residency is holding me back from being an MD :(

[Midoritori]

Is there any way to not have to do such loooong hours for residency? I feel ones ability to become a doctor really shouldn't be measured against your ability to stay awake for 24 straight.

I have children so doing such long shifts really won't be possible. I am 10 years out of collage.

Is there any way to work with your supervisors and not get these monster sessions? Is there any way to make this whole experience less insane for mothers?

Thanks so much!

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[QofQuimica]

Is there any way to not have to do such loooong hours for residency? I feel ones ability to become a doctor really shouldn't be measured against your ability to stay awake for 24 straight.

I have children so doing such long shifts really won't be possible. I am 10 years out of collage.

Is there any way to work with your supervisors and not get these monster sessions? Is there any way to make this whole experience less insane for mothers?

Thanks so much!

You should choose a different career. Seriously.

 

[Midoritori]

This is something that is my passion and I'd really like to make it work, so I'm trying to know if there is anyway that you can not get such long hours for residency if you have a family.

I graduated 10 years ago. I had a 3.8 GPA, solid 4.0 in all science classes taken in collage. I love medicine. I almost did a double major but got accepted to a program overseas and so away I went. Now I regret it and would like to go back, but I'm married and have a family.

 

[jerfer]

if medicine truly is your passion and is worth it to you to pursue, you're going to have to get comfortable with the idea of having long hours from the day you start med school until the end of your career. medicine isn't for everyone.

 

[QofQuimica]

This is something that is my passion and I'd really like to make it work, so I'm trying to know if there is anyway that you can not get such long hours for residency if you have a family.

And I'm telling you, as someone who has gone through medical school and residency and is currently involved with training residents, that the answer to your question is no, you cannot make it work. Medical training is not a 9-5 job, and it is not set up to be family friendly. Even with the new work hour restrictions, on many rotations, you will be working 16 hour shifts as an intern, and you will be working 24 hour shifts as a resident. Not counting cleanup/handoff time, which can extend your total work hours up to 30 in a row. There are people with children who are residents, but the reality is that they have to arrange their personal lives to accommodate their medical training, not the other way around.

You said in your other thread that you were also considering PA or NP school. Given your work hour restrictions, either of those careers would be more realistic options for you than medicine. If you're not already a nurse, I would suggest you look into PA school.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Agree with @QofQuimica PA or NP would be better options for you given your time limitations. You aren't going to br able to escape those hours during residency.

 

[Midoritori]

Thanks guys. I appreciate your responses.

I'm leaning towards PA then I think. It will satisfy I think both desires: family and my desire to do medicine hopefully.

 

[QofQuimica]

Thanks guys. I appreciate your responses.

I'm leaning towards PA then I think. It will satisfy I think both desires: family and my desire to do medicine hopefully.

Based on what you're saying you want, I think you're making the right decision.

 

[primadonna22274]

Speaking as a former PA and now (almost PGY3!) resident physician, you should seriously consider PA school. PA was a wonderful first career for me, but I wanted more, so I sucked it up and went to med school and residency. I'll be done in a year. I don't have kids and if I did I don't know how I would have made this work. Medicine (specifically, being a physician) is a very selfish and jealous lover...enticing to those of us who can't imagine doing anything else with our lives, but it will never give you the love and satisfaction that your family does.
I wish you the very best.

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[Law2Doc]

Agree with Q et al -- residency is hugely important and not something to be viewed as optional or something you can bypass. It will be the heart of your training and the long hours are basically important both for "learning by immersion" purposes, and to keep the training down to an already long 3-7 years. And beyond that, quite a few of us continue to have long hours even after residency -- this isn't a 9-5 job in s lot of settings. It's a great job for the right person but in terms of free time/family time everything will be a balancing act or involve big trade offs. Sounds like the PA route would be more of what you had in mind.

 

[futureworlddoc]

Wanted to add that if it is possible for you to relocate out of the USA basically forever, then there are some regions where MDs work more normal hours and are fighting hard to work normal hours. I'm in a similar boat so feel free to PM me.