Dr. Raja Adnan currently serves as a consultant psychiatrist at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. In 2003, he completed a Bachelors in Medicine & Surgery (MBBS) at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro, Pakistan. In 2012, he obtained a diploma in psychiatry from Cardiff University and also received MRCPsych from the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Later in 2019, he got a master’s degree in medical education from Cardiff University. Today, Dr. Raja Adnan is a well-recognized British psychiatrist who selflessly provides guidelines to International Medical Graduates (IMGs) about training and much more.
Trial of Choosing Specialty
Once a medical student becomes a doctor, the majority looks forward to becoming specialists. As simple as it seems, choosing a speciality is complicated. Many young doctors do not have mentors who can guide them correctly so they can decide the best for themselves. During MBBS, when medical students practice clinical rotations under the supervision of residents, interest related to different specialities builds in their minds. With time, they gauge their mental inclination towards a single speciality and make the final decision.
“When I was in the third or fourth year of MBBS I began thinking about psychiatry. I was interested in knowing about human behaviour, emotions and the mind. I read about several psychologists in history and they intrigued my interest in psychiatry. So it is simple; I like psychiatry. If I had felt it was not for me I would have switched to another speciality. Today, it has been 10+ years since practising psychiatry.”
Dr. Raja Adnan
Attributes of Specialty
“When you are choosing a speciality or subspecialty you need to be careful so you choose what suits you. When you complete MBBS you are in your early twenties and then after internships and courses you are mature enough to decide on a speciality. So when you choose a speciality it should match your personality and psychological needs.”
Dr. Raja Adnan
Internet Shrinks Distance Between IMGs & their Inspirations
Back in the days when Dr. Raja Adnan graduated, social media was not an active tool at academic and professional levels. For them, it was not a hassle-free process to find their seniors who settled in the UK or other parts of the world for guidance. Tracing a senior who graduated, passed exams and scored residency had to follow a mainstream protocol that didn’t include social media.
“When I was a medical student, social media was not an active approach. We had to find our seniors working in the UK by tracing their addresses in their native country, contacting their families and taking their email addresses. After that, we would approach them with emails. It was a difficult process. We were blank and didn’t have any information. Contacting senior professionals was not easy. But now, there is a lot of information on the internet. Just make sure you contact the right person to guide you.”
Dr. Raja Adnan
From Jamshoro to the UK: The unrolling of fulfilling moments
When mind and heart acknowledge a dream coming true after years of hard work and struggle, the moment is infinite. Every doctor looks forward to recognition and respect. Dr. Raja Adnan knew his destination was the UK and there he is practising and living his dream.
“I don’t know if the most fulfilling moment of my life has come yet or not. When I first came to the UK, it was a great time because I was finally doing something that I had dreamt of. Most importantly, I realised I have a special set of skills that people consider me for an opinion as a psychiatrist. This fulfilling moment creates a sense of responsibility and achievement. It is fulfilling to know that I have done something worthy in my life so far. “
Dr. Raja Adnan
Million Dollar Question: How to deal with stress and anxiety?
Everyone has a different way of dealing with stress. There is no perfect way to deal with stress and anxiety. Something that works for one person is likely not work for the other. Firstly, it is important to acknowledge that we are all humans and it is quite normal to feel most of the things such as anxiety. Anxiety is seen as abnormal but every human is anxious at some point in life. The same is true for depression and stress. We all go through these phases. Some people talk about these states openly while others contain it inside themselves. Apparently, they are confident but actually, they are stressed and anxious.
“For me, the first step is to acknowledge the feeling. In psychiatry training, you understand your own emotions as well. You understand the particular areas that make you anxious. Identify the source of stress. If you can’t stop thinking about it then change the way of thinking about it. Mindfulness is a great trick to relieve anxiety. Bring back your senses to the here and now. Live in the moment.”
Dr. Raja Adnan
Underestimating the Potential in You
”We have a lot of potential but we underestimate ourselves. When you are growing up in a developing country there is a high chance of underestimating yourself. Just know that you can become anything you want. All you need to do is find the right mentor, advice and energy for hard work. Don’t hesitate to seek help and reach out to people.”
Dr. Raja Adnan
Dr. Raja Adnan Ahmed preaches choosing and following the right choices. Initially, young doctors are clueless but with the right preferences and values, they find the right mentor.
“Everyone needs a role model in life. It is important to know who we are looking up to and following. We may not acknowledge it and call them our role models but subconsciously everyone is looking up to someone.”
Dr. Raja Adnan
Dr. Raja Adnan convinces psychiatrists to not only prescribe medicines but also to go ahead and explore non-medical interventions and psychotherapy in clinical parameters.
