How do you develop thicker skin as a resident?

[lmouse2488]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

.

 

[BoardingDoc]

I'm more than halfway through intern year, and I guess overall i feel better than I did after my first month (was severely depressed), but even now I find I struggle getting myself up in the morning and continuing this day after day.
I realize now that as a third year medical student, the rotations I hated the most were the ones where I was treated like I was an idiot, even if the material seemed interesting.
How do you guys let stuff slide when you feel that attendings or senior residents treat you like crap? When an attending says something even the slightest bit negative, I let it ruin my entire day and I feel like giving up. I discussed this with my senior resident, who suggested I need to develop a thicker skin. I don't know how to do this, and I guess I don't see myself completing residency until I figure out how to.

This is the same question, but with a different spin as the one you asked 5 months ago: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/i-hate-intern-year.1096659/.

To summarize the key points from that previous thread:

1: You should look to your co-interns for support. What have they said about this? Have you asked them before going to an anonymous internet forum? They're going to be able to relate to your situation a lot better than anyone else here is.
2: If you have already done #1, have you looked at the mental health support systems at your hospital? Many people suggested this last time you posted. Have you done this yet?

If you've done both of these things, you might want to explain why they didn't work, otherwise you're just going to get the same answers again. If you haven't tried the above, I think we're done here.

 

[FutureInternist]

I wouldn't recommend going through any mental support organisation through the hospital since that gives them ammo were you to ever cross the wrong attending

Find someone else in town, not affiliated w/ the residency

 

[thepoopologist]

This is where self esteem and being honest about yourself really come into play.

Where do you excel? If the answer is "nowhere," then obviously this is not true or you would not be a doctor.

If a doc tells you not to copy and paste the PE everyday, then either you self-flagellate yourself to depression or you can tell yourself, "that makes sense, the physical exam may differ on a day to day basis."

There should also be an ability to differentiate a well-meaning attending whom is strict, teaches well, and offers constructive criticism, with an attending whom just criticizes because he/she is being an ass. The first person teaches, the second one treats everyone like crap. Both can make you feel like an idiot, but in the first scenario it is because of you, and in the second it is because of the other person (and you).

Confirmation bias.
A: "You look good today."
B: "Do I? I usually don't." B dismisses the positive remark later.

A: "Can you make sure to order labs? You forgot to yesterday."
B: B thinks, "I. AM. A. FORGETFUL. IDIOT! I always thought I was an idiot and now here's the proof!"

 

[lmouse2488]

This is where self esteem and being honest about yourself really come into play.

Where do you excel? If the answer is "nowhere," then obviously this is not true or you would not be a doctor.

If a doc tells you not to copy and paste the PE everyday, then either you self-flagellate yourself to depression or you can tell yourself, "that makes sense, the physical exam may differ on a day to day basis."

There should also be an ability to differentiate a well-meaning attending whom is strict, teaches well, and offers constructive criticism, with an attending whom just criticizes because he/she is being an ass. The first person teaches, the second one treats everyone like crap. Both can make you feel like an idiot, but in the first scenario it is because of you, and in the second it is because of the other person (and you).

Confirmation bias.
A: "You look good today."
B: "Do I? I usually don't." B dismisses the positive remark later.

A: "Can you make sure to order labs? You forgot to yesterday."
B: B thinks, "I. AM. A. FORGETFUL. IDIOT! I always thought I was an idiot and now here's the proof!"

Thank you - this is actually something I think I struggle with. I do have a hard time seeing anything but negatives in what ppl have to say to me.