Keeping a sound body... (part 1)

We all know that medical school is tough. The greatest emphasis in a lot of the literature on keeping yourself healthy in med school seems to be, naturally, directed towards mental health. I'm not disputing that this is important; it's essential that we take care of our mental health and I'll address it in a later post. What is perhaps less publicised about the risks of becoming and working as a doctor is the physical side of things.

Why would a medical student want to work while studying?

As I start writing this entry in my shiny new blog, I am fully aware that I have to wake up in under eight hours to go to work. I have to admit, my job is pretty cushy - a shift once a week, on a Sunday morning, starting at 7. I work as a phlebotomist at one of the major tertiary hospitals here in Perth, so I get to practice my skills and chat to patients at the same time.

It wasn't always this way. At various points in my career as a medical student I have been:

• Junior Counterhand (cleaner of crusty fast food remnants and occasional cash register jockey)
• Kitchenhand (dish-washer/-dryer/-stacker that you can yell at and deny airconditioning)
• Checkout chick (the one with the psychotic smile because she hates her job and is high on caffeine)
• 'Customer Service' at a liquor superstore (bouncer, stockfiller, cleaner, loss prevention officer, amateur sommelier, and occasional checkout chick)

I come from a relatively comfortable background - so why work crappy jobs and study intensively at the same time?