• Trust and rely on your colleagues and partners.
• Don’t forget to live your life and do things with Family/Friends
• Eat cheese sticks whenever you can (you never know when you will get another chance)
• Believe in yourself
• Do not let one person’s opinion of you define you.
• Life is a journey, enjoy it.
• Treat every patient as if you are the only doctor taking care of them, formulate your plan, then ask for help/advice from your senior.
• Always ask, people will judge you either way.
• Trust in God’s plan. It is the best!
• There are many low days; however, the progress will come. Residency is a 5 year marathon that will require you to lean on your loved ones for assistance through this chaotic yet rewarding experience.
• Trust the process, you will operate way more when you’re past PGY2.
• Adopt a growth mindset, I’m not there “yet”.
• Primary call is the worst. You’re isolated from it more the higher you go.
• Stay positive no matter the situation. Residency is hard but there are beautiful moments to be missed if you’re focused on the negatives.
• Advise:
  • Continue to learn everyday
  • Don’t take anything too seriously
  • Take everything day by day
  • It gets better
• Advice:
  • Show up early
  • Take care of your health. Stay active/exercise.
  • Don’t take constructive criticism personally
  • If you are being mistreated, say something to a senior/attendings
  • Prioritize your tasks (orders-consults-discharges-procedures-notes)
  • Take time to sign out high activity patients in person
  • Take vacation whenever you can
• Excellence is showing up
• Set up a goal every year and work your way towards it!
• You don’t have to know everything during the first year. Work hard and you will get there!
• Physician vitality helped me
• Keep close physician friends
• Lessons:
  • Time heals
  • You’re never alone
  • Be open with your big mistakes. Even those you think are the best have made them too.
  • Be there for each other
  • Therapy is Good! It’s the gym for your brain.
  • Savor the good times
  • Take time to celebrate
  • Share
  • The love
  • Everyone wants you to succeed and those who don’t, don’t matter
  • Got through difficult times with:
    • Colleague support
    • Spiritual faith
    • Spousal support
    • Self- review of problems and resolutions made
  • Use Physician Vitality
  • Stay humble
  • Always look for things to improve
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help
  • Feel free to ask questions
  • You have colleagues who are in the same boat, lean on each other
  • Take time for yourself
  • Start saving money right now
  • Trust, but verify
  • Load the boat- Ask for help, it’s okay and expected. Medicine is a team sport. Yes, you are expected to be able to hold your own weight on the team, but you’re not expected to be alone. Ask for another perspective or to verify your concerns/findings, ask for feedback on your plan etc.

We all are humans- Remember to take moments to recover spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. Build relationships with your colleagues and with the staff around you. There is a human at the other end of the phone or pager. Get to know other services and their attendings/residents.