Stressed out Christmas
This holiday hasn't really been great from a stress standpoint. Mostly I've been freaking out about the impending start of clerkship, whether someone's going to yell at me if I wear my own surgical hat, when I'm going to kill someone, how to run a code, and whether someone is breaking into my house at school and stealing my computer while I'm not there. In retrospect, I should have brought my computer home so I don't wake up at 3 am every day sweating having a panic attack. I don't like change. I'm excited about starting this new phase of my life but there are many many layers of subconscious panic happening. Guh.
4 comments:
Oh dear. Hope things are calming down now. I'd imagine it's pretty normal to be freaked out -- I'm sure that I would be -- but there isn't really anything you can do about it now. I try to wait until there is something to panic about before I start freaking out. I dunno if that helps or not. I know I'm way younger than you so this is probably kinda juvenile advice, but it helps me anyway. Merry Christmas, and best of luck with clinicals! Hope you'll keep sharing your experiences with us!
Try not to worry too much. I doubt anybody will kill you over your scrub cap (although you can always leave it at home the first day and see what the other people do).
Nobody will let a medical student kill anybody on accident. And you're really not going to run a code. And even if you do find a code on your own, you know the "A...B...C" stuff, and by the time you start to get to "B" there will be other people there.
It will be fine. It's normal to be nervous, but try not to be too nervous!
This honestly is a very exciting time! My experience is that you will never get close enough to actually kill anybody. Code? "Get out of the way!" or "Go stand over there!" Three bits of advice I was given for clerkship and residency:
1) Sneakers. Get the best & most supportive pair you can afford (spare no expense), because you'll always be on your feet, and always headed somewhere.
2) Never pass on a new opportunity, regardless if the offerer appears (or is) a moron, or the opportunity seems benign. It will come in handy sometime.
3) ALWAYS ask a nurse. They pretty much know everything & everybody. They will assume you know nothing (and they're usually right) and are a nuisance. Earn their respect. If I could only tell you the number of times a nurse saved my sorry ass... The corollary is never, I repeat never , piss off a nurse. Hell hath no fury like disrespected nurse.
Roll with it. It's an awesome time!
I hope you got drunk on New Years :) :)
Post a Comment