PGY1 survival kit

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Hextra

Hextra

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What non-educational things are you people keeping with you at all times, or keeping in your bag as you run around during intern year? Off the top of my head I think toothbrush/paste, deodorant, light snacks, maybe some 5hr energies could all claim a spot in my bag.

Have any unconventional things helped you keep your sanity while on the floor?
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Lunch, and I left that in the resident room. Otherwise I never had any reason to carry any of that stuff with me--shifts just aren't long enough anymore during intern year. If you're on nightfloat and will have time to sleep, then it's good to have some of that hygiene stuff, but even that can be kept in the call room.

Keep your coat pockets as light as possible and it will make a world of difference.
 
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Water, protein bars, iphone charger all in a bag. I second to keep your pockets as empty as possible. Oh and lots of pens if you still have paper charts and orders like we did.
 
Hextra said:
What non-educational things are you people keeping with you at all times, or keeping in your bag as you run around during intern year? Off the top of my head I think toothbrush/paste, deodorant, light snacks, maybe some 5hr energies could all claim a spot in my bag.

Have any unconventional things helped you keep your sanity while on the floor?
Click to expand...

In Pockets:
1)Rounding sheet
2) Two pens
3) Penlight
4) Tablet (if you have one)
5) Note pad (or clipboard + printer paper)
6) Phone and pagers (clipped to belt)

In the Bag:
1) Enough Dayquil, tums, pepto, and cough drops to cover an entire shift of surprise illness
2) Two protein bars and two cliff bars emergency back up meals
3) One bottle 100 mg caffeine tabs for when coffee is unavailable
4) Compass (the geometry kind, for EKGs), reflex hammer, oto/ophthalmoscope (only if you already own them)
5) Rotation specific study text (if you like learning from books)
6) USMLE3 Qbank book (until you take the test)
7) Calculator
8) Phone charger
9) Batteries for your pager (if applicable)
10) Laptop and charger

In the locker (if you have one):
1) 2 changes of undershirt, socks, and underwear
2) A towel
3) A sweater or fleece
4) Shower stuff (shoes, soap, deodorant)
5) Your specialties main textbook if you own it (Harrison's IM, Nelson's Peds, etc)
6) A handful of other books that you want to go over, in case you have the time (EKG books are a personal favorite)
 
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Great suggestions... I did end up trying to keep my pockets as light as possible during 4th year and would like to continue that trend, so I figure most of my stuff will remain in my bag.
 
Perrotfish said:
In Pockets:
1)Rounding sheet
2) Two pens
3) Penlight
4) Tablet (if you have one)
5) Note pad (or clipboard + printer paper)
6) Phone and pagers (clipped to belt)

In the Bag:
1) Enough Dayquil, tums, pepto, and cough drops to cover an entire shift of surprise illness
2) Two protein bars and two cliff bars emergency back up meals
3) One bottle 100 mg caffeine tabs for when coffee is unavailable
4) Compass (the geometry kind, for EKGs), reflex hammer, oto/ophthalmoscope (only if you already own them)
5) Rotation specific study text (if you like learning from books)
6) USMLE3 Qbank book (until you take the test)
7) Calculator
8) Phone charger
9) Batteries for your pager (if applicable)
10) Laptop and charger

In the locker (if you have one):
1) 2 changes of undershirt, socks, and underwear
2) A towel
3) A sweater or fleece
4) Shower stuff (shoes, soap, deodorant)
5) Your specialties main textbook if you own it (Harrison's IM, Nelson's Peds, etc)
6) A handful of other books that you want to go over, in case you have the time (EKG books are a personal favorite)
Click to expand...

By bag you mean fannie pack right?
 
Perrotfish said:
In Pockets:
1)Rounding sheet
2) Two pens
3) Penlight
4) Tablet (if you have one)
5) Note pad (or clipboard + printer paper)
6) Phone and pagers (clipped to belt)

In the Bag:
1) Enough Dayquil, tums, pepto, and cough drops to cover an entire shift of surprise illness
2) Two protein bars and two cliff bars emergency back up meals
3) One bottle 100 mg caffeine tabs for when coffee is unavailable
4) Compass (the geometry kind, for EKGs), reflex hammer, oto/ophthalmoscope (only if you already own them)
5) Rotation specific study text (if you like learning from books)
6) USMLE3 Qbank book (until you take the test)
7) Calculator
8) Phone charger
9) Batteries for your pager (if applicable)
10) Laptop and charger

In the locker (if you have one):
1) 2 changes of undershirt, socks, and underwear
2) A towel
3) A sweater or fleece
4) Shower stuff (shoes, soap, deodorant)
5) Your specialties main textbook if you own it (Harrison's IM, Nelson's Peds, etc)
6) A handful of other books that you want to go over, in case you have the time (EKG books are a personal favorite)
Click to expand...

