I AM OFFICIALLY A DOCTOR''S WIFE!!

[Class n Sass]

With my husband of about 6 weeks in his first 3 weeks of his residency I know what they mean when they say residents work their butts off and are never home. I have not seen my husband since Thursday night. He left home Friday morning at about 5:30am while I was still sleep. He gave me a kiss goodbye and I assumed that I would see him last night around midnight. Well I did not. He ended up staying overnight and his new shift began today at 7am. He probably won''t be home today until around 8pm unless of course something comes up. I am not bitter at all because I know this is what I signed up for..I am just venting...lol

The good thing through all of this is that our apartment is very close to my mom and the rest of my family. So at least when he is gone like this I am not totally alone.

 

[iluvcarats]

Um, Yeah, pretty much get used to it!
After 4 years Med school, My DH did a 6 year residency, and then we moved from NY to CA for a 2 year fellowship. Didn''t see him for pretty much 8 years ( although here and there b/c we do have 2 kids) He still gets up at 5:30 every day. Luckily he doesn''t need much sleep. Hang in there!

 

[icekid]

Class- you and my hubby should start a support group together. Today is my FIRST day off since I started my internship... 80+ hour weeks. Love it

Residency is tough on a marriage..

 

[drk]

You all should move to Canada. I''m in 5th year of residency, and I typically get to work at 6:45am, and usually head home around 5pm. At many of the hospitals where I do call, we''ve instituted 16h call for anesthesia, so I don''t go in till 4pm, and we''re always relieved before 8am the next day.

It''s pretty humane for most residents up here in Ontario. No more than 1 in 3 in hospital call, no more than 1 in 4 home call. Two full weekends off a month. For all non-ob and non-anesthesia residents, home at 12pm the day after call (though I think some programs violate the contract on that one).

I''m sure you learn a lot down there, but we figured it''s safer for the patients and we might learn better on more sleep up here. Good luck to all of you with dealing with the crappy hours!

Kate

 

[lover in athens]

or do dermatology!! [just finished my residency 2 weeks ago...AHHHH]
(or ophtho...that''s what you''re doing, right icekid?)

all kidding aside, i remember my prelim medicine year (internship that''s required before the 3 years of derm) and it was pretty darn awful. i wasn''t married yet but i can imagine it would have been REALLY tough. try to remember that as sucky as it is to be home without your dh, it sucks for him to be at the hospital without you! hang in there!!

 

[iluvcarats]

Date: 7/13/2008 2:08:42 PM
Author: lover in athens
or do dermatology!! [just finished my residency 2 weeks ago...AHHHH]

(or ophtho...that''s what you''re doing, right icekid?)


all kidding aside, i remember my prelim medicine year (internship that''s required before the 3 years of derm) and it was pretty darn awful. i wasn''t married yet but i can imagine it would have been REALLY tough. try to remember that as sucky as it is to be home without your dh, it sucks for him to be at the hospital without you! hang in there!!

LOL! I lobbied REALLY HARD for both these specialties! (didn''t work though

)

 

[Gemma12]

I feel for you Class n Sass. Or should I say my DH does?

Have you heard of the ROAD to success in medicine? It runs through Radiology Ophthalmology Anaesthetics and Dermatology

! Those are traditionally the specialities where the consultants are better paid for more predicatable work.

I was so thankful when I finished my residency! There is a light at the end of the tunnel...Also there is a trend for working ''safer hours'' as well-fewer 48 hour call shifts, 6-10 hours off minimum between shifts. When I first started my residency we were on call from 8 am on Friday until 10 pm on Monday night

-I agree with Kate, that can''t be good for patients.

Glad you have your family around you-that is a big plus. Good luck!

 

[pennquaker09]

Resident hours are crazy. Some are worst than others, but even the lifestyle specialties (Derm,Radiology, Anesthesia) can be tough.

My dad is an anesthesiologist and back in his day, one had to have a year long surgical internship before anesthesia. My dad told Nate that when he was a resident, it wasn't unusual for him to work over a 100 hours in a week. Nate's residency was in pediatrics and 80 was pretty much the norm for him. His fellowship (cardiology) wasn't as bad, but he also was doing a lot of research in addition to his teaching duties.

Nate has a pretty regular schedule now. I get to see him and I couldn't be any happier.