Commute cutoff for intern year

[ribdon]

So basically trying to decide if living about 30-35 mins from hospital is a silly idea and something I would regret once the thick of intern year begins. Long story short: the places that are closer to the hospital are more city-like and crowed, which I am not used to while the locations about > 16 mins away fit more of my personality.

I also have never lived smack in the middle of a vibrant city before so I am not sure if I would like it. Additionally, how big a factor is having a washer/dryer in unit vs on the facility. Someone advised me back in my 3rd yr of med school that whatever happens as a resident, I should make sure that I find a place with washer/dryer in-unit.

TLDR: My dream apartment (budget friendly and has everything I want except washer/dryer) is about 30-35 mins from the hospital. Wondering if I'm shooting myself in the foot here by living that far away and interested in hearing other residents perfective and input

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[RainbowOtterz]

During my surgery intern year I lived a 30 minute AM drive an hour PM drive away from the hospital. During my EM years I live 10-15 minutes door to door. My QOL has increased so much. Also, I went from washer in unit to shared floor laundry. While it isn't as ideal I just do my laundry on week days during the day when no one is around. This is all just my take.

 

[cyanide12345678]

Max 30 minutes. Ideally within 15.

 

[gro2001]

In residency I lived right across the street from the hospital and I would highly recommend it if at all possible. The benefits go beyond the obvious. Yeah, your morning commute is much less stressful, you don't have to decide between 15 minutes extra of sleep and breakfast quite as often, etc. But also, it's way easier to go to post shift breakfast/drinks since these kinds of things will take place near the hospital and you can stumble home after.

Washer in unit is nice but not crucial as long as it's not a walkup.

 

[Groove]

Don't overanalyze it. You'll be fine. I lived 25 mins from the hospital back in residency. Get a washer/dryer.

 

[PalmTreeDreamer]

I’ve lived 20-25min away, and within walking distance, and all things in between. Live within walking distance if humanly possible, for all of the reasons mentioned above. As long as the laundry area is clean and not a hassle to get to, it’s not the end of the world to not have your own.

 

[evilbooyaa]

My requirements for washer/dryer, if not in unit, were that it 1) not require me to walk outside to access from my apt, 2) there be sufficient machines that I wouldn't have to wait the rare times I actually did laundry, and 3) if on a different floor, have elevator access to it.

I looked at one apt when I was starting residency that required walking outside to the communal complex laundromat area. Absolutely ridiculous.

A 15-30 minute drive each way (make sure you're incorporating any possible traffic patterns if you're giong to work in the middle of a city) isn't horrible. Shorter is better obviously.

 

[deleted859535]

Absolutely, without question, have an in-unit washer/dryer.

I did it in med school and residency and would have been endlessly annoyed if I hadn't.

Agree with ~20-30 minutes one-way being the cap. Shorter is better. I was fortunate to have less than half that and loved it, and I still miss it even now as an attending. Just a matter of how much your dream apartment is worth to you.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Im from a suburban/rural area, During M1-3 lived in a city high rise right by the hospital - I didn’t like it. I’d see hobos in the hospital then they’d see me outside my building and yell at me because they though I was the one that wouldn’t give them opiates or Ativan or something. The sirens never stopped, and twice there were shootings outside of my building.

Moved to a house in the ‘burbs with my own washer drier and dishwasher that’s 20-40 min away and love it. The commute sucks but having some cognitive distance between the hospital and home really helps. And if I wanna do laundry at 5pm on a Sunday I can actually get a machine.

 

[fahimaz7]

I was <10 mins door to door in residency. You work so damn much that adding an hour each day of your life will suck the life out of you. It's about 12 days a year of driving...

 

[GonnaBeADoc2222]

First time having in unit laundry was when we moved into my attending apartment.

It is soooooooooo nice.

