Early fears in emergency medicine

Dr Charlotte Rachline, an emergency physician at the Franco-Britannique hospital, recalls deciding to do her first internship in emergency medicine to "get through the worst." She admits she was afraid of critical situations and not knowing how to handle them.

Challenging first experiences

When she began her externship and first shifts, the experience was difficult. "When you arrive in the emergency department and don't know what to do with yourself, unless you meet very nice and kind people, which was not the case, you feel completely useless. You have the impression of adding work to others. Which is true," she remembers.

Motivations for becoming a doctor

She chose to become a doctor primarily out of "infinite curiosity about the human body," which has always fascinated her. However, paradoxically, it was also due to a deep fear of illness and especially death. "I needed to understand illness and the unpredictability of the human body to regain some control. And it's probably also for this reason that emergencies scared me."

Overcoming fears through experience

Several years after this traumatic experience, like many interns, Dr Rachline decided to start her internship with emergency medicine. For her, it was a way to "kill the beast," but also to accumulate experiences to gradually reduce the stress associated with critical situations.

Unexpected satisfaction

Unexpectedly, this experience pleased her. "I didn't anticipate this, but I loved this internship at the Foch hospital," she explains. She also discovered a new professional environment and an organization that better suited her.

New environment and flexibility

"It was also the first time I left the Pitié and discovered another hospital. It pleased me for several reasons. I found that the way it worked was a bit more flexible, perhaps also because I had more experience and knowledge than when I first arrived as an extern."

Attractions of emergency work

Several aspects of the job quickly attracted her: "The teamwork, the feeling of being at the crossroads between various specialists, other emergency colleagues, nurses, and nursing assistants..." She also appreciates the closeness between different professionals.

Value of teamwork and immediacy

"I find that we are much closer in the emergency department than in classical hospital services. We have the feeling of being a bit like a gear in a well-oiled machine, at the service of the patients." Finally, the diversity of pathologies and the immediacy of care convinced her.

Transformed fear into vocation

This first experience ultimately transformed her fear of emergencies into a true vocation. As a tutor for interns and a trainer during simulation sessions at the Cognac-Jay foundation, Dr Rachline strives to convey a positive image of emergencies.

Focus on trust and experience

"I avoid putting them in difficulty and teach them to trust themselves safely. I emphasize the experience of difficult situations like resuscitation or death. Something I wish had been done with me when I was an intern." Finally, Dr Rachline pays special attention to interpersonal skills, "this isn't learned from books, and I find that the return of people with more experience is really precious."