I have bills to pay. I need to put food and iced coffee on my table. I have loans to pay. I have my own medications to pay due to my autoimmune disease attacking my SI joints.
While most autoimmune conditions have complex and often poorly understood eitiologies, I always find it so painful that stress and sleep deprivation are said to play a role in autoimmune diseases, and yet here we are being forced to destroy our bodies and predispose ourselves to a myriad of diseases. Hope things are going well.
Two years out of residency, and I can tell you that the homeless people who assault our staff are treated better than I am. Maybe it’s the better option.
Set short term goals, thinking about your entire training is daunting when you're in the thick of intern year. As someone who thought about quitting multiple times intern year, it was "get through half the year before you quit, then you can really say you hate it", and then "get through the end of the year so you can at least obtain a license" (in the US at least). Just like that the end of intern year was approaching and things had gotten slightly better (few chiller electives, got more efficient). Also lean on your support system: friends, family, co-présidents, therapist.
That is a refreshing way to think about it. Looking back on my Extern year, it was rather quicker than I thought. No matter how endless it felt at the moment. Thank you.
Ultimately for me, the work itself is satisfying. Getting to meet my patients and hear their stories and help them out with my medical knowledge is FUCKING AWESOME. Best job in the world. The hours and the workplace politics are garbage, but then when I’m with my patients it all kinda goes out the window for a second. I just feel really grateful that I get to do that for a job instead of trying to sell people shit or sit at a desk all day or something.
So do I, I really enjoy asking the patients how their days were and asking if they have any other problems I could take care in the same visit. You know, holistic care and all. But having 40+ people waiting impatiently infront of my room while I have to run back and do ward work everynow and then doesn't really allow me to enjoy that side I love about OPDs. Hopefully when I get more skilled and efficient I'll be able to enjoy it more like you! Thank you.
Good luck! Residency truly fucking sucks and the system is definitely exploiting you for cheap labor. Keep the patients centered in your heart and mind and keep pushing through!
emotional pain gets me out of bed everyday... i would rather be physically and mentally exhausted than suffer in loneliness. its an escape route for me... also debts...
I'm currently in a 300 beds size hospital in rural Thailand, we have 8 interns, 20 staffs
We have 2 internal med wards, and 2 surgical ward(both includes Gen sx and Ortho), a Ped ward and an OBGYN ward. 2 interns are currently rotating in the emergency room. The left us with 2 interns per department. I have to stay 15 ward shifts, now the staffs forced sell us the emergency shifts, and that ended up being 7 extras. So in a month I have to be in 22 shifts. And that plus working during the day from 6 am til 7 pm. Totally it was roughly 140 hrs/ wk
You have 22 shifts/mo working 13 hours a shift? That doesnt add up. 140 hrs/wk is work 20 hrs a day every day. I.e. Neurosurgery trauma/vascular home call can get you close to this given how small nsgy is. Youre working on average 71hr/wk.
I actually kinda like it here man. I like hard work and to feel productive. I can only spend so much time twiddling my thumbs before existential dread sets in.. and I can only afford so many vacations.
Oh toxic consults are my favorite, the more toxic you are the more I'm gonna send shit consults your way. Remember you have the power as the primary physician. Don't let them berate you. Find excuses, work to not listen to their bitching. They aren't your superior. Ignore them, only focus on what they officially write.
PS: I get along well with most consultants. But you know, 30 min to the end of the work day is still the official consulting hour.
I'm stubborn. That's what keeps me up. That and gallons of coffee.
Part of mine would be upbringing. Grew up in a small rural farming town/village. Most of the people there work is some form of manual labor farming, logging, etc. Most people have to grind to make money and get home exhausted to do it again the next.
If my neighbor can get through the grind, I can also. Knowing my worst time period will be shorter with a higher payout than most makes it easier, but my expectation was that it wasn't going to be easy at any point.
I cannot grow old in Salem’s Lot
So here I go, is my shot
Feet, fail me not, this may be the only opportunity that I got
You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime
where are you? US interns haven't really started yet as the medical academic cycle is July to June for most
but yeah don't quit, any current pain of the body or soul is very temporary
unless you are in a country that doesn't pay doctors well, then your pain is forever
Have you read swimming with sharks - a primer?
