Feeling overwhelmed & stupid

[tpb123]

Hey guys, long time lurker and struggling so figured I'd get some input/advice/opinions. I'll cut to the chase I'm an R1 and I'm feeling so incredibly overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge in radiology. I often feel like I'm just too stupid to do this. I really truly enjoy radiology (I did another field and switched into rads), but man it's been such a tough year. Thinking about taking independent call within the next year is frightening to me. I know it's a four year program, but is this normal? When should I start feeling less idiotic and a little more confident?

I study on average 2 hours a night probably (sometimes more, sometimes less, some nights not at all... but probably average a solid 2 hours)... It takes me a long time to study, though I did recently figure out how I want to study, wish I would have started what I'm doing now a long time ago. I cannot just read a book and retain the information. I just feel really behind and like I'll never know everything I need to know. Is it normal to feel like this? All my evals have been positive, though I am at a nice program and am fairly personable which makes me worry that they just like me and are thus giving good evals.

I guess what I'm wondering is it normal to be still feeling overwhelmed/idiotic this far into my first year. In case it makes a difference I have done the major rotations once now and have done a couple (body CT & nucs) twice. I definitely felt better the second time around on these, but still feel like I do not know nearly enough.

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[Aurum]

The feeling of inadequacy is typical of R1. You're doing the right thing by studying (2 hours a day is a lot!), but also keep in mind it may be tough to study from books without seeing cases in the wild first or at least having the huge mental database of normals you develop during R1. Call is an intimidating experience, but you get used to it and will become progressively more competent. You will learn a ton flying solo and it will help you target your studying even more. Hang in there.

 

[LadyRads]

This feeling is normal. R1 is very tough. You rotate between completely different worlds each month and the variety of cases and pathologies on each rotation can be overwhelming. The moment you get a hang of the work and studies, you have to rotate to the next one. So even in your last month of R1, you may feel like a complete idiot. Don't worry about this.

I feel you about the feedback and evals. As R3, I still feel the same way. I always get super positive feedback and evals and still genuinely believe that they are just nice and don't want to hurt my feelings. It's all my imposter syndrome. I just can't relate to that positive feedback. There is nothing wrong with my performance as a resident. It's all in my head. You must be the same.

The fact that you are studying this much is amazing. Keep doing what you are doing and you will do great.
Starting independent calls can be scary. It gets easier after a couple of calls. Just take a deep breath and focus on one study at a time. The list grows at times, but you will catch up eventually. Don't b afraid to ask for help. The back-up attendings are getting paid to take that shift. So, don't hesitate to call them if you feel uncomfortable with something. You are there to learn. Hang in there! R2 is a much better year!

 

[Kaputt]

This is normal! One of the catch 22's of radiology residency is how light your R1 year is on paper (no call! sweet!) but how stressed out and incompetent you feel during that year.

It will get better, I guarantee it. You're studying a lot. You're being told you're doing a good job. Trust in that. The moment those new R1s show up in July you'll realize how much you've learned.

Radiology is all about repetition. You will keep building your knowledge base as you see more cases and read more and take more call.

Agree with all the other advice and reassurance in this thread.

 

[vm26]

Hey guys, long time lurker and struggling so figured I'd get some input/advice/opinions. I'll cut to the chase I'm an R1 and I'm feeling so incredibly overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge in radiology. I often feel like I'm just too stupid to do this. I really truly enjoy radiology (I did another field and switched into rads), but man it's been such a tough year. Thinking about taking independent call within the next year is frightening to me. I know it's a four year program, but is this normal? When should I start feeling less idiotic and a little more confident?

I study on average 2 hours a night probably (sometimes more, sometimes less, some nights not at all... but probably average a solid 2 hours)... It takes me a long time to study, though I did recently figure out how I want to study, wish I would have started what I'm doing now a long time ago. I cannot just read a book and retain the information. I just feel really behind and like I'll never know everything I need to know. Is it normal to feel like this? All my evals have been positive, though I am at a nice program and am fairly personable which makes me worry that they just like me and are thus giving good evals.

