It's a 'mad, mad world' at Chris Hani

14 December 2015 - 03:05 By Sipho Masombuka

Dedication, hard work, a good work ethic and caring for patients - these are the qualities that have earned Caylee O'Leary the intern doctor of the year award at Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital. The 25-year-old University of Pretoria's bachelor of medicine and surgery graduate won the award last week. She is in the first year of her mandatory two-year internship.O'Leary described interning at the world's third-biggest hospital as "mad, mad, mad"."The number of patients you see on a hectic day can reach 50; it would be about 15 on a good day. On average we have up to 25 patients, to be treated for conditions such as TB, HIV, meningitis and cardiac problems."O'Leary said her stint in the trauma unit at Chris Hani-Baragwanath was memorable in that it got so hectic at weekends and month-ends that "you can't see the trauma department floor because it is covered by patients".She said there were 15 trauma resuscitation beds in the ward, which treated more than 20 patients, and two doctors on duty.The overcrowding, and shortage of equipment and staff in the public sector, have convinced O'Leary that her future is in the private health sector in Scotland."I intend staying in the public sector because I want to specialise."..

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