hughes @CutieEthy - Twitter Profile

I took this photo at Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital around May last year. For those who don't know what medical interns actually do, let me share a small story. One night as a medical student, I decided to spend time in theatre to learn. I was working with an intern doctor who was on call. That night, she had 6 emergency Caesarean sections to perform. I assisted in the first 3 surgeries and by around 3 am I was exhausted. I told her I was going to sleep because I had lectures at 8 am. the next morning. She smiled and told me to go. The next day, after my lectures, I passed through the postnatal ward and found the same doctor reviewing patients. She had worked through the night, spent hours in theatre, and was still on the wards attending to mothers. That was the day I truly understood that internship is not just another year of training. It is frontline hospital work. When people hear "intern," they often imagine someone observing and learning. In reality, many interns are reviewing patients, responding to emergencies, assisting and performing procedures, covering night shifts, and helping keep hospitals running. As the debate on intern allowances continues, I keep thinking about that night in Kayunga. If we expect young doctors to carry that level of responsibility and workload, can we honestly say their welfare doesn't matter?