No I am a scientist who works in hospital. Biochem.
It has been 6 years of uni and two years of training to be state registered in the UK.
I did think about medicine, I could have done an accelerated degree with my qualifications, but dealing with all those sick people, YUCK.
They do train us in such a way that at 4 am in the morning, you can still make sense of things.
I do get to tell doctors off (sometimes), which is a bit of a kick.
They get so little training in pathology, they do rely on us quite a bit to actually tell them what tests they need and what they mean.
I am considering doing some more training to become a consultant biochemist, I would have to sit the same exams that consultants do, and it takes another 5- 7 years for an MRC Path (medical royal college of pathology exam).
Just had a 46 year old with a 'severe heading'
Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, you would think he would know better at his age.
I think the best one I have had this year is 'patient complain of (C/O) abdo pains - also has stab wound to upper left side of chest'