Today concludes the 6th week (of 8 weeks total) of my surgery rotation. I think the one word that best sums up how I feel is "tired". I'm excited because this is my first "golden weekend" (aka having BOTH Saturday and Sunday off) that I've had in over six weeks. I have been pulling 12-16 hour days 6 days a week, so I've sorta been living under a rock. I can't wait to see my family and friends this weekend while I have the chance!
Two weeks ago I switched over to GI surgery, which is a million times better than trauma surgery was. My team is awesome: super laid-back, approachable, like to teach, etc. They are pretty intense at times, and even may yell at you, but they aren't mean about it, and you can tell they care. And at least they acknowledge us med students... which is more than I can say for my previous team.
I've been also been liking this half better because we have been getting much more OR time. It gets a little repetitive scrubbing in on lap cholies, roux-en-y gastric bypasses and hernia repairs all the time, but still cool. I've also been able to get a better look at anesthesiology too, which is pretty cool. I like how much physiology it involves, and how it has moments of "routine" and other moments of "sheer terror/panic".
Anyway, I've been ready for this rotation to be over since the first week, but I only have one and a half weeks left, I'm in the final stretch, and I am ready! I can't wait to start OB/Gyn next. Finally, I;m gonna be doing something I'm passionate about. I hope surgery hasn't exhausted all my energy... This post isn't meant to be a complain-y post, but more of a reminder to myself later why I'm not interested in surgery as a career. And I've also realized after six weeks straight of 70-80 hour weeks, that lifestyle is important to me, so I should keep that in mind when considering specialties. When I only have 2-3 hours to myself each day between the time I get home and the time I need to go to bed, to get a whopping 6 hours of sleep, I am not a refreshed and happy person. I guess it's probably something you get used to. Does it ever get any better? Should I kiss any life I had outside of medicine goodbye?
Every female surgeon I've ever spoken to has told me that if there's ANYTHING you like other than surgery, do that instead, because the lifestyle sucks. It's so scary learning that these poor sleep-deprived, overworked people are the ones cutting into our insides!! Good luck on your shelf exam!
ReplyDeleteWhether it gets better in medicine or not is very dependent on the career you pick. If you pick surgery (which it's pretty clear you won't, wise woman), be prepared to say goodbye to most of your life outside of work. If you pick a more "lifestyle-friendly" career, then you can definitely have a life outside of work and time for "extras" like sleep and seeing your family. In my future, for example, whether I ultimately decide on hepatology or oncology, I will never have to do in-house call after I finish my residency. Ever.
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