 

[IMGASMD]

Less time the better. You will have 12+ hour days, driving home and coming the next day may not be safe for you or anyone else on the road. Before anyone start screaming about duty hours. There were days I choose to stay, because I wanted to check a result or to talk to the consultant personally who rounds late at night, or the ****s hit the fan and it is YOUR patient (you don’t sign out, during a RRT and certainly not a code when I was training.... hopefully not anyone’s)
So there are going to be late nights. When you work 12 or even 16 hours straight and expect to come back the next day and do it again for weeks on end, that 15 mins one way you didn’t think you cared about, becomes important. Waking up at 5:30 driving 30 mins hoping there isn’t an accident on the road vs. waking up at 6, roll off the bad and can actually see the hospital when walking out of the building? I pick door #2, all day especially during my intern year. It’s stressful enough as an intern, I’d minimize anything that can make anything more complicated.

I love driving, I have a 70 mile commute round trip daily. I don’t mind it at all, I listen to NPR, podcast whatever. However, I am also an attending who, at my WORST week, work less than 80 hours. That may be your average week as an intern.

 

[ribdon]

My requirements for washer/dryer, if not in unit, were that it 1) not require me to walk outside to access from my apt, 2) there be sufficient machines that I wouldn't have to wait the rare times I actually did laundry, and 3) if on a different floor, have elevator access to it.

I looked at one apt when I was starting residency that required walking outside to the communal complex laundromat area. Absolutely ridiculous.

A 15-30 minute drive each way (make sure you're incorporating any possible traffic patterns if you're giong to work in the middle of a city) isn't horrible. Shorter is better obviously.

Laundry facility is in a separate building; you need to drive to it and it is not 24/7. I guess Im scratching that off my list now. Thanks for the input

 

[ribdon]

Im from a suburban/rural area, During M1-3 lived in a city high rise right by the hospital - I didn’t like it. I’d see hobos in the hospital then they’d see me outside my building and yell at me because they though I was the one that wouldn’t give them opiates or Ativan or something. The sirens never stopped, and twice there were shootings outside of my building.

Moved to a house in the ‘burbs with my own washer drier and dishwasher that’s 20-40 min away and love it. The commute sucks but having some cognitive distance between the hospital and home really helps. And if I wanna do laundry at 5pm on a Sunday I can actually get a machine.

I LOL'ed at the seeing hobos part. You have a great point about having some cognitive distance between work and home

 

[evilbooyaa]

Laundry facility is in a separate building; you need to drive to it and it is not 24/7. I guess Im scratching that off my list now. Thanks for the input

Oh god. Yeah that'd be a hard pass for me. You need 24/7 access cause god knows what your hours are going to be.

 

[Tenk]

This really depends on what city we’re talking about. There are certain cities that would be fun to live in and certain cities that would be a nightmare to live in. You really won’t know until you live there. I think you’d be better off asking current residents of the program what they think.

That being said, own washer and dryer was a must for me and is definitely a quality of life issue.

 

[thegenius]

I really recommend that you live in the storage closet adjacent to the emergency room you will be training. You will have about a 40 year supply of toilet paper and all the cleaning detergents you'll ever need.

 

[CajunMedic]

Short as humanly possible. My TY drive is 8 minutes on a bad day, half that on a good one. When we went looking for houses for my categorical residency, no more than 15-20 tops, with alternate routes, since I'm actually going to have to deal with snow, etc. in the winter.

Even with an only 8 minute drive, there are some mornings where it was a struggle to get home.

 

[ribdon]

I really recommend that you live in the storage closet adjacent to the emergency room you will be training. You will have about a 40 year supply of toilet paper and all the cleaning detergents you'll ever need.

I was about to respond with, "you're a genius for that idea" and realized that was your name so, you are a genius with genius ideas

 

[ribdon]

Short as humanly possible. My TY drive is 8 minutes on a bad day, half that on a good one. When we went looking for houses for my categorical residency, no more than 15-20 tops, with alternate routes, since I'm actually going to have to deal with snow, etc. in the winter.

Even with an only 8 minute drive, there are some mornings where it was a struggle to get home.

8 minute commute time would be a sweet deal

 

[BoardEligibleEventually]

Currently living without a washer-drier in unit AND I have a walk-up and it is brutally a pain in the ass. Strongly discourage against anything other than W/D in unit. To be honest though, your time is maybe better spent paying to have your laundry done for you. Some laundromats will charge some rate by the pound or load. Found a place w/i 5 min of my current place that will do laundry for me by the pound. comes out to about $15-$20 a week. Can just pick it up whenever convenient.