Are You Ready for the Summer?

Every year at this time I write about how now is the worst time to go to the Hospital... in 2008 and my old blog I talked about how a month ago the new doctors were medical students and now they are interns responsible for patient care.  Last year I wrote in an almost stream of consciousness about my first two shifts as a Senior Resident.  Now, I am 77% done with my senior year, and I am starting a new medical year as a resident and will finish it as an attending.

I've been kind of depressed thinking about all of my colleagues that have scattered to different parts of the country ready to begin their new lives as junior attendings.  It almost feels like I am stuck here watching everyone else move on ahead of me.  However, this time it's different.  In just a few short months I will be there too.  This month, I have 16 shifts in the E.D., then I have a month of glorious hell as Dr. Bennett's resident in neurosurgery, and then 11 short shifts the final month until I finish my residency.

It's hard to believe that three short years ago I was looking at a notice of an opening in Buffalo, NY.  I had to look at a map to even know where Buffalo was located.  When I got the call asking about my interest in coming here for residency, I had to consider the fact I was joining an established group of interns who had been working together for the prior 3 months.

I knew what it was like being an intern having gone through my surgical internship in Chicago.  You're like a bunch of scared puppies thrown out into the world together.  You huddle together for warmth.  You encourage each other along the way.  You live under the thumb of the attendings and the senior residents yet they are the very people you seek approval and reassurance from constantly.  You grow together, you play together, you learn together.

Tomorrow,  I start my new year on-call with Mercy Flight.  I will miss the first day jitters as a new set of junior residents suddenly take on the responsibility of being senior residents for the first time.  The interns are becoming junior residents.  And, a whole brand new group of medical students will become interns.  And, this is happening everywhere across the country.

So be careful out there... a new generation of doctors will be getting their feet wet over the next 2 months.  They don't know yet if they will sink or swim...



I love the movie "Meatballs." It always means summer to me... not to mention I was in love with Chris Makepeace as a teen... enjoy!