medical fear factor

Happy March yall!

The month of March heralds the melodrama of match week for thousands of fourth year medical students, and non traditional applicants for residency. We find out where we match aka  where  (which hospital and which state) we get to become indentured servants  for  the next three years.  Although I have been through the drama before, it’s a little nerve racking for me.

I am more impatient than fearful because I want to know where I end up. I felt like I haven’t been able to really plan my life because everything has been temporary. It has always been at the back of my mind that I have to move again.

I read a blog post on a medical blog about fear in medicine.  It was about how the younger generation in medicine is constantly being scared silly with advice.

Because medicine is so hierarchical, people on the lower totem pole constantly have to ask for advice from those higher ups.

First years  ask second years advice for surviving first year

Second years ask third years about studying for and passing step 1

Third years ask fourth years about matching and the match process

Fourth years ask interns about surviving intern year …and so forth as you move up in your career.

It never stops.

Some of the advice I received  was priceless because it helped; some of it did more harm than good because I was constantly anxious about the next step.  Medicine is an extremely demanding career and sometimes it’s difficult to make it through without some sort of mentorship :however, advice should be given with more encouragement and less doomsday predictions that discourage.

When I give advice I try to paint an accurate and realistic picture. I keep In mind proverbs 12 vs 25

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

The next step is always difficult but I try to add a little spice of encouragement with my advice when possible…

However ,try as I may I could never find anything encouraging to say about Anatomy or Surgery in med school. I still can’t but the key word is try. J

Next time someone I am asked to give advice I will “try” to give that advice with a spoonful of sugar. 

Speaking or more appropriately writing about sugar, I had the most amazing foodie weekend in long island with my bffs  I wish I had a good camera or I was into taking pictures, but alas I can only mentally catalog the Colombian steak, Indian curry, American diner brunch and the most delicious french toast ever that we ate. 

Anyway , see yall folks, until we meet again.