- Joined
- Aug 21, 2011
- Messages
- 5
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PGY1 who needs career help. I like internal medicine so far but am not good at it for various reasons. I have difficulty in such a fast-paced environment with lots of pressure, I mentally can not work at such a speed, and have a difficult time with multi-tasking and being pulled in all different directions multiple times a day. And with the added time limit on my day per the ACGME guidelines, I cannot get everything done that I would like on my patients. I wind up taking so much of my documentation work home which allows me less time for reading, learning, sleep, etc.
I have been thinking of switching to a pathology residency (I ultimately want to do research) but am not sure that is the right course of action. I really need to talk to someone about this because I feel intern year is taking a tremendous toll on my health and well-being. I am happy when I see patients but everyday I come home and want to cry due to the incredible stress. Also my knowledge of clinical medicine is subpar. I have tried to sit down and learn, learn, learn but I have memory issues and I cannot always remember the best way to treat diseases and can't for the life of me remember journal articles. At this point I know as much as 3rd year medical students I feel.
I'm wondering if I should speak to my PD about this. If I do, however, I feel like he may not want to keep me around and may decide to get rid of me. I know someone in the research field who I may want to work with someday. But if I speak with her she may get the idea that I can't handle things as she did and may not want anything to do with me later. And I don't know any objective physician that I can speak with about this.
I am really at my wits end at this point and need help. I would appreciate comments, particularly from IM PDs.
I have been thinking of switching to a pathology residency (I ultimately want to do research) but am not sure that is the right course of action. I really need to talk to someone about this because I feel intern year is taking a tremendous toll on my health and well-being. I am happy when I see patients but everyday I come home and want to cry due to the incredible stress. Also my knowledge of clinical medicine is subpar. I have tried to sit down and learn, learn, learn but I have memory issues and I cannot always remember the best way to treat diseases and can't for the life of me remember journal articles. At this point I know as much as 3rd year medical students I feel.
I'm wondering if I should speak to my PD about this. If I do, however, I feel like he may not want to keep me around and may decide to get rid of me. I know someone in the research field who I may want to work with someday. But if I speak with her she may get the idea that I can't handle things as she did and may not want anything to do with me later. And I don't know any objective physician that I can speak with about this.
I am really at my wits end at this point and need help. I would appreciate comments, particularly from IM PDs.