The July 1st Effect

For those who may not know, July 1st is the start of a pretty significant journey for residents and fellows across the country- the first official day of residency and fellowship training.

I was reminded of this again starting Fellowship in California. While most here in the US view January 1st as a start to a new major chapter in life, many across the country will start their journey for a long awaited title- MD/DO.

With this is mind, here are a few helpful tips for residents and fellows alike embarking on this journey.

1. Breathe (both literally and figuratively)- Your existence and your presence is intentional; you are not here on accident and you are right where you need to be in this place and time. You have what it takes to succeed at whatever you set your mind to. You have the unique combination of character, integrity, compassion, and excellence.

2. Stay anchored to your core values and beliefs- During the most tense season of your life, you will be tested from all sides wondering what you got yourself into. Remember who you are and stay anchored to what is true.

3. Remember your humanity and operate from a place of genuine love- During your training you will encounter many patients whose journey you will be unable to fully comprehend. Staying humble and having compassion goes a long way; offering to do a small task- picking up jello or offering to sit at the bedside for an extra 5 minutes can make a world of difference.

4. Your care comes first- In an age where the popular mantra is “patient care comes first”, it is dangerous to become too comfortable neglecting yourself. Make every effort to get enough rest and sleep (two different concepts), eat at least once of twice a day, stay hydrated (preferably water), and take a least 10-15 minutes a day (or more) doing an activity that restores you. You must learn to care for yourself in order to offer the best care to your patients.

5. Take/schedule every single PTO, educational day, CME, and sick day- Those are “free” days provided and protected for you to care for needs you may have; try as much as possible to schedule activities that are outside of medicine when possible on your PTO to stay in touch with your priorities (and truly recharge). Schedule doctor’s appointments, schedule dental appointments, therapy, etc. It is healthy and necessary to ask for help when you need. You will likely face more than one traumatic event- some of which would take most people a whole lifetime to navigate through and health from. Take a pause when needed, feel your feelings, and lean on your community.

6. Find and stay connected with a mentor you desire to emulate- It helps to have a goal in mind of what you are working towards; having a mentor you can reach out to and connect with offers an additional resource to help you survive (and hopefully thrive) in residency. In an ideal scenario, this would be someone you desire to emulate and learn from throughout your training.

7. Last, but not least, hold onto that curious/learner’s mindset- You may have heard it said, there is no way for one to know it all in medicine; well, it is true. Thus, it is key to remember to always be curious. Never pretend to know something you don’t. Study and review as much as you can, learn at least 1-2 things from each patient encounter, and when able, teach those who come after you. Those you thrive in medicine aren’t those who pretend to know it all; those who thrive are the ones who choose to remain in pursuit of knowledge of the ever-changing science of medicine.

Hopefully, these tips are helpful for you. For each of you embarking on this journey of residency/fellowship, may you be filled with peace, love, and courage as you grow into the healthcare provider and person you were always meant to be.