That seems...excessive.

My locker keeps a spare set of dress clothes (in case I get stuck in the hospital overnight and have clinic the next day) and a spare pair of shoes/socks (great bit of advice I got intern year - changing into a fresh pair of socks in the middle of a 24 hr shift makes you feel like a new man). Also it keeps a box of paper scrub caps since the hospital periodically runs out and I dislike the bouffant. My bag usually has my phone charger and my laptop. Any needed medication can be obtained gratis from a friendly pharmacist. Any needed emergency food/beverage can be obtained from the cafeteria. My pockets keep rounding sheets, index cards, and pens.
 
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Perrotfish said:
In Pockets:
1)Rounding sheet
2) Two pens
3) Penlight
4) Tablet (if you have one)
5) Note pad (or clipboard + printer paper)
6) Phone and pagers (clipped to belt)

In the Bag:
1) Enough Dayquil, tums, pepto, and cough drops to cover an entire shift of surprise illness
2) Two protein bars and two cliff bars emergency back up meals
3) One bottle 100 mg caffeine tabs for when coffee is unavailable
4) Compass (the geometry kind, for EKGs), reflex hammer, oto/ophthalmoscope (only if you already own them)
5) Rotation specific study text (if you like learning from books)
6) USMLE3 Qbank book (until you take the test)
7) Calculator
8) Phone charger
9) Batteries for your pager (if applicable)
10) Laptop and charger

In the locker (if you have one):
1) 2 changes of undershirt, socks, and underwear
2) A towel
3) A sweater or fleece
4) Shower stuff (shoes, soap, deodorant)
5) Your specialties main textbook if you own it (Harrison's IM, Nelson's Peds, etc)
6) A handful of other books that you want to go over, in case you have the time (EKG books are a personal favorite)
Click to expand...


Very excessive. All I used this year was piece of paper with census on it and pens and protein bars. No need to bring any texts around as there are plenty of computers that you can just uptodate whole at work
 
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At home:

A slow cooker so you can cook cheap, nutritious food. Dump everything in the slow cooker and go to sleep. Wake up to a delicious smell and a good meal.

You'll save a bundle too.
 
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After much trial and error.

In my scrubs:
wallet, pager, cell phone, ID, 0.38 Pilot G2 pen.

In my white coat (though possible to fit into scrub pockets):
stack of index cards, patient list, stethoscope, #10 blade.

In my bag:
cell phone/iPad charger, keys, iPad (textbooks!), snacks.
 
dienekes88 said:
After much trial and error.

In my scrubs:
wallet, pager, cell phone, ID, 0.38 Pilot G2 pen.
Click to expand...

The .38 pilot G2 is the best pen. I steal them from my interns every chance I get ;)

Also I learned that the iPad mini will fit in the back pocket of a pair of scrubs (at least the brand we use at my hospital)
 
Eh, the .38 Pilot G2 seems to 'clog up' fairly quickly with the speed I have to write at usually.

The .50 G2 (or the equivalent Uniballs) are where it's at.
 
southernIM said:
The .38 pilot G2 is the best pen. I steal them from my interns every chance I get ;)

Also I learned that the iPad mini will fit in the back pocket of a pair of scrubs (at least the brand we use at my hospital)
Click to expand...
So that's where my pens went...
tumblr_m8uthfhJFF1raeg9ao1_1280.png
 
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medicineDoc11 said:
I think at some point we all need to splurge and go with the 0.7 G2 PRO...everything sucks just a little bit less when you have one in your pocket
Click to expand...
Pens are one of the few things where the phrase "go big or go home" doesn't apply. 0.38 for life.
 
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southernIM said:
The .38 pilot G2 is the best pen. I steal them from my interns every chance I get ;)

Also I learned that the iPad mini will fit in the back pocket of a pair of scrubs (at least the brand we use at my hospital)
Click to expand...
Yes, they are absolutely awesome.
21821-group3ww-l.jpg
 
nexus 7 tablet. Nice watching champions league soccer during the day. And TV shows/movies when on night float
 
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Perrotfish said:
In Pockets:
1)Rounding sheet
2) Two pens
3) Penlight
4) Tablet (if you have one)
5) Note pad (or clipboard + printer paper)
6) Phone and pagers (clipped to belt)
Click to expand...

