Advice for future residents

[Farcus]

Current PGY1, PGY2, and Fellows please give us the new wave for 2013 some advice on how to be awesome or tip/trick you picked up so we don't make the same mistake sorta thing. Much appreciated !

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[patmcd]

Current PGY1, PGY2, and Fellows please give us the new wave for 2013 some advice on how to be awesome or tip/trick you picked up so we don't make the same mistake sorta thing. Much appreciated !

Work hard and be willing to admit when you don't know something.

 

[ADN1226]

No matter how time consuming it is to organize your calendar, spend that time and get organized. Update frequently and make sure you have access to it on your phone. You will have meetings ALL the time so keeping that organized will keep on on task.

 

[KARM12]

Start things early and don't wait until the deadline to complete things.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Don't get pregnant.

 

[URIpharmD2013]

don't rank a place you really don't want to go...seriously, you'll end up matching and hating youself like me.

 

[BenJammin]

The best advice I can give you as a clinical pharmacist without a PGY-1 is to get out of the student mindset and start thinking like a pharmacist. When a doctor asks you for your opinion on trying a certain drug, don't give these "well studies show..." or "there isn't really anything about it in guidelines" horsecrap answers. The residents know the studies. The residents know the guidelines. They will laugh at you for telling them what they already know and your value to them is the same as the cafeteria cashier (after all, she can look at the studies too!). That's why physicians love dealing with me because I give them a straight answer without all the BS. The sooner you do that too, the better off you'll be as a clinical pharmacist.

 

[confettiflyer]

Make time for a social life and get close with your co-residents.

Drink. A lot. Especially with your co-residents.

Play practical jokes.

Get out of the "student" mentality and take charge, you're a licensed pharmacist (or will be soon).

 

[jyw003]

Thanks for the tips everyone---

 

[patmcd]

Make time for a social life and get close with your co-residents.

Good advice right there.

 

[joetrisman]

bump

/istartmondayandnervousashell

 

[GoldfishPharmD]

I start Monday too!

I figure it shouldn't be bad right away since it's orientation. I think orientation lasts like a month. How long does yours?

Wanted to add that I feel like this extra pressure because I scrambled into the spot. I've asked a lot of questions and did as much research as I could, but I'm still worried.

 

[rutgerspharmd]

Make time for a social life and get close with your co-residents.

Drink. A lot. Especially with your co-residents.

Play practical jokes.

Get out of the "student" mentality and take charge, you're a licensed pharmacist (or will be soon).

1. Work hard. Play harder. Drink/hang out with your residents. Having a great relationship with your co-residents makes the difference of making an otherwise difficult year tolerable/enjoyable, to downright deplorable.

2. This also means don't add to your standing within the residency by taking away from a co-resident. You talking smack or treating co-residents badly hurts you more than it will hurt them in the long run. Trust me. I have seen it when it counts (going for PGY2, staying on for a full time job).

3. Agree with confetti. Get out of the student mentality. Take initiative and ownership. Start your projects early. You will thank yourself later.

 

[fiestychix03]

1. Work hard. Play harder. Drink/hang out with your residents. Having a great relationship with your co-residents makes the difference of making an otherwise difficult year tolerable/enjoyable, to downright deplorable.

2. This also means don't add to your standing within the residency by taking away from a co-resident. You talking smack or treating co-residents badly hurts you more than it will hurt them in the long run. Trust me. I have seen it when it counts (going for PGY2, staying on for a full time job).

3. Agree with confetti. Get out of the student mentality. Take initiative and ownership. Start your projects early. You will thank yourself later.

Very good advice and much appreciated! I start monday and the month of July will be orientation and training. I was also told me and the other residents will be taking a research course and doing some IRB stuff too. Fun, fun !

 

[GoldfishPharmD]

I wish I had coresidents at my program. It always feels a bit better when you have people going through something with you, but it's just me this year.

 

[BenJammin]

When I applied, I refused to submit applications to places where there would be a co-resident. Maybe my 4th year rotations screwed me up because every rotation I had with another student, I felt like I was competing for their attention. I would never answer fast enough or the other student would answer quickly and incorrectly but was given more credit than my late answer. "Ben, you're not speaking enough", "Ben, you're speaking too much", and "Ben, I can't assess you if you aren't answering questions". Heard that way too often. It's hard to answer questions with another student there who gets them right just like you would.

But I'm sure residency is different from rotations whern you aren't given a grade.

 

[GoldfishPharmD]

Even though there are coresidents, I don't think they do rotations together. From the places I interviewed, there didn't seem to be an overlap with the residents. I could be wrong though, but I do know what you mean about being on rotations with someone and having someone that's more talkative than you on rotations.

 

[confettiflyer]

all my single resident program friends were miserable, absolutely miserable.

