To canter again...

After a loong break, I'm back!

My last set of nights was unremarkable. Either that or it was so traumatic that the reason I have no recollection, is amnesia (and not of the sort that back-from-the-dead-Mr-Darwin apparently 'suffered' from).
Leaving my little DGH I do remember.....but life goes on.
Now I'm back in a big city (ish) and have just started at a GP surgery - which has been rather unsettling (more about that later).

For the past four months, I have been doing an academic post. When I got the job, it was just a matter of applying for a selection of jobs one wished to do during the year, and that was that. Now it is highly competitive, as more and more people try to do research (to get their name in a journal, and an extra entry in the CV, plus innumerable brownie points with big-reputation-Joes). So much so that in order to land an academic post, one has to do presentations and interviews etc etc....not sure I would have bothered.
So, what does academia involve??
Contrary to my expectations when I initially applied (oh those naive days...) it was not to teach, but instead to research. Given that during my science degree (intercalated) my 'research' bellyflopped (to cut a long story short: my project was changed - twice, 2/3 of my samples were lost, and I found nothing, apart from the fact that daytime telly is really not worth the time wasted watching it but as the manky sofa is soooo comfortable and warm, that it just about justifies it), I was understandably rather apprehensive about more 'research'.

Having no idea about what-i-want-to-do-when-i-grow-up, I chose a project on a topic that is not only in the news a lot, but also affected my ward in the DGH: the dreaded Clostridium difficile.
This time I really enjoyed the research: I learnt techniques and set up protocols that others are currently using; I was able to problem-solve and help others with similar issues; I've learnt heaps more about this bug and after the manic and stressful time I had in my last job, it was the tonic I needed.
And, I hear you ask - have i 'found' anything? Well, not really, I don't think so at least. But the learning is something! (there's always a silver lining - well at least there is this close to Christmas!)

In addition to the lab work, I also had to do medical on-calls in the evenings, weekends and nights (to justify being paid!) - which was good - it meant I didn't forget everything I ever knew, but I can assure you, the learning curve now (or rather the re-learning curve - as I knew loads after finals, but very little now) is very steep and frustrating.

And that my dear readers has been a summary of the past 6 months.