EM intern year versus PGY2

[da8s0859q]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So, we've got less than two months until current interns like myself become second year seniors with a new crop of interns arriving.

Obviously this varies tremendously by program and people, but I'm curious: for those ahead of my group, how is/was your second year compared to first? Was it that nice to have a bit more ED time and not be seen as an intern anymore, or was it just more stressful? Any other observations?

Curious what the SDN crowd thinks.

 

[gman33]

Much better for me.
Different kind of stress.
Felt like I have some clue most of the time, but more expectations.

 

[daveyjwin]

So much better, hours spent in the ED, and not the floor, learning Emergency Medicine, not tube feed schedules. Doing a few months of ED in a row makes you feel like you actually know what you're doing sometimes too!

 

[pianoman511]

I would say a little of both. Personally it was not more stressful but different. There is a bit more pressure to see more volume, do some independent decision making and start to get involved with managing the department. I think EM has less of an intern vs resident mentality than other specialties but there is still a sense that you "aren't an intern anymore". I also saw a bit of a change in my thoughts towards procedures. I was super gung ho intern year about getting as many lines, tubes, etc as possible and now I look for interns or students to do them. Not that I mind, but there isn't a push to do them as much. Lastly you get more of a taste as to what third year holds. During the second half of 2nd year my program has us do some shifts as the senior in the department and it gets us used to that feeling for third year (and its a bit scary at first to be the top dog).

 

[da8s0859q]

I think EM has less of an intern vs resident mentality than other specialties but there is still a sense that you "aren't an intern anymore".

One of the things I'm most excited about. Did knowing that you weren't an intern somehow make you more comfortable, if that makes sense?

 

[RustedFox]

Not even a question:

PGY-1 is a wasteland where you wander around and look for the oasis-party that is PGY-2, but acquire the necessary survival skills along the way.

 

[MSmentor018]

I would say a little of both. Personally it was not more stressful but different. There is a bit more pressure to see more volume, do some independent decision making and start to get involved with managing the department. I think EM has less of an intern vs resident mentality than other specialties but there is still a sense that you "aren't an intern anymore". I also saw a bit of a change in my thoughts towards procedures. I was super gung ho intern year about getting as many lines, tubes, etc as possible and now I look for interns or students to do them. Not that I mind, but there isn't a push to do them as much. Lastly you get more of a taste as to what third year holds. During the second half of 2nd year my program has us do some shifts as the senior in the department and it gets us used to that feeling for third year (and its a bit scary at first to be the top dog).

that's pretty accurate. I did a ton of procedures as in intern, esp off service knowing when you're in the dept it's more about moving them than treating them. I only do procedures now if the resident can't get them so I am glad i really cranked them out. the only real pgy2 yr diff is pt's per hr is higher, expectations have increased. you start finding your groove on how you manage things.