Advice on ADHD/tips and tricks on coping/technology and other aids??

[_EndlesslyThankful]

Hello all,
I was diagnosed with ADHD several years ago after beginning residency and its had a huge impact on my ability to progress to the point that I was recently let go from my training program. I am currently planning to reapply to IM/FM but extremely nervous about floor management since I haven't done it in a while and didn't do much of it in the last specialty I was in. Any advice on aids/strategies from residents/attendings with ADHD?

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[mvenus929]

If your ADHD is impairing your ability to do your job to the point you were let go from your training program, you need to see a psychiatrist.

Otherwise, checklists are your friend.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

If your ADHD is impairing your ability to do your job to the point you were let go from your training program, you need to see a psychiatrist.

Otherwise, checklists are your friend.

Also OP if you're going to mention that you have ADHD and it impacted your ability to do your job in any way when applying to programs they're going to WANT to see that you're seeing a psychiatrist and probably psychotherapy as well to some extent to work on organizational skills/planning/etc. You have to show them you're actively working on treating a condition that caused you problems at work in the past.

 

[Mass Effect]

Hello all,
I was diagnosed with ADHD several years ago after beginning residency and its had a huge impact on my ability to progress to the point that I was recently let go from my training program. I am currently planning to reapply to IM/FM but extremely nervous about floor management since I haven't done it in a while and didn't do much of it in the last specialty I was in. Any advice on aids/strategies from residents/attendings with ADHD?

The most important part of your application will hinge on whether or not you're in treatment. No program is going to want to take a chance that the same thing will happen again. They will ask and they may even want to see proof if you match. Don't lie about this. If you're in treatment, then you need to talk about how the treatment has been helpful and why the same thing won't happen again.

 

[Dral]

🥲 - As others have mentioned, get treatment to prove you are improving and more importantly to improve your performance
🥲 - Reapply and be ready to discuss both subjectively and objectively how you have improved
🥲 - When you get to residency, use checklists as mvenus has mentioned
🥲 - If you didn't use them already, make a list daily for each patient of all the things you have to do.

Put a box next to each of the things on the list like I did here. You fill in the box halfway if you've started the task, and fill it in entirely when you have entirely completed the task. For example, if you have a patient with new cough and respiratory symptoms, you may want to get a CXR for them. On your sheet under that patient, fill in the box halfway when you actually put the orders in for the CXR. When you have viewed the film/gotten the report and then followed up on it, fill the box in the whole way. If completing that task created more tasks (like ordering antibiotics) add that on with another box and so forth.

In addition to staying organized, I found that there was a secondary effect of giving a bit of satisfaction when you look at your list of tasks at the end of the day and see all that you accomplished for patient care that day.

 

[HemeOncHopeful19]

Put a box next to each of the things on the list like I did here. You fill in the box halfway if you've started the task, and fill it in entirely when you have entirely completed the task. For example, if you have a patient with new cough and respiratory symptoms, you may want to get a CXR for them. On your sheet under that patient, fill in the box halfway when you actually put the orders in for the CXR. When you have viewed the film/gotten the report and then followed up on it, fill the box in the whole way. If completing that task created more tasks (like ordering antibiotics) add that on with another box and so forth.

I do this but instead of half-filling boxes I will check the box once I put in the orders and cross them out once I've reviewed results. I also hand-write vitals and labs every morning rather than print them out from the EMR because I find I overlook stuff when I just print it out, YMMV.

I also agree this is well beyond "get some tips/pointers online and we'll be good to go" territory.