Read on Twitter
1/ Hey #MedTwitter! Been seeing a lot of questions floating around related to ‘intern year prep.’ @DoctorVig and I decided to put together a little tweetorial to try to ease that transition (and let you know that IT’S GOING TO BE OK!)
2/ We’ve broken things down into 5 main categories, mostly related to wellness, but also a ‘catch-all’ final category:
1. Physical wellness
2. Emotional wellness
3. Financial wellness
4. Medical knowledge prep
5. What to do when things get bad
1. Physical wellness
2. Emotional wellness
3. Financial wellness
4. Medical knowledge prep
5. What to do when things get bad
3/ Let’s start with physical wellness, again these are our suggestions. Feel free to add more!
1. Start with nailing down a a routine (wake up time, meals, exercise, bedtime).
2. Exercise - if this is your thing, start doing it early, like before orientation week
1. Start with nailing down a a routine (wake up time, meals, exercise, bedtime).
2. Exercise - if this is your thing, start doing it early, like before orientation week
4/
3. Food - this is crucial. Locate the grocery store, quick corner store options, and of course a few ‘cheat meal’ spots (ice cream, pizza, chinese, etc)
4. If you don’t cook. Figure out how to make quick and easy meals. Instant Pots are so versatile.
3. Food - this is crucial. Locate the grocery store, quick corner store options, and of course a few ‘cheat meal’ spots (ice cream, pizza, chinese, etc)
4. If you don’t cook. Figure out how to make quick and easy meals. Instant Pots are so versatile.
5/ Next is emotional wellness
1. Support network - residency can be tough, but people are there for you - friends, family, program directors, co-residents and #MedTwitter!
2. Immerse yourself (these are great people you are with)
1. Support network - residency can be tough, but people are there for you - friends, family, program directors, co-residents and #MedTwitter!
2. Immerse yourself (these are great people you are with)
6/
3. Do those things that make you HAPPY (“fill your cup”) - reading (non-medical), cooking, writing, etc
4. Breathe. Before, during, and after. You are going to work hard, but you are going to do just fine.
3. Do those things that make you HAPPY (“fill your cup”) - reading (non-medical), cooking, writing, etc
4. Breathe. Before, during, and after. You are going to work hard, but you are going to do just fine.
7/ Financial wellness - this may be foreign to a lot of us (read: me)
1. For many this is the first time with a real income and it’s important to live within your means
2. Learn about budgets and create one.
1. For many this is the first time with a real income and it’s important to live within your means
2. Learn about budgets and create one.
8/
3. You CAN save in residency. Read this list of the 5 big things to do as a resident from White Coat Investor https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/the-five-big-money-items-you-should-do-as-a-resident/
4. The Roth IRA is a must!
3. You CAN save in residency. Read this list of the 5 big things to do as a resident from White Coat Investor https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/the-five-big-money-items-you-should-do-as-a-resident/
4. The Roth IRA is a must!
9/
5. If student loans are a concern, start research early- https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/ultimate-guide-to-student-loan-debt-management-for-doctors/
6. Set up all your bills for auto pay. Otherwise you WILL forget about some eventually.
7. Anything that doesn’t have autopay - monthly alert on your phone (I promise, you’ll forget if you don’t)
5. If student loans are a concern, start research early- https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/ultimate-guide-to-student-loan-debt-management-for-doctors/
6. Set up all your bills for auto pay. Otherwise you WILL forget about some eventually.
7. Anything that doesn’t have autopay - monthly alert on your phone (I promise, you’ll forget if you don’t)
10/ Medical knowledge prep -
1. Nothing. DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
2. Enjoy yourself (see above tweets). You’ll get a little primer during orientation week.
3. Save that energy for learning (tons) during intern year.
1. Nothing. DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
2. Enjoy yourself (see above tweets). You’ll get a little primer during orientation week.
3. Save that energy for learning (tons) during intern year.
11/ What to do if things get bad
1. Listen, we all get overwhelmed. You will encounter many stressful situations.
2. Having a nice work-life INTEGRATION will help you deal with this stress
3. The above tips will help you optimize everything going in…
1. Listen, we all get overwhelmed. You will encounter many stressful situations.
2. Having a nice work-life INTEGRATION will help you deal with this stress
3. The above tips will help you optimize everything going in…
12/ BUT, what do I do if I still feel stuck?
1. Reach out (your support network; or program director)
2. Find the activity that always makes you feel better: for me, its an extended exercise session followed by a poké bowl (freshido) and for @DoctorVig it’s cooking or reading
1. Reach out (your support network; or program director)
2. Find the activity that always makes you feel better: for me, its an extended exercise session followed by a poké bowl (freshido) and for @DoctorVig it’s cooking or reading
13/
3. Other things that help - journaling: write down everything that is stressing you out. Then circle the things you can control and ‘x out’ the things you can’t. Now tackle the circled items
4. SLEEP - we haven’t talked about this much yet…
3. Other things that help - journaling: write down everything that is stressing you out. Then circle the things you can control and ‘x out’ the things you can’t. Now tackle the circled items
4. SLEEP - we haven’t talked about this much yet…
14/
5. Depriving yourself of sleep (both acute and chronic), increases stress, reduces wellness, and increases errors - everything we would like to avoid.
6. Set sleep goals, and stick to them (write them down if necessary!)
5. Depriving yourself of sleep (both acute and chronic), increases stress, reduces wellness, and increases errors - everything we would like to avoid.
