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Well, the curtain is about to come down on what has been a long summer break (I can’t emphasise the ‘long’ part enough). I’m gearing up to head back into university on the twenty-second to commence the final year of my clinical studies. The past two years have gone by so fast that I don’t forecast there being much of a change this year. I’m really looking forward to getting this degree under my belt.

Before the academic year ended in 2009 we were advised to choose our preferred hospital and unit for our speciality placements in our final year. For me, it was a simple case of picking either one of the two largest children’s hospitals in Brisbane. The problem was there wasn’t a great deal of difference between them. Although it was a serious decision, I would have honestly been happy to flip a coin.

I remember there being a great air of uncertainty late last year. I thought to myself, this is my future right here, on this bit of paper. If I were to be denied a placement in paediatrics then it would be a massive setback for my future plans. Paediatrics, from what I hear, is hard to get placed into. In my cohort alone there are unprecedented numbers all vying for a placement in paeds, let alone other universities. There are simply not enough places in the hospitals.

To add to the uncertainty, not long after I submitted my preference I began second guessing it. I often wondered if I made the right decision to go with the hospital I chose, almost to the point where I began wishing I had chosen the other hospital instead. I can’t explain it but it was just a deep-seated feeling that I had. I knew something just wasn’t right, even though I would have had a more than abundant opportunity to learn at the hospital I chose.

Fast-forward three months and I received a phone call this morning from the clinical administrator at ACU. She was ringing to inform me that my preference had been declined due to a lack of available positions. They were going to send me to a hospital that had no paediatric department at all. I was pretty bummed until she informed me that another student had retracted their paediatric placement at the last minute. It works out she retracted from the other children’s hospital, the one I felt I should have gone to in the first place. The clinical administrator rang to give me first preference to the new opening. Needless to say I didn’t hesitate to take the placement, even though she told me there was quite a long list of people wanting the position if I didn’t take it.

I’m just so thankful. It was one of those moments where I knew in my heart that this is where I’m supposed to be. I don’t believe in things happening by chance. I believe there is a perfect reason and timing for everything. I feel so blessed at this moment. I feel that this is confirmation after hearing God’s voice in that little church in Africa all those years ago that this is the path I am to walk down.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 5:34 pm and is filed under Ponderings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.