Future Intern's Call for Help!

[Achilles1164]

Hey friends, I hope you all are well, staying healthy by making sure you don't get too much sun!

I am writing this post as a fourth-year medical student going on to intern year in a matter of weeks. I am excited and anxious, but most vividly unsure.
Will I get the hang of it? Will I do well? Will I mess up?

As I pondered these things, I figured a positive use of my time and this energy would be to ask all of you for help:
Are there resources you can think of that did (or would have) empowered your intern year? For example:

1. a specific brand of notebooks that helped you organize your h/p
2. template books that organized your vitals or thoughts or consecutive progress notes
3. quick, pocket-sized guides to your specific fields (pocket intern type material)

I hope my request makes sense. I look forward to your responses.

Thank you for your time and guidance. I look forward to working alongside each of you soon and many of you soon enough.
Stay safe and away from the sun. DP over and out =)

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[WedgeDawg]

What field are you going into?

 

[DocWinter]

People skillz.

 

[Achilles1164]

What field are you going into?

Emergency Medicine

 

[Achilles1164]

People skillz.

Gotcha, any hard resources you can think of?

 

[DocWinter]

I don’t mean to be a drag and pop your eager intern bubble, but if you head into the ER all bubbly and cutesy you’ll get mowed down.

You honestly shouldn’t need more than the team at blues clues. Get a cell phone with UpToDate and any old handy dandy notebook. Know how to admit and place orders. Produce hard work without making others deal with quirks and frills because of you. Also, people skillz.

 

[rtrhs]

Listen to the nurses.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Hi Achilles1164,

I love the enthusiasm. Congratulations on matching into emergency medicine! You have an exciting several years ahead of you. I'm finishing up my intern year in pediatrics and I'd be happy to share some advice. First off, intern year is very challenging in so many ways and it is very difficult to prepare for. You really have no idea what you're getting yourself into until you start. There is a steep learning curve in intern year and it often feels like a sink or swim situation for a while. I personally think the hardest thing about intern year is the extremely demanding work hours that jump between nights/days/24 hour calls in addition to trying to study, learn, and having some kind of work-life balance. You will get the hang of it. You will do well. You will mess up plenty of times. You will have lots of ups and downs. Sometimes you're going to feel like quitting. Sometimes you're going to question your decisions going into medicine. Other times you're going to find lots of joy and fulfillment making a true difference in people's lives. In terms of resources, I recommend a clipboard of some sort. Preferably one with a folder to hold your sheets and some articles. I created templates to organize each of my patients daily. However, you probably won't be able to create them until you get started and have a better idea of what your rounds/attendings are like. I never used a pocket guide. I would utilize online resources like Up To Date and pediatric-specific guidelines on the AAP website.

My biggest word of advice is to enjoy and appreciate the time you have off now before residency begins. I know it's tough with COVID19 since traveling and group gatherings have been affected. However, use this time to reflect on your med school years. Sleep a lot. Workout daily. Start intern year on the most positive note you can. Intern year is a marathon and a huge roller coaster of emotions. You'll want a strong, positive attitude to help start your intern year on the right track.

Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Best of luck! You're going to do great!

Annette G, MD, MPH - USMLE Tutor and Residency Advisor at Med School Tutors