Friday, 03 July 2009

• I Am a Doctor Now (Week 1)

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  I’m on long call on motherfucking fourth of fucking July!!!!!

   

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  You have to be kidding me.  Why, why why do they always have to take my beloved Independence Day?  I’ll get a good view of the fireworks from the CCU windows, that is, if I’m not busy trying to resuscitate one of the thirty or so patients I’ll be carrying from my team, the other CCU team, and the telemetry floor.  Since there will be only one resident and myself on call, the rules for maximum number of patients carried by interns go right out the window. 

   

  And those expectant two or three 3:30am-6:59am admissions…tons of fun.

   

  As bad as it is, I’ve learned more medicine the past week than I’ve learned two years on medical school rotations.  Then again, judging from where I’d been rotating, it is not much of a surprise.  Whereas I was a medical student about three months ago, I’m actually in charge of my own students now, and I’m delegating tasks and running a tight ship like a mofo, that is, until yet another code breaks out and 60% of the unit gets derailed for three hours. 

   

  Thank God the nurses are on top of things when one of those whoppers breaks out, because the newbie doctor that just happens to be on call (me) is usually running around like a headless chicken paging every consult imaginable and trying to get the shock paddles fired up.  You know that saying, "Never ever get sick in July"?  Well, that's because the doctor taking care of you would most likely be green as grass.

   

  I thought I was to be eased into residency at a much slower pace, but I’m being given serious life-or-code-blue responsibilities on very very very sick patients, some critical and on vasopressors, and, a week ago, I barely knew how to dose a beta-blocker.  I am supposed to work from 7am to 5pm every day, but I’ve been coming in as early as 5:30 and leaving at 6:30 just because my patients are so sick.

   

  And as for having a life…ahh sweet life…what’s that?

   

  My eyelids hang heavily and my verbiage has taken yet another a turn for the vernacular.  I need sleep.

  • 9:19 PM
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