The Carmen Alonso Barreiro from Vigo He obtained 181st place in the MIR exam, which was taken by nearly 14,000 doctors throughout Spain. This advantageous position allowed him to choose from the first the specialty and health area in which he would train during the years. next four years. He chose Family Medicine in Vigo.
What led you to choose family medicine?
During my degree I was lucky enough to be able to do family medicine internships in fifth grade, which are mandatory, and I did them here in Vigo and in sixth grade as well, in that case in Santiago. Until that moment, family medicine was quite unknown to me; in college we don’t have the subject until fifth grade. By having the opportunity to rotate in it and to meet with magnificent professionals, I realized that it represented the idea of a doctor that I had always had when I entered the career, the doctor who cannot say no to any demand that the patient makes of him. , ask you for advice, have a complaint about a symptom or come with emotional discomfort due to a duel or divorce. You are the doctor who cannot say no to anything and who has to be prepared for any request that the patient makes of you, beyond, let’s say, physical medicine. I only saw that figure of reference doctor in my family medicine rotation. I couldn’t forget that experience, I knew it was going to be my choice.
Did you also consider that it accompanies the patient throughout life?
Yes, being able to accompany the patient from when he is a child until he becomes an old man, going through all the vital processes, pregnancies if there are any, grief if they lose their loved ones or a job change. It is something unique that family medicine provides, I think it will motivate me a lot in my day-to-day work. Also the fact of being close to the community.
Was it clear from the beginning?
When you study the degree you are willing to do many specialties, all with their charm, their pros and cons. At the time you have to consider what you like and along the way you leave other things behind.
What others did you like?
I have always liked fairly general specialties, those that do not limit themselves to an organ or a system, but rather maintain a bit of a global vision of the patient. I did a rotation in Internal Medicine, which I loved, and I couldn’t rotate in Geriatrics but it makes me curious, it is not so general because it focuses more on the elderly but covers all areas of their disease. At the time I also hesitated with some hospitalist like Digestive because the Endoscopy technique interested me a lot. Of all of them, Internal Medicine was the one that generated the most doubts in me.
The other side or rather the cross of this choice is the situation experienced by the specialty of Family Medicine. Doesn’t it scare you?
I believe that the fact that there is a lack of doctors and that the choice of MIR is not such a coveted specialty is influenced by many factors; it cannot be reduced to just one. I think that the working conditions, even though it also happens in many other specialties, are far from optimal. It appears a lot in the press and it is something that resonates in the faculties. It’s something that weighs, it’s true. On the other hand, I understand that the subject of family medicine does not exist in all faculties in Spain and I do not know if all of them have the opportunity to rotate in health centers. It is a very negative point because for me it was a very unknown specialty until I had the opportunity to rotate in it. I don’t want to imagine what it will be like for someone who hasn’t been exposed to it, how are you going to choose something you don’t know? And unfortunately the issue of prestige resonates in hospitals, comments are heard and there are people who are worried about it, not so much for me, but everyone has their own way of seeing it. It can contribute to the fact that someone who doubts ends up weighing other options more. The hospitalists have a very specific job; if you are a cardiologist in cardiology, the family doctor can end up in the emergency room, PAC or health centers.
Why did you choose Vigo?
I did my degree in Santiago and I was clear that I wanted to do my residency in Galicia. I’m from here and I like it, now I want to give back some of what I received by being a good professional and contributing something to people. Vigo gives me everything I need, I have my family nearby, I was able to come with my partner who is also a resident and with many friends who also chose Vigo. And Cunqueiro offers good conditions.
How did you achieve such a high grade?
I was lucky to arrive at the exam relatively calm and very motivated, it is still a test. I tried to have a good career without thinking about the MIR, I made an effort to learn and to be a good professional. This leads you to have a lot of knowledge and to handle it better when you get to prepare the MIR, which requires effort and work.n
On May 7 they choose a health center and on the 8th they take office. How does this stage begin?
I join very excited and very motivated. The MIR is a stage in which you do not do internships and I have not set foot in a hospital or health center for a long time. I missed contact with the patient and studying, not for an exam, but for daily practice.
