Happy wanderers

There is a useful expression in German--and therefore banned from the columns of this English only journal--that translates approximately as “wander-year.” It signifies a blameless career break, taken usually on the completion of full time study and spent in travel and contemplation.

Recently our little unit has played host to a succession of young doctors who seem to have been doing just that. They are our junior locums. We need them to keep our rotas legal. For a variety of reasons they are happy to work--at least briefly--for us.

They come to us from Europe, Australasia, South Africa, and sometimes just Glasgow. They work when and where they choose. They travel light, with the traveller's knack of settling …