Day in the life...

[BlondeDocteur]

I'm really used to the q3-q4 call schedule. Work a 30hr shift, get the rest of the day off. In that off time I'd schedule all my Activities of Daily Living-type stuff that required banker's hours.

I'm switiching to path. In path residency (or derm, or psych, or PM&R, or any other non-call-heavy field), where you work every business day from 730 - 6+ or so, how do you go to the dentist, or the bank, or take your kid to the doctor?

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[gutonc]

I'm really used to the q3-q4 call schedule. Work a 30hr shift, get the rest of the day off. In that off time I'd schedule all my Activities of Daily Living-type stuff that required banker's hours.

I'm switiching to path. In path residency (or derm, or psych, or PM&R, or any other non-call-heavy field), where you work every business day from 730 - 6+ or so, how do you go to the dentist, or the bank, or take your kid to the doctor?

You don't. Seriously.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

But you kind of have to.

 

[2021Doctor]

I'm really used to the q3-q4 call schedule. Work a 30hr shift, get the rest of the day off. In that off time I'd schedule all my Activities of Daily Living-type stuff that required banker's hours.

I'm switiching to path. In path residency (or derm, or psych, or PM&R, or any other non-call-heavy field), where you work every business day from 730 - 6+ or so, how do you go to the dentist, or the bank, or take your kid to the doctor?

You usually get at least 15 vacation days in most programs.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

Which works fine for going to the dentist, but not so much for things that have to be performed more than once annually and/or can't be scheduled months out.

 

[DrBowtie]

Which works fine for going to the dentist, but not so much for things that have to be performed more than once annually and/or can't be scheduled months out.

In Rads it was common to be able to take off vacation time in as little as hourly increments. Each program handles this differently.

 

[Smurfette]

Which works fine for going to the dentist, but not so much for things that have to be performed more than once annually and/or can't be scheduled months out.

When you're done with residency, you can arrange to leave a little early or take off a half day and usually have more flexibility in your schedule. (If you do this too often, though, you potentially lose business or piss off your colleagues.) In residency...well, it depends on how your program functions as to what arrangements (if any) can be made.

This is another issue with programs changing to a night float system rather than traditional call---you don't get the post call day off to get stuff done.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Depending on the size of your community you may have resources outside of typical "Bankers Hours ".

For example , the dentist next door to my office is open on Saturdays and until 800 on Thursdays. A friend who is a pediatrician tells us her practice offers appointments on Saturdays and late one night per week. My bank is open Saturdays as well.

Its not the easiest and I didn't have those resources when I was in residency, but you may have some colleagues in the same boat with whom you can "share" chores.

 

[rokshana]

personal days that can be taken as 1/2 days or vacation…

use online services for a lot of things and frequent places that have evening and weekend hours...

 

[Perrotfish]

I'm switiching to path. In path residency (or derm, or psych, or PM&R, or any other non-call-heavy field), where you work every business day from 730 - 6+ or so, how do you go to the dentist, or the bank, or take your kid to the doctor?

My residency does not do call except for cross cover, and is a big believer in a schedule of 6 13 hour shifts a week on inpatient with a day off on Saturday or Sunday, and we will sometimes have 2 or very rarely 3 of those months strung together. How do you get things done in the day when you work 5-6? In residency you really just don't. You make amazing strides in figuring out how to live your life without any service that is only available during normal business hours. You figure out what you can shop for online or at the 24/7 Walmart and for the rest you do without. You get what medical care you can on sunday morning and from residents you can track down in the hallway and for the rest you do without. You realize no one ever needs to walk into a physical bank. You spend a lot of time hoping that minor emergencies aren't so emergent that you can't wait 2-12 weeks for the next time you can actually leave at a decent hour(noting describes the anxiety of your car making a new sound when you're starting night float). You can call in backup to cover for you as an absolute last resort (likely no vacation days necessary) but it needs to be a vanishingly rare occurrence. Finally if you REALLY need to get things done during the day on a regular basis (for example, if you have kids) and you don't have a spouse with a better job or a safety net, you spend money you don't have to buy resources. The handful of friends I have with kids but not stay at home spouses have nannies and, I would guess, are in forbearance on their loans.

I'm not yet an attending, but it seems like an attending in a decently large group can usually ask (or pay) someone to cover a half day and deal with problems. Attendings can call in sick like regular people. Like regular people you don't want to be the one who calls in every Friday afternoon, but they can actually deal with their sick children, broken vehicle, and even personal illness without the sky f-ing falling. Happens all the time, at least for the attendings at my program, medical school, and every practice I've rotated through.

 

[cheruka]

Simple answer is- you don't. I have never taken my child to a pediatrican in years. My husband does it. I know someone who got pregnant with her third kid, had high blood sugars and high BP and did not follow up on eihter one because she did not have time. Luckily, the baby was fine. There may be some rotations that have more relaxed schedules to allow for doctor appts but regular doctor's visits simply can not be scheduled. Some residents just go to their classmates ( in FM/IM settings, this works). Pathetic, isn't it?

 

[KnuxNole]

I went to another resident for health care....you gotta do what you gotta do

And why is the word do putting those dots in it...?

 

[Neuronix]

I'm in a program that typically runs 8AM to 6PM M-F give or take a few hours or a weekend day here or there. 15 vacation days + 9 sick days has been enough for me. I can find other times to sneak out early or come in late, but that's rotation dependent, and I'm sure program dependent as well.