Today I'm post call - on call again tomorrow. I'm on Trauma Surgery for my EM residency. I'm only q2 this week, then next week I'm q3, then I have only 3 more call nights the rest of the month since I asked for some days off.

I am liking residency so far - a lot to learn.

To make things more difficult my husband and I decided that our marriage is ready for a baby so we're technically trying to conceive #1 - although we're not getting in too much action this month!

Any advice on working a baby into intern year or the beginning of 2nd year.

IT is tough. be ready for that. I personally would recommend waiting. that of course is your decision, but I wish I had finished training first. more options. I just didn't know how much it would hurt to have to be away from them.

best of luck either way though! lots of women do it. I just have had a harder time with it.

I'm a gen surg intern. The hours are pretty much 80 for us, though I did go over 100 twice so far (and got reamed for it). Call is crazy; I slept more than 20 minutes on call only once so far this year. We are usually Q4 but sometimes Q3, less often Q5-6.
I would love my program a lot more if there weren't a bunch of old-school, everything-to-lose types that seem not to have gotten the memo that the field is evolving to include nice people- but that doesn't have anything to do with the hours. Frankly, the personalities are getting to me more than the hours. It's starting to make it hard for me to enjoy my days off, which is just exhausting and I haven't figured out how to cope.
I'm trying to keep the perspective that most interns- esp in gen surg- hate life right about now, and not to let it lead to any rash decisions. I can't help but think that I could just quit now, have another baby, hang out with my mommy friends, work out, and spend the rest of my life being the family COO/CFO and help my husband grow his business to help pay off all these loans.

Oh, and I'm so exhausted that I barely have time to study. This program is definitely service over education, so it's really hard to feel super inspired by all the new things I'm learning- because I'm just not learning enough. I am getting pretty good (for my level) in the OR, which is nice, but that's just finger exercises. Someone remind me why I'm doing this...

Oh, ATS! Internship is just the suckiest SUCK. It is awful.



You MUST find a way to enjoy your days off. Think of it as prophylaxis against depression, literally. I was an intern last year, and I used to try to plan a treat for myself -- a REAL treat -- on each day off. A massage, a facial, even an hour at Starbucks with a novel. Something to look forward to. I have a wards month coming up in a few weeks and I'm already scheming about facials and such. It's necessary, that's what I say.



I had this thought, oh, every other minute last year. It really does get better, it truly does. I haven't contemplated quiting in weeks.

I am surviving intern year...Emily you are right, I wait so mcuh for my days off to enjoy my kids...I hope 2nd year is better....I do enjoy my program but it is a lot of work...

I second absolutely everything that Emily says. Pedicures, haircuts and non-medical books (actually read the entire Harry Potter series during my night float month). Makes a huge difference. I sincerely believe that having a rough and tough first year makes the following years that much better. Honestly my second year has seemed like a breeze. I'm happy again and the green grass has appeared. I'm in the 4th week of a month on the wards as a second year and it has been a dream. Really.

I think applying/interviewing for fellowships/jobs has been a big boost this year too. However, second year has been so much better that I haven't thought about quitting at all. Not once.

Case in point: I was offered a fast track position in early January that would promise escape at the end of the year. Though it is closer to home and in my field of choice, I declined because I thought that an extra year in residency would be better than that particular fellowship.

I actually did take a different fast track opportunity but not because I'm miserable. More because it will offer more opportunities.

Nothing beats a 2 day vacation - overnight somewhere - even if its just a hotel with a pool and restaurants.

Intern year is close to over. Hang in there!!!