In your coat:
1.) String cheeses
2.) TI-83 calculator
3.) Head strap lamp
4.) Hospital census
5.) i PAD
6.) Kindle
7.) Kindle fire HD
8.)Good novel
9.) Clipboard + printer paper + HP 2520 Wifi capable inkjet printer w/ scanning function
10.) Marbles
11.) Pokemon cards
12.) The entire Dubin EKG book (fits in left pocket with printer)
13.) Entire deck of Netter anatomy flashcards
14.) tune forks at ALL frequencies
15.) Portable Xray machine with radiology tech
16.) Balance Harrison's on head
 
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Perrotfish said:
In Pockets:
1)Rounding sheet
2) Two pens
3) Penlight
4) Tablet (if you have one)
5) Note pad (or clipboard + printer paper)
6) Phone and pagers (clipped to belt)

In the Bag:
1) Enough Dayquil, tums, pepto, and cough drops to cover an entire shift of surprise illness
2) Two protein bars and two cliff bars emergency back up meals
3) One bottle 100 mg caffeine tabs for when coffee is unavailable
4) Compass (the geometry kind, for EKGs), reflex hammer, oto/ophthalmoscope (only if you already own them)
5) Rotation specific study text (if you like learning from books)
6) USMLE3 Qbank book (until you take the test)
7) Calculator
8) Phone charger
9) Batteries for your pager (if applicable)
10) Laptop and charger

In the locker (if you have one):
1) 2 changes of undershirt, socks, and underwear
2) A towel
3) A sweater or fleece
4) Shower stuff (shoes, soap, deodorant)
5) Your specialties main textbook if you own it (Harrison's IM, Nelson's Peds, etc)
6) A handful of other books that you want to go over, in case you have the time (EKG books are a personal favorite)
Click to expand...

OK, I see that some are mocking the words of Perrotfish. This should not be tolerated. Perrotfish is the only attending I have never met that truly understands. There are no truer words than the words he has spoken. You should gobble them up like delicious dog treats.

I carry a lot of other stuff, in my post below.

Your question was weird stuff, so here you go:
In my coat:
A string of floss or one of those little plastic floss thingies (I can't stand having anything in my teeth, like seriously, OCD)
Chapstick
Nail file/clippers (OCD about those little hangnails)
And Ayr nasal swabs (my nose gets dry, the ENTs know all about this and it's great! it's like lotion for the inside of your nose)
Eyedrops, the little single serve sterile kind
Goggles (I just got larger rim eyeglasses, but contrary to popular belief, med interns get covered in body fluids more often than you would think or you will like)

In my bag:
Facesoap (Neutrogena makes a bar that I keep in a plastic bag, something about washing my face and clean socks makes me feel new, hospital soap always has some cloying sticky gross residue)
Hand lotion (I hate the crap around the hospital, sometimes my hands need real love)
Sally Hansen's cuticle cream
Every PRN med I ever dreamed of (do not assume you can get things from the pharmacist)
Fem supplies if you're a girl (vagisil. gross, I know, but you DO NOT want that unexpected itch for the whole 16 hour shift)
Hydrocortisone cream (you never know when some other part of your body is going to start itching...)
Extras of my regular Rx meds if I have to stay the night
Facemask (if you have to sleep somewhere with too much lighting)
Earplugs (NOT for when your on duty, just if you're forced to sleep in the hospital than drive home, you do not want to miss any pages because you had freaking earplugs!)
Headphones (so I can listen to jams when I'm writing notes without disturbing anyone, if we aren't playing any team jams, you can just use one to keep your other ear free)
Mouthwash
Travel toothbrush and toothpaste (some hospitals stock more creature comforts for patients that you can nab than others)
Tide detergent stick for the unexpected white coat coffee stain. Works like a charm, can carry in your breast pocket too


Check out my post http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-an-intern-books-charts-food-and-ect.1127144/
 
Since I keep getting alerts on this thread, I'll clarify a few points:

Clipboard vs tablet vs notepad: I believe in having something to write on that's not a rounding sheet. I feel like people trying to write in the margins of 1-5 sheets of paper makes for messy, illegible notes, and it also means finding a hard surface to write on every time. I feel like I got more organized once I started carrying a clipboard with lots and lots of piece of paper. I've seen people use tablets to the same effect, though I don't carry one. Definitely don't carry more than one of these things

'In the bag': What I meant by this was in your backpack/messenger bag, on the floor of the workroom (not carried with you). In every hospital I have worked in residents are given a locker somewhere that is at least a 10 minute walk from anywhere useful, and are then given some kind of work space on their actual floor with no storage space. So I haul a backpack with sick day and study supplies to the floor and let it sit there all day.
 
