Flashy new hospital badge, comfortable shoes, a staple item with “YOUR NAME, MD”. Finally, after years of studying, you start living your life as a doctor. I still think back to that initial excitement with fondness, but as with everything new, it was fleeting. Then came the long hours, sleepless nights and all that new responsibility that I frankly did not feel ready for. I don’t know about you, but during my journey to get to where I am, I had filled my life with pauses. I just had to get through a busy undergrad so that I could get into medical school. Then it became just getting through medical school to become a doctor. And now it became just getting through residency to get to fellowship and attending life. However, I’ve started to realize that I was living for the future, never the moment. It was always “do this” to “get that”. A pinhole view of my future career goals made it difficult to see and enjoy the moment in front of me. At the same time, I have learned not to downplay what I sacrificed to get to where I am; those sacrifice have allowed me to become the doctor I am today. So here, I will share Sarah’s Seven Rules for the newly minted R1s to both help you during this new chapter but also remind you to enjoy these years you have ahead. No more pauses, no more “this” to get the “next”. Alongside your trips to the hospital, carve out time to make new friends, pursue experiences, fall in love, grow your family or do what you need to do to discover yourself. Live in the now and slow down a little bit, life will be waiting for you when you are done.
1. Embrace the Learning Curve
The transition from medical school to residency is significant. You’ll face a steep learning curve, but remember, everyone goes through this phase. These are your years for growth, learning, most importantly, for making mistakes. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and seek guidance from your seniors and attendings – we have all been there, so take advantage of the years when you are expected to have minimal knowledge.
“Be kind to yourself. As long as you care and try your best, the knowledge will come. It’s wild to look back on my R1 year and realize how far I’ve come!” – Dr. Summer Hudson, Pediatrics
2. Burnout Will Happen; Recognize It
With residency comes long hours and demanding schedules around which you create your life. Effective time management is essential. Prioritize your tasks, but also allocate time for rest to prevent burnout. It’s a real thing. I didn’t believe it would hit me, until it did. Meeting my tired colleagues’ eyes at 3 a.m. allowed me to truly understand the meaning of burnout. So don’t be hard on yourself when the burnout settles in and try to reach out when you need the help. You don’t need to set yourself on fire to keep others warm. One piece of advice that lives in my mind rent free was from my senior who frequently checked in to make sure I ate lunch. He would say “make sure you take the time to eat, even if it is for 10 mins. Most tasks can wait until after you have taken the time to sit down and eat something.” – Dr. Jon Reid, Otolaryngology
3. Build Strong Relationships
Forming good relationships with your colleagues, nurses and other healthcare staff can make your residency experience more enjoyable and productive. Collaborate, share knowledge and support one another. These connections can also provide a valuable support network on those days you just need to take a step back. This applies to your life outside medicine; having people in your corner when you leave the hospital will let you live in the now and put your life and experiences into perspective.
“Build your social circles early and invest in trying to build a routine. The deeper you go in residency, the less time you will have to experiment with a new routine and create your support network.” – Dr. Ojas Srivastava, Ophthalmology
4. Stay Organized
Find a system that helps you stay organized, such as a spreadsheet with cool cases you can come back to, phone notes for quick access information, folder to compile resources, a master schedule for all your staff, etc. This will help you stay efficient, save time and reduce stress.
“Enjoy life outside of work, important for wellness! Keep a list of important codes on your phone (door codes, long distance codes, etc.) will save you a lot of time in the future.” – Dr. Lindsay Amatto, Neurology
5. Seek Feedback and Reflect
Actively seek constructive feedback from your seniors, co-residents, allied health professionals, and really anyone you work with in a learning setting. Reflecting on your experiences and skills will allow you to identify areas for improvement. Continuous self-assessment will help you grow as a physician.
“Embrace the uncertainty and how much you still have to learn, but also savour the realization of how far you have come. Otherwise, don’t be too hard on yourself; it’s a bit of an adjustment.” – Dr. Joel Luk, Family Medicine
6. Take Care of Your Mental Health
The pressures of residency will start taking toll on your mental health, it is only a matter of time. Recognize the signs of stress, anxiety or depression and seek help when needed. There are many avenues for mental health support (e.g. AMA’s Physician and Family Support Program) - don’t hesitate to use them.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint; you’re going to operate and you’re going to get good, but you need to take care of yourself to get there.” – Dr. Dunavan Morris-Janzen, General Surgery
7. Celebrate Small Wins
As learners we are always raising the bar and with this it is easy to overlook small wins. Whether it’s successfully managing a difficult case, receiving positive feedback or simply making it through a tough week, acknowledge your accomplishments. These moments will keep you motivated as you move forward in your training.
“I like to treat small wins as being anything but small. Buy yourself a cake for getting out of bed today – why not?” – Dr. Jonas Szelewicki, Pathology
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