Personal Narrative: My Inpatient Rotation

My inpatient rotation was a little different than I expected. I was told it was extremely busy compared to normal; the unit was full and the day’s schedule was running far behind. Twenty-two patients were split between two residents, so morning rounds had pushed back morning report by a full hour. I sat in the resident lounge talking with a third resident whose shift was ending as we waited for the attending and two other residents to arrive. The following two hours consisted of the presentation of several complex cases, and I was interested to see the team dynamic as they brainstormed possible treatment plans. I also enjoyed hearing the doctor jargon, but I am especially thankful for that first hour I spent talking with one of the residents.

He explained he had took a five year gap before medical school, and he strongly believed it has made him a better student and doctor. He explained that he knew he wanted to go into medicine, but he wanted to gain life experience and perspective before dedicating the next several years to medicine. In those five years, he had gotten married, worked in construction, worked at a business firm, spent two years in the Peace Corps, and worked as a substitute teacher. He believed taking a step away from medicine helped him remember all of the reasons he loved medicine while gaining new reasons. He also explained that time away from school made him more eager to learn when he returned. Studying wasn’t just to get the grade he needed or to go through the motions, but he was genuinely interested in the material he was learning. He explained that medical training can be and will likely be some of the darkest times in a physician’s life. The mental, emotional, and physical rigor can often prove to be overwhelming, but he believed that coming back to medicine refreshed and refocused has helped him combat the toll medical training may have on an individual. I wonder how (a) gap year(s) might impact burnout, alcohol and drug abuse, anxiety and depression, and suicide rates among medical