I guess what I'm wondering is it normal to be still feeling overwhelmed/idiotic this far into my first year. In case it makes a difference I have done the major rotations once now and have done a couple (body CT & nucs) twice. I definitely felt better the second time around on these, but still feel like I do not know nearly enough.

Medicine is a vast field and radiology residency requires that you become fairly familiar with most of it. Make friends with your feelings of inadequacy/self-doubt, you (and many if not most of your colleagues) will feel the same way, innumerable times throughout training and career. You will miss stuff on call and then again as an attending. Unlike most fields, your misses will be fairly black and white, and digitally recorded. This is particularly painful if/when you get named in a lawsuit. Just part of the gig. With time your skin should thicken. If you want some real world perspective, ask your body or Nucs attending to put in a final read for a semi-complex wrist MR or conversely ask your MSK attending to help you LI-RADS a few liver lesions on MR or read a PET/CT. I could go on forever but I'm sure you get my point. I would also drop the 2-hours of study per night and try to enjoy your life as a presumably healthy, young adult.

 

[Dr. USMLE]

Hey guys, long time lurker and struggling so figured I'd get some input/advice/opinions. I'll cut to the chase I'm an R1 and I'm feeling so incredibly overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge in radiology. I often feel like I'm just too stupid to do this. I really truly enjoy radiology (I did another field and switched into rads), but man it's been such a tough year. Thinking about taking independent call within the next year is frightening to me. I know it's a four year program, but is this normal? When should I start feeling less idiotic and a little more confident?

I study on average 2 hours a night probably (sometimes more, sometimes less, some nights not at all... but probably average a solid 2 hours)... It takes me a long time to study, though I did recently figure out how I want to study, wish I would have started what I'm doing now a long time ago. I cannot just read a book and retain the information. I just feel really behind and like I'll never know everything I need to know. Is it normal to feel like this? All my evals have been positive, though I am at a nice program and am fairly personable which makes me worry that they just like me and are thus giving good evals.

I guess what I'm wondering is it normal to be still feeling overwhelmed/idiotic this far into my first year. In case it makes a difference I have done the major rotations once now and have done a couple (body CT & nucs) twice. I definitely felt better the second time around on these, but still feel like I do not know nearly enough.

It is common to feel this way, especially at the R1 level.

Having said that, you do want to try to look at objective measures. How have you performed on the in service exam? How is your performance in case conference compared to other R1s? How often and to what extent are attendings changing your prelim reports? How does your case volume compare to other R1s?

You might consider personalized instruction. Early interventions can make a big difference long term and can prevent issues with the Core Exam, which is a very challenging test. If your program has a history of issues with the Core Exam, it is a good idea to be aggressive early on so that you do not have issues.

Feel free to PM me for more information.

 

[tpb123]

It is common to feel this way, especially at the R1 level.

Having said that, you do want to try to look at objective measures. How have you performed on the in service exam? How is your performance in case conference compared to other R1s? How often and to what extent are attendings changing your prelim reports? How does your case volume compare to other R1s?

You might consider personalized instruction. Early interventions can make a big difference long term and can prevent issues with the Core Exam, which is a very challenging test. If your program has a history of issues with the Core Exam, it is a good idea to be aggressive early on so that you do not have issues.

Feel free to PM me for more information.

Haven’t gotten results from in training exam but am anxiously awaiting them.

We don’t take cases much as first years, I never work with my co-residents so I unfortunately can’t compare myself to them.

We are not allowed to prelim as a first year, I thought that it was a universal rule that first years can’t put out prelims?

I think that I often can see something is abnormal, but struggle describing it in a logical way.. staff makes it look so easy.

My case volume is probably the highest or second highest of my class, I regularly check this... I do try to see a ton of cases every day, I know it will obviously beneficial later on but not sure if it correlates to anything else right now.

Thank you all for the replies it is reassuring to know I’m at least not the only one who has felt like this!