I’m back again to catch you up on what I wasn’t finished telling you with part one regarding the last three months of intern year. A lesson I want to carry over from the first post is this—you learn the most when things are uncomfortable. Oh, so true!
During the months of September and October, I spent time on the inpatient Psychiatry wards. Both sound the same but, in all reality, they’re actually pretty different from each other. One was designed to be a med-surg psychiatry floor which is now changing to a regular inpatient psych floor. The other floor was meant to be an acute psychiatry inpatient ward. Now, they’re both meant to function in the same way.
For the month of September, I was on 7 East. It felt really overwhelming to start. There was so much to learn, and I wish I could learn everything overnight. I was paired with a PGY-2 to help handle the floor together, and we had a junior attending to consult and aid us when we needed it. My PGY-2 and I had a few days together to start and then due to vacation and covering for other co-residents, we really only spent about a week together at the end. But I learned a lot from him.
I learned more about myself and had a reality check that month. Sometimes, we’re so focused on everything we’re told and learning how to take care of patients that we lose who we are and how to be mindful in the process. I felt that way, and it was a great thing to stop and have a reality check as it helps me understand those around me and my patients better. It also just makes you a better person too, and that’s always a good thing.
I thank my PGY-2, my junior attending, and my patients. This month taught me that I really care about my patients, and that’s reassuring to know when you’ve picked a career in medicine. This month also taught me to keep an open mind, and that’s also equally as important not only in one’s career but in one’s life.
Read part three.
