I had to wait till Sunday to write this post. Why? Because the first week of clinics included being “on-call” on Saturday for my internal medicine team. This really is different from the basic science curriculum. 😯
A big part of me is just awestruck by the breadth of knowledge the residents on my team possess. They’re only a few years ahead of me in their medical training but seem to already know all the answers: the latest protocols, the specificities of tests, the list of differentials for any organ system’s pathology, etc. At the same time, they’re so laid back, approachable, and compassionate. I really aspire to be that type of resident when my time comes, but as for now, I’m trying my best to emulate them.
The first week of clinics were a great success at the hospital but extremely unproductive otherwise. By the time I got home each day, I wanted to eat dinner and immediately hit the sack. I haven’t touched a basketball since winter break. I haven’t played any video games. I’ve not taken on any paid-to-code assignments. And worst… I’ve barely read any of Step Up to Medicine. 🙁 The hours on internal medicine aren’t as bad as some rotations (cough-surgery-cough), so I need to use this opportunity to create a more structured activity list.
My time at Ben Taub has been nothing short of remarkable. I’d like to say that clinicals have become a “routine” at this point, but I’ll need a few more weeks before that statement is actually true. I really wonder what changes this coming week will bring in terms of patient cases and expectations the team has for me, but I’m deeply grateful for this opportunity and intend to continue making the most of it! 🙂