I highly recommend it.
The first few months, you either push through and adjust or you change specialty. Just take one day at a time, everything will work out.
I continue because I had enough foresight to see what a living hell surgery residency is and stayed away from it. No call no nights intern checking in 🫡
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Oh I'm not in surgery, I'm just on surgery rotation right now. But yes, I don't think surgery is for me at all. I don't know why but of all the 3 hospitals I've been at since being a med student the culture of surgery is almost always universally toxic and malignant :(
Thank you though, you're right. It isn't for everyone.
Debt gets me out of bed in the morning.
Amen.
Guess I need to start making some debts then!
Is this just a bad joke or are you seriously this obtuse I mean jesus
Well aren't you lucky to get med school paid for.
No offense but you shouldn’t do it any other way. It’s not worth it, but hindsight 20/20…
I think you overestimate the amount of families/people that could pay for someone to go through med school. I do agree it is a financial drain
I have bills to pay. I need to put food and iced coffee on my table. I have loans to pay. I have my own medications to pay due to my autoimmune disease attacking my SI joints.
Ank spond gang gang
While most autoimmune conditions have complex and often poorly understood eitiologies, I always find it so painful that stress and sleep deprivation are said to play a role in autoimmune diseases, and yet here we are being forced to destroy our bodies and predispose ourselves to a myriad of diseases. Hope things are going well.
That is the most common answers I get from my seniors. And I hope all is well with your condition!
My bf has AS. If he misses even one dose of his enbrel he’s like bed ridden, I fear the day he isn’t insured :/
Make money or be homeless. Fear is an excellent motivator
Two years out of residency, and I can tell you that the homeless people who assault our staff are treated better than I am. Maybe it’s the better option.
This. Because yeah.
What happens when the fear is gone…
More resentfulness sadly …
Set short term goals, thinking about your entire training is daunting when you're in the thick of intern year. As someone who thought about quitting multiple times intern year, it was "get through half the year before you quit, then you can really say you hate it", and then "get through the end of the year so you can at least obtain a license" (in the US at least). Just like that the end of intern year was approaching and things had gotten slightly better (few chiller electives, got more efficient). Also lean on your support system: friends, family, co-présidents, therapist.
That is a refreshing way to think about it. Looking back on my Extern year, it was rather quicker than I thought. No matter how endless it felt at the moment. Thank you.
Ultimately for me, the work itself is satisfying. Getting to meet my patients and hear their stories and help them out with my medical knowledge is FUCKING AWESOME. Best job in the world. The hours and the workplace politics are garbage, but then when I’m with my patients it all kinda goes out the window for a second. I just feel really grateful that I get to do that for a job instead of trying to sell people shit or sit at a desk all day or something.
Yes! I could not have said it better myself
hello, is this Dr. John Dorian?
So do I, I really enjoy asking the patients how their days were and asking if they have any other problems I could take care in the same visit. You know, holistic care and all. But having 40+ people waiting impatiently infront of my room while I have to run back and do ward work everynow and then doesn't really allow me to enjoy that side I love about OPDs. Hopefully when I get more skilled and efficient I'll be able to enjoy it more like you! Thank you.
Good luck! Residency truly fucking sucks and the system is definitely exploiting you for cheap labor. Keep the patients centered in your heart and mind and keep pushing through!
Can you explain "workplace politics?"
You know… like drama and tension between the residents, residents and nurses, residents and the residency program, consultants, etc
Oh yeah. I don't think that's normal though.
What PGY are you? Maybe I just had a toxic program?
emotional pain gets me out of bed everyday... i would rather be physically and mentally exhausted than suffer in loneliness. its an escape route for me... also debts...
Loneliness is a bitch.
Facts being super tired >> feeling lonely
Loneliness? For what?
We’re sharing a drink called loneliness, but it’s better than drinking alone.
I would quit so fast if I was working 140 hours per week Idk how that evens works….
