How long does it take to build a reputation as a strong intern?

[SandP]

Obviously, we'll all suck at the beginning.. so how long does it normally take?

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[deleted367183]

Right there with you...

 

[gutonc]

Obviously, we'll all suck at the beginning.. so how long does it normally take?

Right about the time you're not an intern anymore.

If it takes until you're an R3, something has gone very wrong.

 

[LucidSplash]

About 364 days.

 

[deleted50541]

I recall that who was "strong" and who was not started to sort about half way through the year. As winter rolled in, most of the interns were pretty inured to the job. Those who made it through the inevitable seasonal depression and mid-year drudgery without major incident seemed to come out strong.

That said, all bets were off in PGY2. The second years could sometimes be the most dangerous residents in the hospital. They knew enough to do the job, but lacked the experience and knowledge to know when they were in over their heads.

 

[TraumaLlamaMD]

Much longer than it takes to build a reputation as a weak one!

 

[DarkHorizon]

A few months, but you’re still being evaluated and you don’t earn benefit of the doubt until you’re pgy2 or so, even then people will focus on your mistakes. What I was told as an intern/pgy2, on your call shift, you can do 99 things right and one thing wrong, your score the following morning is -1, not 99. I found it to be true as a junior resident. Things were easier as a senior resident, once people trusted you more. I did do a surgical residency however.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Obviously, we'll all suck at the beginning.. so how long does it normally take?

A long time. It can take only a short time to be considered a weak intern.

 

[evilbooyaa]

I agree with the concept of by 6 months in there was some distinction within the intern class of who was reliable, not dangerous with patient care, hard working, and not a whiny bitch (which are the only 4 things one generally needs to be a strong intern)

 

[deleted50541]

I agree with the concept of by 6 months in there was some distinction within the intern class of who was reliable, not dangerous with patient care, hard working, and not a whiny bitch (which are the only 4 things one generally needs to be a strong intern)

I would love to see these bullet pointed in a presentation to the incoming interns on "how to be strong". Emphasis on the last point.

 

[Perrotfish]

Obviously, we'll all suck at the beginning.. so how long does it normally take?

When you start repeating rotations. The first month on a given kind of rotation (wards/clinic/ICU/whatever) is as much about learning systems as medicine. On the second run through attendings start getting a sense of who will and won't need extra help to develop into a competent second year.

A corollary is that the more kinds of services you rotate through the longer it will take for your abilities to shine through. An IM intern might be on their second wards month only three or four months in, while a transitional year might never do the same kind of rotation twice.

 

[jurassicpark]

Several months for your seniors and Attending to see you in action. The first rotation or two the Attendings/seniors may nod their head in approval but you gotta nail it down a few times to make sure it weren't no fluke and you can keep up the tempo. It only takes a day to get a reputation as a bad intern