At the age of 51, Ben Collins is preparing to step into his first role as a junior doctor, marking the culmination of a radical four-year career transformation that began when he was 47.
A Radical Career Pivot
Collins, a former small-town journalist for the ABC in Western Australia's Kimberley region, resigned from his established career to embark on the gruelling path of medical school. He describes the last four years as breaking every rule of normal behaviour, involving intimate physical examinations of patients, handling human anatomical specimens, and encountering every conceivable bodily fluid.
Feelings of fear and ineptitude were constant companions as he was thrust into challenging clinical situations. He recalls the profound awkwardness of initially asking a patient about her depression, feeling he was intruding on a stranger's private world. Yet, he was met with remarkable patience from patients who understood his need to learn.
Moments of Transformation and Insight
The journey forced a significant personal and professional metamorphosis. Discussing end-of-life preferences became a normal post-lunch topic, and examining cadavers was a routine part of the week. A pivotal moment in his education came with a change of perspective on the digital rectal examination.
Once sceptical of the procedure, a urology professor demonstrated its critical, life-saving potential. Collins vividly recalls examining a prostate that was hard, lumpy, and asymmetrical—clear signs of cancer requiring urgent treatment. This experience cemented his understanding of the procedure's vital role.
The Weight and Reward of a New Responsibility
Now on the cusp of starting his first job, Collins admits to lingering terror at the newfound responsibility. He can no longer shield himself behind the label of 'student'. However, this is tempered by immense pride and fulfilment.
He values the unique, front-row seat to life's most extraordinary moments, from witnessing childbirth to supporting patients receiving devastating diagnoses. He has also experienced fleeting glimpses of expert clinical intuition, such as observing a seasoned paediatrician diagnose a seizure disorder from a brief video.
Remarkably, that lesson resurfaced a year later when Collins himself recognised the same condition in an infant in an emergency department, potentially helping to steer the child towards early, life-altering treatment.
Looking back, Collins describes the process as the most stressful episode of his adult life, yet also profoundly satisfying. He feels this hard-won achievement has set him up for what he hopes will be a rewarding 20-plus year career in medicine, proving it's never too late for a radical new beginning.
