A Day In The Life Of A Resident

Every day is different. There are patterns and similarities, but also a certain unique quality to each day that keeps life interesting and “on one’s toes” so to speak. As I mature and grow in my training as a resident, I can see how even similar incidents and circumstances seem different – often more manageable. For this particular month’s rotation, I’m doing what is termed, “FMC3”. Basically, it’s a month designed to help me understand the business side of medicine as well as gain more experience in outpatient clinic visits.

This morning began with my morning rounds in the hospital on “my” patients. I have a newborn baby girl, G.S., born 2 days ago whose mother chose me to be her pediatrician. I also am seeing a mom and baby. The mom came to my clinic throughout her pregnancy for all her obstetric care. I then delivered her infant when the time came. He is a healthy baby boy with a birth weight of seven pounds, fourteen ounces! Today, baby girl G.S. is a looking a bit yellow or jaundice. We had a bilirubin test on her done and it turned out to be borderline high. After looking up the normagram and then talking about her case with my attending, we decided to start a bilirubin light. Mom and dad will still be able to take her home today, she will need a bilirubin-blanket though and close follow up of her bilirubin levels. In situations such as this, I am thankful for the ancillary services available at St Joseph’s Regional Medical Center. I’ll have help from the nurse and social service worker who will arrange for the needed equipment and follow up, even a home visit from a nurse. As many of our patient’s have very few financial resources, it’s a blessing to have staff that knows how to ensure the proper medical supplies make it to our patients.

Baby boy KM and his mother are doing great. They are looking forward to going home later today. I will plan on seeing boy KM for a check up in clinic in two weeks. Before he leaves, mom and dad have requested a circumcision for him. I arrange this with the nursery staff and get signed consent from mom and dad for the procedure. I am “signed off” for circumcisions. Being “signed off” basically means that I have done enough circumcisions under faculty supervision that they have felt I am competent to do them on my own. In the nursery, I carry out the circumcision. I don’t have any problems and baby boy KM is soon back with mom and dad.

My morning rounds done, I go down to the cafeteria for breakfast. Meals are provided here at SJRMC while we are working at the hospital. It’s a convenience I am grateful for.

As 9am approaches, I walk across the street to our family medicine resident clinic in pavilion III. There I settle into a computer/desk station and log into Power Chart Office. All our records are electronic now. We can type of notes or dictate them. If dictated, they get entered into our EMR. It is quite handy to have all the past labs, notes, and consults, and other information within the computer and easily obtainable.

Morning clinic goes from 9am to noon. During that period, I can have up to nine patient’s scheduled. Usually it’s a few less because some patient appointments are scheduled with extra time. My first patient today is a new OB. She is about 11 weeks pregnant. Since this is her first pregnancy, she has many questions about what is normal and what to expect in pregnancy. As the morning continues a see various other patient problems – everything from a new stomach ache to a rash to HTN and hyperlipidemia, to vaginal discharge. One patient is a darling little 6-year-old boy is just starting kindergarten and needs a full physical along with his routine immunizations.

At noon, I usually have “noon conference”. It’s a time where the resident’s and a few faculty get together over lunch for an educational topic – sometimes the talk is given by specialist doctor’s from the area, sometimes from faculty, and sometimes from fellow residents. Today however, I am on a committee that is meeting to go over patient education. Our goal is to better promote patient education in our clinic. Today we are sorting through the multitude of handouts we have around the clinic and deciding which ones are useful and which need to be discarded.

From 1pm to 5pm, I have clinic again. I have three patients scheduled per hour. As with the morning, it’s quite the variety of patient’s. I never cease to be amazed at the problems that pop up. Often the presenting compliant is much different than the initial reason for the appointment!

Well, it’s around 5:30 pm now. I’m wrapping up my day. I will finish refilling prescriptions that get called-in and answering a few messages in my office in-box. I should be finished by 6pm – in time for a nice dinner with my husband….hmmm…that reminds me, maybe I’ll give him a call now and plan dinner out…..:-)

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