I don’t think there is any special theological connection between working as a doctor and serving Health students in ministry. Over the years, I’ve heard a few of my Christian medical colleagues launch an attempt from ‘Jesus was a healer’. But Jesus also drove the sheep and cattle out of the temple courts. Could jackaroos and jillaroos make a similar claim? 

Focusing on Jesus’ healing ministry is not a profitable approach. It’s mostly from my day-to-day experience of working in medicine that I can bring some added context to applying the truth of the Bible to medical, dental and health students in the EU.

Firstly, I can serve as a model (living proof?) that it is possible to continue in Christ despite the challenges of study and work in health professions. So many, in medicine particularly, worship the god of medicine and devote their lives to it. They are highly regarded for this. It’s seen as altruistic and even heroic! 

But Christian believers already have a God, and allegiance to our Lord Jesus takes precedence over everything else. There’s no room for other gods! I bear witness to valuing medicine as a job. A good job, with lots of opportunity for the many good works which God has prepared in advance for us to do. A job that can bring blessings to those we serve and to us. A job that will one day be unnecessary.

The second is to remind students how the everyday struggle to live faithfully is a more constant challenge than the occasional moments of drama that capture the interest of the news and of fiction. I find it can be hard to bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit when I’m tired, hungry, thirsty and under pressure; to behave in a way characterised by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 

Medicine is both collegial and competitive. When I was a junior doctor, it was very tempting to cover up my minor mistakes or oversights to look good in front of my boss. When asked, ‘Do you have the results of the bloods?’ it’s tempting to lie. ‘They’re not available yet,’ and quietly order them afterwards. Practising honest humility and risking disapproval in small things is a great way to develop trust in Jesus. Then, when a really difficult situation arises, we’re better equipped to trust Jesus and act with integrity.

My work serving the EU Health faculty is rarely mentioned in the context of my medical work. It’s more of an occasional momentary curiosity than something that people want to talk about. Most of the time, for both me and my nursing and allied health colleagues, there’s a never-ending list of tasks to be done, so when I chat to people, it’s brief small talk. On an ideal day, I get to eat lunch before 2pm, but often not. 

I work with a lot of new graduates, so patience and kindness are very helpful when working with inexperienced colleagues who are slow and still learning on the job. Like any workplace, there is some unresolved interpersonal conflict. As a Christian, behaving in a way that promotes peace, insofar as that is possible, is helpful to my colleagues and a witness to Christ.

Finally, there are costs that come with working in two part-time jobs. Meetings, which are generally a helpful part of work, take up a greater portion of my EU work week. Training and continuing professional development do not get reduced when you work part-time, and each job has its own requirements. I would advise careful consideration if the idea of working two jobs is appealing to you!