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You don't need much stuff. Carry 2 pens, pen light, knee hammer, a smart phone, prescription pad, pager, wallet, keys, business cards if you have, granola bars, extra white coat in locker, Google "intern / hospitalist survival guide", etc should be fine.
 
Crayola227 said:
OK, I see that some are mocking the words of Perrotfish. This should not be tolerated. Perrotfish is the only attending I have never met that truly understands. There are no truer words than the words he has spoken. You should gobble them up like delicious dog treats.

I carry a lot of other stuff, in my post below.

Your question was weird stuff, so here you go:
In my coat:
A string of floss or one of those little plastic floss thingies (I can't stand having anything in my teeth, like seriously, OCD)
Chapstick
Nail file/clippers (OCD about those little hangnails)
And Ayr nasal swabs (my nose gets dry, the ENTs know all about this and it's great! it's like lotion for the inside of your nose)
Eyedrops, the little single serve sterile kind
Goggles (I just got larger rim eyeglasses, but contrary to popular belief, med interns get covered in body fluids more often than you would think or you will like)

In my bag:
Facesoap (Neutrogena makes a bar that I keep in a plastic bag, something about washing my face and clean socks makes me feel new, hospital soap always has some cloying sticky gross residue)
Hand lotion (I hate the crap around the hospital, sometimes my hands need real love)
Sally Hansen's cuticle cream
Every PRN med I ever dreamed of (do not assume you can get things from the pharmacist)
Fem supplies if you're a girl (vagisil. gross, I know, but you DO NOT want that unexpected itch for the whole 16 hour shift)
Hydrocortisone cream (you never know when some other part of your body is going to start itching...)
Extras of my regular Rx meds if I have to stay the night
Facemask (if you have to sleep somewhere with too much lighting)
Earplugs (NOT for when your on duty, just if you're forced to sleep in the hospital than drive home, you do not want to miss any pages because you had freaking earplugs!)
Headphones (so I can listen to jams when I'm writing notes without disturbing anyone, if we aren't playing any team jams, you can just use one to keep your other ear free)
Mouthwash
Travel toothbrush and toothpaste (some hospitals stock more creature comforts for patients that you can nab than others)
Tide detergent stick for the unexpected white coat coffee stain. Works like a charm, can carry in your breast pocket too


Check out my post http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-an-intern-books-charts-food-and-ect.1127144/
Click to expand...

You are weird.
 
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IJL said:
You are weird.
Click to expand...

Yes, I am. Many of us in my specialty are considered so by others. Me more than most.

What would be weirder than having vagisil in my call room bag is developing some crotch itch and either doing a little uncomfortable dance or be caught trying to itch it. Haha.

We're all adults here, and most of us in healthcare, feminine itch happens and I won't be embarrassed to say so. And OK, not everyone gets dry nose like I do but I've been telling docs all about it ever since my ENT rotation taught me about it. I still can't get over the fact that nasal saline gel exists. Weird, I know.

Being a resident is uncomfortable under the best of circumstances, I wasn't in boy scouts but I like to be prepared and minimize as much as I can all the other little discomforts that can pop up at work, like dry eye or headache.

Fine, I'm high maintenance. Looking at my list above, it sounds like I:
don't like stuff stuck in my teeth after my cafeteria lunch
don't like dry cracked bleeding lips
painful hangnails or broken ragged nails that can pop up
dry nose
dry eye after staring at a computer for 16 hours
patient body fluids squirting in my eye (I have so many stories of times a doc thought I looked dumb putting on googles for something small like lancing an abscess until some body fluids squirted in their face meanwhile I had goggles on. Hahahaha)
oily face after 5 cups of coffee and 16 hours in the hospital
dry hands and cuticles after washing my hands 100 times
headaches from 3 hours of rounds relieved by OTC meds like APAP
needing a tampon and not having one, or whatever girl thing starts up at work
missing Rx meds that I take, one of them gives me w/d vomiting if I go too long w/o, so yeah I'll have that with me
sleeping in a room with too much light, I gotta get my 4 hrs beauty rest
sleeping in the hospital while 50 code greys get called overhead
listening to tunes while I write notes, or to block out the sound of the 50 code greys getting called overhead
and I like to have good oral hygeine

I guess those are all weird complaints, except for the fact I write like 100 orders a day for patients with the same issues. So I guess it's weird to have that stuff at hand to make my life suck just a little less at work.

And my colleagues thought it was weird until they had dry eye or headache and I had something to make their day better.
 
Last edited:
I swear the lists that some (most) of yall have created would make anyone's head explode.
 
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