology #researchlife #medicine #medic #pa #nursing #doctorsofinstagram #instascience #scicomm #science #success #girlboss #womeninscience #womeninmedicine #doctorslife #reading #goalsetting

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