- I love my program. Feel very fortunate to be able to say that.
- I don't love being a first year (yay for it almost being over). It is a steep learning curve and a lot of responsibility thrown onto you.
- I don't love my pager because it goes off all. the. time. First year was A LOT of call. You get used to it. You learn to make time to still go do things, even if you have to have the pager strapped to you. I started taking my laptop places with me, have the EMR app on my phone, etc. Don't stop living because you have to be on call nights/weekends. Just know that they will probably drag your ass back in lol.
- Some days are really hard. I have cried more than once. But on those really hard days-- my co residents really step up and help. My attendings aren't dinguses. Sometimes you mess up- part of being a resident. Everyone f*cks up. You won't be the only one.
- I had a career before this. Some days I think about how I was just living my boujee life and then I decided I needed to start my career all over again. Pick something that motivates you, gets you through the rough times. If you are sentimental, take pictures with your friends/coresidents/attendings/wins/awesome surgeries to remember all the good things you've done/experienced/learned.
- Looking back over the last year, I can't believe how much I have learned and grown. From the first time I had to call a page back (truly terrified), to now, balancing covering elective surgeries, inpatients, lots of pages, etc. You just adapt. It will happen.
- Anyway, just like everyone has said, you'll have lots of ups and downs. It is what it is. But you will learn, you will grow, and you will survive. Lean on your co-residents. They will likely be life long friends. You go through a lot together. You see each other at your highest and your very lowest.
I'm done being sentimental. Just work hard and you'll be fine 🙂. Get. through. first. year.
