Starting out during a pandemic

Embarking on a medical career is always full of new experiences but what happens when it coincides with a global health pandemic? F1 doctor Shamarah Mathurin-Charles and GP trainee Muddassar Ahmed share their experiences.

Shamarah's story...

Dr Shamarah Mathurin-Charles was a final year medical student shadowing an F1 doctor at Medway Hospital in Gillingham, in preparation for her own F1 placement, when she heard the news that 5,500 medical students would be graduating early to aid the COVID-19 pandemic response.

After volunteering, Shamarah was drafted into a COVID-19 ward as Final Year Medical Student COVID Support. Her primary role was to teach staff how to safely put on PPE equipment.

In April, following an understated and remote graduation, Shamarah transferred to the COVID-19 high dependency ward, where she worked at the height of the pandemic, helping with clinical jobs such as taking blood samples and fitting cannulas.

“It was an unexpected and extreme dynamic, but it helped that I was familiar with the clinical supervisors and hospital consultants, and the higher ratio of clinicians on wards compared to patients enabled me to ask more questions and further develop my clinical skills; something that I might not have had as much of an opportunity to do if I had been working under more normal circumstances.”

In May, Shamarah’s official Interim FY1 placement in one of the designated COVID-19 wards at King's College Hospital London began. At the time, the news agenda was dominated by the Black Lives Matter movement, and the publication of data that indicated patients from Black Asian and minority ethnic communities were more susceptible to contracting the virus.

She found it to be a particularly emotional time: “I felt I had a special connection with patients admitted onto the ward from BAME communities. I think it made me even more compelled to deliver the best possible care to all patients,” she reflects. Since then, Shamarah has joined the College’s BAME working group.

She summarises her unprecedented career start as an ‘invaluable experience’ but also a ‘steep learning curve’. “I’m grateful to King’s College for their support, and to the NHS for providing free accommodation, which instantly alleviated any of my worries about spreading COVID-19 to my grandparents, who I normally live with,” she says. 

Muddassar's story...

GP registrar and Vice Chair of the RCGP AiT committee, Dr Muddassar Ahmed, managed to complete his MRCGP before exams were suspended due to COVID-19, and whilst waiting for his results, spent the pandemic practising at the GP practice in Peterborough where he was training.

His initial challenge was becoming accustomed to the new ways of working in general practice, particularly the move to remote consultations, something he had little previous experience of. “Most of my training involved seeing patients face to face, so delivering care via telephone was initially a struggle. At first, I was ringing patients a couple of times after their consultation to check they were okay. I thought having video consultation equipment, would enhance the quality of care we were able to provide. I raised this in a practice meeting, and cameras were ordered and installed, which made me feel a lot more confident.”

Limited PPE and media speculation on its effectiveness left Muddassar feeling concerned, not only for his safety but his friends, family and patients. “When arriving home from work, I was practising an extensive hygiene routine and having to socially distance from close family members. I made the decision to temporarily live alone. I felt quite isolated and hugely benefited from colleague support at the practice.”

Muddassar also found time to volunteer with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association and Ahmadiyya Muslim Medical Association, to help and support vulnerable members of the community during lockdown, as well as setting up a remote online clinic for patients in Pakistan, who were unable to access COVID-19 medical care.

Despite COVID-19 presenting clinical and mental challenges, he says it also helped to build his confidence and reminded society of the importance of kindness and communication. 