How do you stay motivated in residency

[mokavious]

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[flash]

Practice shifting your attention to the other things, people, ideas while at work and when thinking about work. E.g., get to know that nurse or other staff member or collegue or med student you know nothing about just a bit better, ask your patients something personal you don't typically do (how important would you say religion or spirituality is in your life?) and explore the varied responses for fun. Make lunch dates if possible. Write a gratitude list (what you are really grateful for in your life), read it many times a week and feel it many times a week. Inspirational quotes perhaps.

May sound hokey, but off the top of my head, quickly. Your situation doesn't sound like it is going to change, how you view it is the only way and counting the days 'till freedom would suck.

Good luck to you.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You have 21 posts, all of which complain about your situation. You didn't match in the first round of CaRMS, got a spot in the 2nd round. Satisfactory performance in medical school, but nothing outstanding. No research, etc. Not in your preferred field, in what you think is a terrible location. Your residency is 5 years long. You used to be a happy person, but now you are miserable. You are thinking about quitting medicine altogether, and have no debt to speak of so could do it.

No crystal ball here, just reading your old posts.

So, how about this: Instead of complaining about how bad things are, and how there's nothing you can do about it, why not do something about it? People transfer all the time. Just because you didn't match in the first round isn't the end of the universe. You need to do something that you enjoy, and something that gets your career back on track. You could do a residency in the US. You could do research. You could make something happen. Or, you can let the world go by and you'll be just in the same spot.

 

[Winged Scapula]

6 figure debt and no other discernible skills kept me motivated.

(but as APD notes, you're in the catbird's seat - you *can* change things if you really want do and don't have the financial constraints that many of us do/did.)

 

[PharmaTope]

Practice shifting your attention to the other things, people, ideas while at work and when thinking about work. E.g., get to know that nurse or other staff member or collegue or med student you know nothing about just a bit better, ask your patients something personal you don't typically do (how important would you say religion or spirituality is in your life?) and explore the varied responses for fun. Make lunch dates if possible. Write a gratitude list (what you are really grateful for in your life), read it many times a week and feel it many times a week. Inspirational quotes perhaps.

May sound hokey, but off the top of my head, quickly. Your situation doesn't sound like it is going to change, how you view it is the only way and counting the days 'till freedom would suck.

Good luck to you.

you can do what every miserable working person in the USA does..... they get involved in office politics, who is banging who, so so is such a bitch because she did this, did you see the car that this person got.

all those miserable people deflect their misery on those around them. working world is awesome!

 

[sikegeek]

Do what the guy did from Saving Sarah Marshall- 'go see a psychiatrist. You hate the psychiatrist? Go see one anyway.'

 

[medicinesux]

my motivation was just trying to survive until the next vacation or for an upcoming "cush" rotation which were far and few between. I almost lost it when I had one such elective stripped away from me at the last minute so I could cover the ICU instead. But without a doubt my biggest motivation was scrimping away every dollar I earned so I could break away and reclaim my freedom. But man, if I was lucky enough to have your financial situation I would've been out of the frying pan a whole lot sooner!

 

[purplepills]

my motivation was just trying to survive until the next vacation or for an upcoming "cush" rotation which were far and few between. I almost lost it when I had one such elective stripped away from me at the last minute so I could cover the ICU instead. But without a doubt my biggest motivation was scrimping away every dollar I earned so I could break away and reclaim my freedom. But man, if I was lucky enough to have your financial situation I would've been out of the frying pan a whole lot sooner!

I hope to save a lot of money and travel as much as I can during my residency!

 

[ShyRem]

Not everyone in residency is miserable. Personally, I am really enjoying residency. Yes, even in my ICU months. If you love what you do, you will be motivated. If you choose poorly you are apt to be miserable every single day, dreading going to work, hating your life. Choose wisely.