I’m coming up on 5 years of locuming in the @SaultAreaHosp and i've loved every minute of it. What follows is a brief thread on what I’ve learned and why it is so incredibly important that trainees spend time outside of downtown tertiary care hospitals during their training. 1/9

First, you’ll never meet a more appreciative bunch of patients, physicians, nurses, healthcare providers. Full stop. Everyone says “thank you” and “how can I help”. At first it kinda weirded me out and I thought they were being sarcastic. They weren’t! 2/9

Second, as a GIM doc / hospitalist, you’re really spoiled in downtown centres. And almost to a detriment from a learning/independence standpoint. On almost every on-call shift I am neuro/stroke team/ID/heme/endo/cardio/rheum/Derm/petrified 3/9

Third, you learn to be less judgemental. Or at least I did. You have no frickin clue how busy things are in the community. So reserve judgement. Also, b/c I spend the whole time in the ER seeing consults, I have a new appreciation for the ER docs and nurses. 4/9

One second they are resuscitating a patient, next minute they are casting a broken arm, next minute they are seeing a sick kiddo. When they ask for a consult, your answer should be yes. Don’t ask snarky questions and for the love of God don’t speak down to them or anyone. 5/9

Oh and it drives the nurses bonkers when we order a zillion tests. So let’s think twice before poking the patient for TSH / B12 / SPEP / blah. Probably not the time or place in the ER. 6/9

Fourth. You will make mistakes. When you discharge someone home from the ER, make sure you get their cell number. Call them the next day. This was the best way for me to realize the mistakes and miscommunication that were my own doing. Also, patients really appreciate it. 7/9

Fifth, it is incredibly refreshing. No one cares or talks about papers / grants / awards. Nor do they talk about the papers / grants / admin stuff they did on the weekend. Nope. Instead it is about hiking, biking, cross country skiing, golf, hockey, ice fishing, etc. 8/9

Take-home point, come do an elective in the @SaultMed @SaultAreaHosp !! Or any hospital that is not in a downtown tertiary care centre... but preferably @SaultAreaHosp. Feel free to DM me to learn more! 9/9