Welsh doctors turn photographers to show what job means

Dr Dylan Parry's winning photograph looks at the relationship with patients and families

What is it like being a doctor in Wales? That question has been answered in pictures rather than words, when the medical profession took up the challenge set by a photography competition.

It was the idea of BMA Cymru, which said it wanted to stimulate debate, discussion and "ultimately understanding" about what the job is like in 2017.

"What being a doctor means to me" was the theme and it inspired GPs and hospital registrars to look beyond the confines of their surgeries and wards.

Some took images of their lives outside work and of wider Wales, while others approached aspects and challenges in their work head-on.

• In pictures: What being a doctor in Wales means to me

The winning image - Life's meaning in the face of mortality

The winner was Dr Dylan Parry, a GP at Cadwgan surgery in Colwyn Bay, whose image goes right to the heart of life and death and the doctor-patient relationship.

"Life's meaning in the face of mortality" shows a stack of philosophical books, with a "thank you" card in the background.

"Being a GP for me has meant many different things but most of all it's been about a fascinating journey of learning," he said.

"It has become increasingly clear that my patients and I are ultimately trying to achieve a shared understanding of life's meaning and how to square its preservation with a sense of being mortal.

"When done well, the gratitude shown by patients and their loved ones is immeasurable."

The joy of ASD assessment - by Dr Mary Fok

The runner-up was Dr Mary Fok, a community paediatrician at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, who assesses children for autistic spectrum disorder.

"I simply gave a little boy some toys and observed him," she said.

"This photo shows the result of a few moments of "non-pretend play", typical of an autistic child.

"The outcome has a beauty of its own, captured in the symmetry of the layout and colours."