LocumLife - November 2008 - (Page 14)

Sailing the High Seas very interesting wildlife in the Pribilof Islands, including fur seals, arctic foxes, and puffins.” What does his role as a ship’s physician entail? “A typical cruise is around 10 days, although some can be longer. On the small ships, I am it. There is no other staff, not even a receptionist. For the most part, I see people when they need to be seen. I am on call 24 hours a day for the entire time. There can be days when I do not see any patients, but on a typical day, I probably see two or three. Some people are surprised to find that I tend to see more crew than passengers as patients. The volume may increase if there is a snorkeling excursion and people have jellyfish stings or coral cuts. One thing cruise ship physicians always fear is a diarrhea outbreak, and if that happens, I could see a large percentage of the ship. I could also treat quite a few patients for seasickness if the seas are particularly rough.” “Being a ship’s doctor really adds variety and helps me in achieving some of my personal goals.” —William Yeaton, MD He continues, “Patients generally range in age from 50 to the late 90s, and because of this, you can see quite a few geriatric cases, such as heart disease, stroke, hip dislocations, and even complications from cancer treatments. Other injuries, depending on where the cruise is going, will include various types of marine injuries and bites.” Medical equipment on smaller ships, however, can sometimes be limited. “Patients often think we have a full-fledged pharmacy or can perform appendectomies and such. In reality, we often do not have much more than a big tackle box with some medications and materials for suturing.” Beyond the clinical aspect, being a ship’s physician includes other duties as well. “Part of our role, especially on larger ships, is to socialize with passengers and represent the ship as the ship’s officer. We also participate in emergency drills and man-overboard/distress situations, as well as safety meetings. Often, we are responsible for doing water cultures and maintaining first aid kits and safety stations. Sometimes I will even give a talk on a medical topic or conduct a photography workshop, but those are not the standard responsibilities.” With regard to orientation, Dr. Yeaton mentions, “There is usually a few hours’ overlap with your shift and the doctor preceding you. He or she will discuss any patients, particularly crew, who might have medical problems, and orient you to the clinic and what is available. There are usually lengthy hand-over notes that explain policies, how to do certain things, and where items are stored.” Although the medicine is largely the same as any other practice, he says, cruise ships do provide their own unique challenges. “First of all, you are away from any other type of Circle Career Card No. 608 14 LocumLife NOVEMBER 2008 http://www.mdainc.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of LocumLife - November 2008

LocumLife - November 2008 Editorial Contents From Nalto Stat! Residency Corner Sailing the High Seas Last-Minute Luxury International Colleagues Explore the U.S. Advertiser Index Opportunities Direct City Beat Contest Rules Anyone's Guess La Vita Locum

LocumLife - November 2008

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