Finally. Residency.
I have to be completely honest when I say that I never actually expected this day to come. I had a countdown on my watch for graduation and I remember when the days were in the triple digits. Having graduated this past weekend, I am so thankful and grateful for the opportunity to continue my education into residency. Knowing that the next five years of residency will be tough, I decided to spend the last couple of free months making myself, “100% for Residency.” What exactly does that mean? It means that I want to make sure that I’m the best version of myself going into intern year whether it be mentally, physically, or emotionally. Here are the ways I am doing that:
- Working out consistently: I have a lot of free time so I’m trying to make working out a priority before heading into residency. I know that it will be difficult to fit in exercise as much as I’d like during this time but I’m hoping that being a consistent schedule now will force me to be consistent in intern year.
- Seeing a therapist/counselor: I saw a therapist when I transitioned into medical school because I wanted to make sure I knew how to overcome stress and anxiety. Because of this similar transition to residency, I asked to learn techniques on how to deal with mistakes, anxiety, and possible depression. Despite being in a very good mindset currently, I think that therapy is still beneficial for when times get rough. With physician suicide rates at an alarming high, I believe that making yourself mentally and emotionally 100% prior to residency may be good!
- Making an effort to see every person that matters to me: It has been really difficult to keep in touch with many of my friends throughout medical school and sometimes I regret not reaching out to them. Before I leave for residency, I’m making an effort to connect with friends and family to let them know that I am still here for them despite the busy work schedule ahead.
- Creating a calming space to come home to: This one is going to be big for me. When looking for apartments to live in, I wanted something that felt good to be in with light colors, a great kitchen to cook in, and lots of natural lighting. I am super excited to move in and create a calming atmosphere to come home to after a long day. This will include calm lights, aroma diffusers, a comfy bed, and much much more!
I can’t wait to see what residency has to offer as I approach it within the next three weeks. Follow me on my journey at www.coffeeandscrubs.com to see if the things I describe above helped throughout residency!
all the best