I’ve just started my surgery rotation! The switch from primary care to surgery was definitely a startling one. Getting up at 4:30 am is something that I can safely say I’m not used to. If I want to get 8 hours of sleep, I have to go to bed around 8:00 pm. This is a problem because I get home around 6-6:30 pm. So basically I have around 2 hours to eat, study and workout. This is virtually impossible. Essentially, be prepared to be sleep deprived!
I have to say that despite the crazy hours, I’m really enjoying surgery so far. Granted it has only been a week, but I’ve enjoyed it much more than any of the previous rotations that I’ve had. I love how intense and interesting it can be. I also find all the surgical tools super cool! For example, watching a gastric sleeve being done is very satisfying. You see everything going on via the camera placed through the abdomen, and you literally watch as a large portion of the stomach is stapled away by a staple gun. Then, the stomach is placed in a bag and pulled out through a tiny hole that’s made in the abdomen! Most of the patients stay in the hospital for only a day or two.
For me, the fact that I find surgery intellectually engaging and interesting offsets the awful hours of the rotation. I really enjoy reading about a surgery the night before and then going in and watching it being done. I’ll keep you posted on how I feel as time goes on!
