Happy New Year!
July 1st, if you were not aware, is the real New Year’s Day.
It’s a time of significant change, filled with hello’s and goodbyes, big moves and new responsibilities, freshened pocketbooks and free time.
At least it is for those of us in academic medicine, working in a university/teaching hospital.
On July 1st, new interns arrive. Junior residents/fellows become senior residents/fellows, and the senior residents/fellows move up to higher levels and often move on to new places. Faculty members leave for new jobs and arrive to start at new places.
Responsibilities and expectations are reset. Energetic 4th year medical students become nervous interns, and the interns that aren’t nervous arouse the suspicion of the seniors. Senior residents suddenly know enough to be independent, new fellows are qualified to supervise residents, and new faculty are able to do everything without assistance.
Friendships that were forged through training and shared experiences must shift, as changing responsibilities mean often means a move to a new location.
People become wealthier and have more free time. Salaries are bumped up and promotions are in effect. Budgets are reset and new CME and grant money become available. Vacation time cycles and becomes available again. Hope springs eternal with more money, warm weather, and vacations to schedule.
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January 1st — what does that bring? Insurance deductibles are reset. Thanksgiving and Christmas are in the rear view mirror. Spring is months away and summer vacation is a myth. “Resolutions” are made and rarely kept. Worst of all, it takes weeks to start writing down the correct year.
The ball may drop on January 1st, but the real changes are 6 months away.
Today, change is here.
To the new interns — I hope you’re sober. “I don’t know, but I’ll find out,” is always the correct answer.
To the new senior residents — you know more than you think you do. Don’t be afraid to act like you know something.
To the new fellows — you know way more than you think you do. Keep the senior residents in line — they know just enough to be dangerous.
To the new attendings — talk to the interns, and you will feel as if you do know everything. Then buy the nurses food, so when they have to remind all the doctors that they don’t know everything, they do it nicely.
To the nurses who have to deal with this sh*t every year — what do you like on your pizza?
Happy New (Academic) Year!
Nicely said man. I always loved meeting the newbies and it is a bit sad as this is my second year away from them.
To the fellows I will also say that sxxx is real now. A lot more depends on you then it did as a senior resident so get ready!
Thanks. The relationships formed are one the best parts of the environment. Shit definitely gets real — I imagine going into private practice it’s even more real since you are even more on your own.