 

[GoldfishPharmD]

all my single resident program friends were miserable, absolutely miserable.

Thanks for that.

Sigh, I'm already nervous. Side note, I first thought you meant single as in not in a relationship then I realized what you meant.

ETA: Did they say why they were miserable?

 

[joetrisman]

Thanks for that.

Sigh, I'm already nervous. Side note, I first thought you meant single as in not in a relationship then I realized what you meant.

ETA: Did they say why they were miserable?

Speculating, but I'd say you'd only have seasoned rphs to be measured against and the memory of past residents (ah, wasnt johnny such a good resident as I recall? ). When working with other residents, I'm sure unrealistic expectations become rapidly apparent.

I'm with 15-20+ residents

 

[GoldfishPharmD]

Speculating, but I'd say you'd only have seasoned rphs to be measured against and the memory of past residents (ah, wasnt johnny such a good resident as I recall? ). When working with other residents, I'm sure unrealistic expectations become rapidly apparent.

I'm with 15-20+ residents

Yeah, that's true. I would think it could work that way too if you're with a group of residents right? John Smith is the suckiest resident out of all our residents, etc. Jane Doe is the best, etc.

Oh, thanks for rubbing it in btw, joe!

 

[BenJammin]

all my single resident program friends were miserable, absolutely miserable.

That's insane. I have always felt that I do my best work alone and when it comes to group projects/presentations or group rotations, they always hold me back. I've never felt like my group presentations come close to the standard I hold myself to.

 

[MackandBlues]

That's insane. I have always felt that I do my best work alone and when it comes to group projects/presentations or group rotations, they always hold me back. I've never felt like my group presentations come close to the standard I hold myself to.

Ummm you dont really do group projects or rotations as a resident with your co-resident. it is very very nice to have co-residents because then you have someone to complain to and friends to hang out with usually.

My advice: get your stuff done early!!!!!!!!!! you will get behind and you don't want to be scrambling at the end of the residency trying to finish stuff and look for jobs and go on interviews, etc. Don't be lazy. show iniciative (I cant spell). get the most out of your residency that you can. make friends with medical residents - they are good drinking buddies.

 

[xiphoid2010]

1. Work hard. Play harder. Drink/hang out with your residents. Having a great relationship with your co-residents makes the difference of making an otherwise difficult year tolerable/enjoyable, to downright deplorable.

2. This also means don't add to your standing within the residency by taking away from a co-resident. You talking smack or treating co-residents badly hurts you more than it will hurt them in the long run. Trust me. I have seen it when it counts (going for PGY2, staying on for a full time job).

3. Agree with confetti. Get out of the student mentality. Take initiative and ownership. Start your projects early. You will thank yourself later.

I would like to expand upon #2. Don't backstab your co-residents, everyone hate back stabbers, but residents should also keep in mind that there is a good probability that there will be more residents who wants to get hired on at the end than there will be openings for.

Be a good sport, be sure to come across as a team player, but do the best bang of a job to outshine others.

Be seen to be doing a good job, and use every opportunity to show that you are the best candidate. E.g when other residents wants a day off, be happy to swap with them. On the day you are helping out, work hard, be visible. And when the managers/preceptors ask why are you working, tell them that truth that you are glad to help covering for XYZ. Have the research well in advance of others, have presentation that are better than the rest, came in early, stay longer, looked up info anticipating questions that will be asked, and have prepared info and verbalize these facts during meetings.

You make friends, but it is still a competition. Everyone will get a residency certificate, but not everyone will get offered a job offer a the end of it. Be a good sport, but play to win. Even if you don't plan to stay on, you are shooting for letters of recommendation from management that basically says "We wish we had the budget to keep this one, because he/she is a superstar!"

 

[joetrisman]

Yeah, that's true. I would think it could work that way too if you're with a group of residents right? John Smith is the suckiest resident out of all our residents, etc. Jane Doe is the best, etc.

Oh, thanks for rubbing it in btw, joe!

I don't have to be the best, just better than the worst

 

[GoldfishPharmD]

I don't have to be the best, just better than the worst

True.

 

[confettiflyer]

That's insane. I have always felt that I do my best work alone and when it comes to group projects/presentations or group rotations, they always hold me back. I've never felt like my group presentations come close to the standard I hold myself to.

uhm...group projects in residency? wtf?

 

[confettiflyer]

ETA: Did they say why they were miserable?

Mostly because they didn't have anyone to commiserate to, or had difficulty gauging their own productivity without someone else to act as a barometer to measure themselves against.

Co-residents will also fill you in on things they hear.

They are also your competition, but play nice in the sandbox.

 

[Farcus]

I'm in a big city and I think I wouldn't like my program nearly as much if I do now if i had no coresidents. Luckily we got about 13-14