18 July 2010

One year later...

Hmmm, so obviously residency was even busier than I imagined, as I haven't posted here in a year. I just re-read my first two posts from over a year ago, which I had forgotten I'd even written. Too bad I didn't write more posts, since I don't remember most of the past year and it would have been a good reminder. :)
I started second year with vacation and I'm glad to have had a break before becoming a senior resident. It was a welcome time for reflection on intern year, when I had so little time for anything, especially contemplation. Mostly I feel as though I fell into a pit or got sucked up in a black hole, basically cut off from the larger world. I had a very heavy first half - PICU, lots of ED, lots of wards- which was exhausting, but at least it slowed down towards the end, giving me time to breathe before moving on to second year. Now I am expected to supervise and teach a lot more- exciting, but also scary in a whole new way. Last year as an intern I could always count on the senior resident for help... and now that's me. Yikes!
On other fronts, I maintained my sanity over the year by cooking, my major creative outlet. I signed us up for a CSA and thanks to the absurdly long growing season out here we get great produce year round. I've learned several keys to cooking as a resident (i.e. generally busy person):
1) No more than 10 ingredients, no more than 30 minutes.
2) You get more out of cooking great basics (stock, bread) than some complicated one time
dish
3) (most important). Do not, under any circumstances, shop post-call. In my delirium, I
bought stuff I don't even like. Plus, you have no self-control. (cookies, brownies and ice
cream were all purchased)

Note to self, write more often. I can't imagine how many of my left brain cells died last year, so that's motivational.

24 June 2009

One day down...

A month ago I graduated medical school with an M.D., but it wasn't until today that I became a doctor. Introducing myself as "Dr." all day felt strange on my tongue- I almost felt guilty, like I was impersonating someone else. And yet, it also felt comfortable, especially as bits of medical knowledge came back to me over the day. By the end of my shift I'd admitted 2 kids, seen several more, did an LP on one and calmed another. I know residency will get much much harder than it was today (PICU anyone?), but right now I am so happy to have survived the first day. More importantly, my patients did too.

10 June 2009

In the Beginning

Next week I will start a three year residency in pediatrics- which for the uninitiated, means 80 hour work weeks and a schedule that's planned out a year in advance. I'm not sure exactly what purpose this blog will serve yet- probably part reflection, part updates to friends and family, part my way of retaining some creativity in the midst of all that medicine. After four years of writing nothing more substantial than H&Ps and progress notes I am looking forward to writing for fun again, even though it may not be very often...