My plan for after this test was to meet my mentor and start praktik and vikariat (substitute) while I wait for the house job (AT) results. Last date to apply for second half of 2013 was 13th March. Since I haven't cleared the exam and have to take it again, I didn't even bother applying for the house job (the procedure now clearly states that foreign doctors should apply with a copy of TULE result.
I met my mentor anyway. She is a barnkardiolog (child specialist with a sub-speciality in child cardiology - that's 8 years). She arranged for a practice where she works, i.e. at the pediatric department at hallandssjukhus. I began 18th of March and continued up till 12th April. Working at the hospital was a great experience. I got to know about the health system in Sweden, and saw a lot of different cases. Also I was highly appreciated for my language skills.
Mottagning is the word used for the out-patient department/day. So the specialists had their OPD and then there was a general pediatric OPD usually run by the ST-läkare (residents). Avdelning means the ward, so there's the neonatal avdelning, different wards that are denoted by numbers. There is also the IVA (intensivvårdsavdelning) which means the ICU. The emergency department is called akut and is amazing as compared to a developing country (u-land, utvecklingsland) like Pakistan.
I got to be with child nephrologist, oncologist, endocrinologist, urologist, cardiologist, neurologist, neonatologist (which I seemed to enjoy most) and at the emergency department. Got to see things that are not used=seen in Pakistan. It was great to learn about the new things and protocols that I must become accustomed to, in order to work in Sweden.
The points of significance to be told here are the ones that may be of some help in the process of getting an AT (house-job). I got to know that praktik an vikariat at the hospital that you want to apply in is of significance, because they want people trained according to their system (every hospital has a modified version of the national guidelines, known as the PM) and would ideally want people who wish to continue with ST at the same hospital. So it can be a good idea to make them believe in your personlig brev (personal letter accompanying the application along with the CV) that you are settled down in this city and will continue to live here.
Praktik and vikariat can also be price-less learning experiences, since you can examine patients, learn to perform the basic procedures (which are not too many), and above all, learn the computerized filing and dictation system. Since I didn't have läkarexamen yet, I didn't do any of these, I just went alongside the doctor.
Another thing that I learned was that it is a very positive sign that you are interested and doing practice/vikariat because that shows that you really want to work.
Because the minimum time-lag between AT application and starting it is about 4 months, you should apply for vikariat simultaneously, because it's unavoidable that you'll have to work as underläkare before actually getting an AT. If you don't get it the first time, you get it almost surely the second time, since you have the edge on the fresh graduates of working the whole waiting time.
In short, you have to be ambitious and patient. Because as I see it, getting an AT in Sweden is not a very quick process. You have to learn to live without stressing, like all the Swedish folk does. And find an alternate source of income till that time. Speaking of which, I also came to know that it is great to have worked as undersköterska while you're läkarstudent (studing medicine or preparing for the test), because it gives you an experience of performing some procedures and getting to know the system from another perspective. This is also important, since in Sweden the hospitals function with a lot of team-work, it's not the doctor who's the ruler, like in other health systems around the world.
I don't know about the trends about people willing to work in Sweden as doctors, but I'm still going to continue writing this blog, in hopes of even one person benefitting from this basic information.
May God help us be better doctors and better humans, and help us do something meaningful in this life!
I met my mentor anyway. She is a barnkardiolog (child specialist with a sub-speciality in child cardiology - that's 8 years). She arranged for a practice where she works, i.e. at the pediatric department at hallandssjukhus. I began 18th of March and continued up till 12th April. Working at the hospital was a great experience. I got to know about the health system in Sweden, and saw a lot of different cases. Also I was highly appreciated for my language skills.
Mottagning is the word used for the out-patient department/day. So the specialists had their OPD and then there was a general pediatric OPD usually run by the ST-läkare (residents). Avdelning means the ward, so there's the neonatal avdelning, different wards that are denoted by numbers. There is also the IVA (intensivvårdsavdelning) which means the ICU. The emergency department is called akut and is amazing as compared to a developing country (u-land, utvecklingsland) like Pakistan.
I got to be with child nephrologist, oncologist, endocrinologist, urologist, cardiologist, neurologist, neonatologist (which I seemed to enjoy most) and at the emergency department. Got to see things that are not used=seen in Pakistan. It was great to learn about the new things and protocols that I must become accustomed to, in order to work in Sweden.
The points of significance to be told here are the ones that may be of some help in the process of getting an AT (house-job). I got to know that praktik an vikariat at the hospital that you want to apply in is of significance, because they want people trained according to their system (every hospital has a modified version of the national guidelines, known as the PM) and would ideally want people who wish to continue with ST at the same hospital. So it can be a good idea to make them believe in your personlig brev (personal letter accompanying the application along with the CV) that you are settled down in this city and will continue to live here.
Praktik and vikariat can also be price-less learning experiences, since you can examine patients, learn to perform the basic procedures (which are not too many), and above all, learn the computerized filing and dictation system. Since I didn't have läkarexamen yet, I didn't do any of these, I just went alongside the doctor.
Another thing that I learned was that it is a very positive sign that you are interested and doing practice/vikariat because that shows that you really want to work.
Because the minimum time-lag between AT application and starting it is about 4 months, you should apply for vikariat simultaneously, because it's unavoidable that you'll have to work as underläkare before actually getting an AT. If you don't get it the first time, you get it almost surely the second time, since you have the edge on the fresh graduates of working the whole waiting time.
In short, you have to be ambitious and patient. Because as I see it, getting an AT in Sweden is not a very quick process. You have to learn to live without stressing, like all the Swedish folk does. And find an alternate source of income till that time. Speaking of which, I also came to know that it is great to have worked as undersköterska while you're läkarstudent (studing medicine or preparing for the test), because it gives you an experience of performing some procedures and getting to know the system from another perspective. This is also important, since in Sweden the hospitals function with a lot of team-work, it's not the doctor who's the ruler, like in other health systems around the world.
I don't know about the trends about people willing to work in Sweden as doctors, but I'm still going to continue writing this blog, in hopes of even one person benefitting from this basic information.
May God help us be better doctors and better humans, and help us do something meaningful in this life!
O this article is a great help...but o wanted to know dat how did u get in contact wd ur mentor? And is man paid during ths period?
ReplyDeleteI got my mentor via the rotary project (http://www.yrkesmentorer.se/). I got to know about them through my swedish teacher but had the meeting with them at arbetsförmedlingen. To my knowledge, this is NOT a basis for any sort of ersättning because you are not technically working/studying. (The mentor also works voluntarily, free of cost, by the way)
DeleteSpeaking of alternate sources of income...how does one go about that, especially being new in Sweden and yet to learn the language. Are there any aids?
ReplyDeleteHi Nosheen. I was wondering whether you are aware of any similar mentoring programmes that are available in Stockholm or who to contact to find out. Your help is greatly appreciated. I have been following your journey and learnt a great deal. Thank you and keep it up.
ReplyDeletehi, not to be rude, but i am really curious about ur financial situation. do you work part time or something while doing ur language studies or savings maybe?? be great if you could answer
ReplyDelete