6. Set sleep goals, and stick to them (write them down if necessary!)
15/
If you're like me and DO want to track sleep (without writing it down), check out this device: @WHOOP. It's helped me (A TON) to get more sleep. And @jjcolemanmd and I are both using it in ongoing research studies (for trauma attendings, and medicine residents, respectively)
If you're like me and DO want to track sleep (without writing it down), check out this device: @WHOOP. It's helped me (A TON) to get more sleep. And @jjcolemanmd and I are both using it in ongoing research studies (for trauma attendings, and medicine residents, respectively)
16/ Well, hope that helps!
Feel free to add any comments, retweet, tag people who may be interested, etc.
I think this is actually relevant advice for all residents (and attendings too), even current ones. I’ll start with a few tags here:
Feel free to add any comments, retweet, tag people who may be interested, etc.
I think this is actually relevant advice for all residents (and attendings too), even current ones. I’ll start with a few tags here:
@davidshoremd @RaviPatelDO @dkirch888 @AudreyThorpDO @karadijoseph @SamerMuallem @joancullenDO @cdavidoffDO @aliachisty @AndrewTinsley19 @ChuangCynthia @jlkrasch @bmcgillen26 @Jed_Gonzalo15 @NickDuca57 @KRakszawski @JonathanStineMD @DrMikeFarbs @Mike_P_Pfeiffer @elianahempel
ATTENDING ATTESTATION:
The following attendings have seen and examined the content of this #tweetorial in detail, and agree with the #tweetorial as written, with the following addenda:
Thank you to all that shared thoughts, with great advice from some of @PennStHershey's own
The following attendings have seen and examined the content of this #tweetorial in detail, and agree with the #tweetorial as written, with the following addenda:
Thank you to all that shared thoughts, with great advice from some of @PennStHershey's own
Work-life Integration:
@elianahempel:
This! (re: work-life integration) Work-life balance suggests that they are at odds with one another. Work towards finding ways which your work life and your personal life can fit together. It will rarely be a 50/50 split.
@elianahempel:
This! (re: work-life integration) Work-life balance suggests that they are at odds with one another. Work towards finding ways which your work life and your personal life can fit together. It will rarely be a 50/50 split.
@andrewtinsley19:
Work life synergy is my goal - a combined effect greater than the sum of either one! And golf.
Work life synergy is my goal - a combined effect greater than the sum of either one! And golf.
@jonathanstinemd:
My own personal take is that there is really no such thing as work-life balance. It’s impossible to put each into a bin and keep them separate, as home bleeds into work and work into home. Accepting this has been key for me.
My own personal take is that there is really no such thing as work-life balance. It’s impossible to put each into a bin and keep them separate, as home bleeds into work and work into home. Accepting this has been key for me.
@dkirch888:
@MySMFM has a first year fellow retreat every year. First of all, it’s wonderful. They use the term “work-life harmony”. Because balance is actual BS. But I like the idea of my work life and my out of work life living in harmony together.
@MySMFM has a first year fellow retreat every year. First of all, it’s wonderful. They use the term “work-life harmony”. Because balance is actual BS. But I like the idea of my work life and my out of work life living in harmony together.
Mission statement/productivity:
@KRakszawski:
recommend writing down your goals for future reference.
Simple things like (1) Exercise 3x/wk (2) Connect w/ a mentor (3) Call a different family member weekly. (4) Read a novel. Etc.
@KRakszawski:
recommend writing down your goals for future reference.
Simple things like (1) Exercise 3x/wk (2) Connect w/ a mentor (3) Call a different family member weekly. (4) Read a novel. Etc.
@jonathanstinemd:
Q (from a trainee, @davidshoremd): how do you better carve time for academia? Always seems like it has to sacrifice home time for it.
A: Find 15-30 minutes to write every day - doesn't have to be huge blocks of time!
Q (from a trainee, @davidshoremd): how do you better carve time for academia? Always seems like it has to sacrifice home time for it.
A: Find 15-30 minutes to write every day - doesn't have to be huge blocks of time!
@bcmcgillen26:
I advise folks to not try to learn ALL of IM or ALL of Cards, etc., when you’re rotating on these teams. It’s a long game...3-4 years for a reason. Read about your patients, but only for 15-20 minutes/day. Each day. Our brains can only take so much in 24 hours.
I advise folks to not try to learn ALL of IM or ALL of Cards, etc., when you’re rotating on these teams. It’s a long game...3-4 years for a reason. Read about your patients, but only for 15-20 minutes/day. Each day. Our brains can only take so much in 24 hours.
@bcmcgillen26 (part II):
Being mission-driven is so crucial. Times get tough, and it is sometimes easy to forget why you do this. Having a central mission—why you do this, and who you do it for—keeps you grounded. Write it down. Revisit it. Revise it PRN.
Being mission-driven is so crucial. Times get tough, and it is sometimes easy to forget why you do this. Having a central mission—why you do this, and who you do it for—keeps you grounded. Write it down. Revisit it. Revise it PRN.
Other tips/tricks:
@AudreyUongMD:
I will say the best investment I made in residency was blackout curtains. Amazing for helping you go to sleep!
@AudreyUongMD:
I will say the best investment I made in residency was blackout curtains. Amazing for helping you go to sleep!
@dkirch888:
My life changed when I bought a sleep mask for after 24 hour shifts. Also, the Calm App.
My life changed when I bought a sleep mask for after 24 hour shifts. Also, the Calm App.
@mike_p_pfeiffer:
I would add... every once & a while, pause & remember what the prior steps of training were like.
I would add... every once & a while, pause & remember what the prior steps of training were like.
@JJcolemanMD:
My biggest piece of advice - be somebody that people want to be around - that means you show up early, you're nice, you're helpful, you care about the patients, you work hard, and are a good teammate :)
My biggest piece of advice - be somebody that people want to be around - that means you show up early, you're nice, you're helpful, you care about the patients, you work hard, and are a good teammate :)
