Internal Medicine Intern Tips
Written by Sawyer Bawek
July is here, and the start of residency is an exciting yet nerve-racking time. Here are some pieces of advice I gave incoming Interns who contacted me.
Continue to Build Your Support System: One of the biggest tips for starting residency is to make time for loved ones and family, as they will be there for you through thick and thin. Residency will have highs and lows, and your support system will help you throughout your training.
Show Up Early: Showing up early helps ease any anxiety you may have for rounds as you have more time to be adequately prepped. Chart reviewing the night before your rotation also helps familiarize yourself with the patients you will see and the things to follow during your morning rounds.
Each patient is an Opportunity to Learn: I highly recommend having the mindset of trying to learn something from each patient encounter, no matter how simple or complex the case presentation is. This helps provide better patient care but will also help you continuously progress throughout the year, which will help make your transition to a senior resident a little smoother.
Look Out for One Another: The best teams are ones where residents work together and help each other grow. A supportive team environment will help create a positive learning environment and provide better patient care.
Rotate in Your Interested Specialty Early: Many residents go into Internal Medicine with an idea of their end future career goal; however, this can often change during residency once you gain a first-hand experience of what a typical day looks like while working within the specialty of interest. Rotating early allows you to connect with the attending physicians or fellows within the respected field. Residents interested in fellowship opportunities may also have a chance to get involved in research or volunteer opportunities within the specialty.
Review Topics About Your Patients: Reading about topics related to your patients is a great way to learn more about the underlying cause of your patient’s symptoms and is a great study technique. When doing board questions later, you will remember different patients you have encountered throughout the year who had similar presentations.
Remember What It Is Like Being a Student Doctor: Depending on your residency program, some residents will have the opportunity to work with and help teach student doctors. Remember what teaching methods and learning opportunities you enjoyed from attendings/fellows/residents when you were a student doctor and try to pass those forward to the student doctors working with you.
Get Involved: One of my coaches, growing up, always emphasized leaving places in a better condition than when you got there. I highly recommend being active within your program and always looking for ways to help provide new opportunities for future program residents.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions: There will be many times throughout the year when you will have questions, do not be afraid to admit you don’t know the answer and ask for help!
Remember to continue making time for the things you love to do during your residency. I wish you the best of luck for your Intern year; you got this!
