Have now, ah!

Studied philosophy, law and medicine, and unfortunately also theology, with great effort.

Here I am, poor fool, and I'm just as clever as before!” – Faust laments in Goethe's tragedy.

"And see that we cannot know anything!

It almost burns my heart.” The actual drama begins with Faust's monologue in the night.

Everything he has studied so far has apparently been of no use to him.

He is in an existential crisis.

It's not that bad when you're nearing the end of your studies or training.

But one does ask oneself: What is the use of all the theory that I have learned?

What will happen when I do what my future job will be for the first time?

Just as the first sex stays in your memory - whether wonderful or terrible - the "first time" at work also shapes us.

Here a teacher, a theologian, a lawyer, a midwife and a doctor talk about their first times.

Outside of time and space

Sonja Mathes, 28 years old, doctor in training to become a dermatologist, Klinikum Rechts der Isar in Munich, about the first time she resuscitated a person:

“I was looking forward to a relaxing ICE ride from Nuremberg to Berlin with time to study.

Back then, in April 2019, I was in my practical year, which is the last year of study.

We then work as doctors, so to speak, but always under the supervision of a “complete” doctor.

I got myself a coffee and immersed myself in my textbook - internal medicine, chapter laboratory values.

20 minutes before Leipzig came the announcement: “Are there medical staff on board?

Please come to the on-board restaurant immediately.” I hurried off.

A man lay on the floor, overweight, red-faced, breathing heavily.

Simultaneously with me, a woman came from the other side.

We quickly exchanged ideas: She was a colleague, a pediatrician.

I answered: practical year.

I was surprised at how calm I was.

I believe this is what defines the medical profession:

The man did not answer, apparently he had lost consciousness.

We couldn't feel a pulse, not even in the neck.

Two younger women came, medical students in an earlier semester.

I was glad that there were now four of us.

The man turned blue in the face, did not breathe for a long time and then gasped - a sign of a life-threatening respiratory disorder.

It was clear to us that he had to be revived.

Within seconds we became a well-rehearsed team.

One ventilated with the resuscitation bag from the train's emergency kit, the other pressed, the other two rested, then they switched.

You can't imagine how exhausting it is!

I don't remember how long we resuscitated.

I only had one thought: keep going!

The train stopped just before Leipzig.

A switch fault, according to the announcement.

I thought: You can't be serious, can you?

We're trying to save this man's life and we're stuck?

It seemed like an eternity before we drove on – even though it was only ten minutes, as we were later told.