I too was wanting to quit my residency (PGY-1) about 2 weeks ago when I typed in google, "quiting my residency" and came across this thread. I was at the end of my rope. I am at the hospital from 6:30am-7pm (topic discussion starts 5-6 pm and lasts till 7-8pm), then go home and have mounting piles of journals and guidelines to read for the next days topic "discussion" which was really a 1-2 hour test over what I had read (medications, contraindications, dosing, you name it they fired it at me), not to mention weekly case presentations (formal presentation), 2 research projects (year long), monthly journal club (formal written and presented), monthly 1 hour presentation to the pharmacy staff and a few doctors, and monthly newsletter article (all of which are like tests because they fire questions at you, that you "should" know, and if you don't, look it up and email me back!. I was falling behind in everything and only getting 2-3 hours of sleep a night. I started feeling really sick physically and mentally. I have a wife and kids, who noticed I was changing and having a tough time. I would have panic attacks on presentation days, and depression every other day. I typed up my resignation letter and was going to hand it in the next day, when I decided to stand up for myself, stop being a b*tch and tell them what I was "Really thinking" and what was "Really going on". I was suprised at the reaction. My mind had build up this fantasy how everyone was going to tell me that I was just being lazy, or that I was making excuses, and find some way to belittle me like they had done so much in the past. In reality they were very understanding and supported me in removing some of the load on my plate. One of the demands/requests was that if I am going to complete the tasks asked of me, I need to be done with topic discussion by 5:30pm so I can go and work on projects the rest of the night. They agreed and have made an effort to do that. The past few weeks have been great. I no longer hate everyone in the pharmacy, I no longer get sick walking into the hospital doors in the morning (still a little) and my preceptors even complemented me and said they have seen a better more prepared me in the past few weeks. I cut my self off at midnight now, unless its a huge presentation or something. If you look at the big picture it is wise to not quit your residency. The benifits of staying are better than the outcome of not staying. You just need to take a stand and not be a b*tch. Tell them your issues and what you are having trouble with. It was the most humbling experience of my life, but in the long run will be one of the most rewarding. Dont be a b*tch, tell them what you are having issues with and stake your claim. Life is sooooo much better now. I even watched a movie with my wife the other night, and friday night is now no work night. Your co- workers seem like the devil, but are people just like you. (Sorry for my spelling and run on sentences)