I was due at the hospital for 8am which was early even by British standards! I managed to get up with plenty of time to spare and made the 30 second walk to the hospital. When I arrived at the Emergency Department a doctor was waiting for me, Dr Takeda (Takeda-sensei). He took me to the case conference which was essentially a handover meeting between night and day shift. There was literally like 12 doctors in the room and they were all wearing scrubs apart from the Professor at the back and me (I was wearing my shirt and tie with a white coat). I felt like a right arsehole. The doctors presented each case (all in Japanese) but thankfully Dr Takeda translated it all for me which was pretty useful. I did however manage to recognise a few words. When everyone had presented Dr Takeda asked me to stand up and introduce myself in Japanese LOL. It wasn't too bad but the problem is when Japanese people laugh at you speaking Japanese you don't know if it's because you are saying it wrong or right and they just find foreigners speaking their language funny.
I got to meet all the day shift staff and everyone was so nice to me. People definitely took an interest in my presence. Dr Takeda bought me a drink from Starbucks (there is one in the hospital- wasted on me I'm afraid) and then took me into the doctor's room to talk about my schedule. He advised me I should leave 2 weeks at the end to go travelling around Japan as he thinks it's important for my career to see the culture in Japan. WELL OKAY THEN IF YOU SAY SO SENSEI. He saw I was sweating a fucking beast so he told me to just wear scrubs. I was so thankful, plus it meant I was dressed like everyone else. When I was walking around, I noticed some doctors/nurses wear a mask and some don't so I guessed that it was a thing of preference. The Emergency Department itself receives over 40-50 ambulance calls per day and several more people who present to the hospital themselves so it's always busy. It is a big range of people and tbh most are accidents like road traffic accidents and falls.
Lots of patients on my first day I noticed were very old. 80s and even 90s and apart from their injuries they were ridiculously healthy. I got to spend a lot of time taking patients for X-rays and CTs. It seems like they give them both to anyone. But that's because the patients pay for 30% and the government pays for 70% of the bill. It seems like a good idea because people are still paying therefore they appreciate the service more and don't make trivial complaints. There are other things that are quite different too. Mostly equipment but also sites of taking blood and cannulas are different to the UK too. I learned about the medical education system and it's not that different from the UK really, which was good to hear.
When it got near lunch time the junior doctors summoned me to the base and asked me what I wanted for lunch from the menu. I literally had no idea what I was ordering but it looked nice enough. It turns out every day they order in from a nearby restaurant! I found that so odd, but I wasn't complaining. Dr Takeda took me to see the ICU suite at the other part of the hospital and it was really nice and brand new! I then had to go get a picture taken for my badge, I wish it had been when I didn't look an absolute state but meh what are you gonna do? By the time I got back to the ER it was time for lunch! We all went to the doctors room and tucked in. Turns out I ordered a hamburger on rice with vegetables and a poached egg to crack on top of the hamburger. An odd choice but when in Rome... I gobbled it all up and when I was done I asked how much mine was. The other doctors looked at me as if I was mad. They informed me that it was normal for the senior consultants to buy the lunch for everyone on shift! EVERY day. I couldn't believe it! That would never happen in Scotland! You maybe get the odd coffee but never lunch every day! I was beginning to like this place even more!
I spent the rest of the afternoon just learning more Japanese from the staff and seeing all the patients that came in! Such a variety of things! I got to see inside a Japanese Ambulance as well haha. I was in until 7 which was a looooong first day! I stayed all the way to the handover! I made lots of friends on my first day and everyone was really nice. I may not have understood a lot of what was going on but Medicine is pretty much the same wherever you go, I have found!
I spent the rest of the evening just relaxing at home! Uploading photos and getting my internet sorted out in my flat :D Early to bed for another day in the hospital!
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