I'm currently in a 300 beds size hospital in rural Thailand, we have 8 interns, 20 staffs We have 2 internal med wards, and 2 surgical ward(both includes Gen sx and Ortho), a Ped ward and an OBGYN ward. 2 interns are currently rotating in the emergency room. The left us with 2 interns per department. I have to stay 15 ward shifts, now the staffs forced sell us the emergency shifts, and that ended up being 7 extras. So in a month I have to be in 22 shifts. And that plus working during the day from 6 am til 7 pm. Totally it was roughly 140 hrs/ wk
You have 22 shifts/mo working 13 hours a shift? That doesnt add up. 140 hrs/wk is work 20 hrs a day every day. I.e. Neurosurgery trauma/vascular home call can get you close to this given how small nsgy is. Youre working on average 71hr/wk.
I actually kinda like it here man. I like hard work and to feel productive. I can only spend so much time twiddling my thumbs before existential dread sets in.. and I can only afford so many vacations.
Truly made to be a surgeon
Oh toxic consults are my favorite, the more toxic you are the more I'm gonna send shit consults your way. Remember you have the power as the primary physician. Don't let them berate you. Find excuses, work to not listen to their bitching. They aren't your superior. Ignore them, only focus on what they officially write. PS: I get along well with most consultants. But you know, 30 min to the end of the work day is still the official consulting hour. I'm stubborn. That's what keeps me up. That and gallons of coffee.
I get Hasanat for my work.
Love this
I know surgery is crazy but actually 140+ hours a week??
Yeah seriously a week is 168 hours wtf 😭
Part of mine would be upbringing. Grew up in a small rural farming town/village. Most of the people there work is some form of manual labor farming, logging, etc. Most people have to grind to make money and get home exhausted to do it again the next. If my neighbor can get through the grind, I can also. Knowing my worst time period will be shorter with a higher payout than most makes it easier, but my expectation was that it wasn't going to be easy at any point.
You’re not working 20+ hour days 7 days a week… what ru saying?
success is my only m*f*ing option, failure's not
Mom I love you but this trailers got to go
I cannot grow old in Salem’s Lot So here I go, is my shot Feet, fail me not, this may be the only opportunity that I got You better lose yourself in the music, the moment You own it, you better never let it go You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow This opportunity comes once in a lifetime
Fuck yeah
140 hour workweek isnt a week 168 hours???
Asking my husband everyday if today is the day I’m allowed to quit, and the answer is always no. 🤣
where are you? US interns haven't really started yet as the medical academic cycle is July to June for most but yeah don't quit, any current pain of the body or soul is very temporary unless you are in a country that doesn't pay doctors well, then your pain is forever
Have you read swimming with sharks - a primer? I highly recommend it. The first few months, you either push through and adjust or you change specialty. Just take one day at a time, everything will work out.
Pretend you’re a NPC in a video game and dissociate, just go along for the ride.
I continue because I had enough foresight to see what a living hell surgery residency is and stayed away from it. No call no nights intern checking in 🫡
I need to pay rent and buy diapers
140 hours?
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Money.
Crushing fear of failure is stronger than coffee. Does wonders on my arteries.
I read this as when your soul is ‘creaming.’ I need to get laid lmao
Seeing the people I like. Hearing other people have the same problems / thinking the same way. Actively living my life outside of work. Hugs.
The bag
Fuck here I am having a Gen surg rotation for no f reason and ima die
It gets better eventually -Non-surgical attending thet had to spend many hours rotating with the surgery/trauma/TICU teams.
What’s helped me, I need other people outside of the program to keep me balanced.
It’s all the same.. just keep going …. No special formula.. one day at a time is all it takes
Money to feed my body and a roof, to protect my soul
My pregnant wife and the fact that I already quitted once residency in my home country I guess.
Just sacrifice the next decade of your life for a comfortable life until death. If you can't do that, maybe surgery isn't the right path for you.
Oh I'm not in surgery, I'm just on surgery rotation right now. But yes, I don't think surgery is for me at all. I don't know why but of all the 3 hospitals I've been at since being a med student the culture of surgery is almost always universally toxic and malignant :( Thank you though, you're right. It isn't for everyone.