Thanks.
After the second patients husband yelled at me, I was texting friends and family like crazy. I got texts back that said things like "Oh that is awful, but you will make th right decision". Usually when I complain about things I don't want advice. This time I wanted advice. What i got was votes of confidence, but my confidence in myself was shot at this point.
A few minutes after I gave my resignation in the evening I started getting texts and calls saying "You can't quit, hang in there". But it was too late, it was done. There is a 2 hour time difference between here and back home where my family and friends are. About an hour after I quit the guy I did my anesthesiology rotation with called and said "You can't quit" - to which all I could reply was "too late, its done, thank you for calling, I really don't want to talk now". A half hour sooner and I would probably still be in residency.
If you are not in residency do not expect anyone to do anything other than make you feel inadequate - and many of the people (like nurses) to completely enjoy making you and seeing you feel inadequate.
About 40 minutes ago the program director called me. While seeing how I was doing, he told me that he had received a satisfactory evaluation from my first preceptor. I was told, after asking, that the nursery manager had said I handled the angry dad well and professionally. The program director told me that my preceptor had told him that it was the angriest and rudest patient they had ever seen, and the worst patient encounter they ever had. It really really really really would have meant alot and changed my feelings about quitting if anyone had told me those things at the time. Instead my preceptor chewed me out for not being right by her side when she marched angrily out of the buthole patients room. I followed her soon after she marched out, but I guess she expected me to be shoulder to shoulder with her. When it was done, I was sure I could not even walk by someone correctly.
Its a shame there really does not seem to be room for a bit of kindess in the methodology of residency training. People have been about as friendly as you can be to strangers, which is what I am to a program.People have been helpful and willing to teach. But everyone is very quick to tell you where you are inadequate, but if you do something well they might mention it to others but they never will tell you.
Seriously, I have put up with alot to do this - one person saying I did a good job at something would have relieved alot of pressure. Give some feeling of hope. That constant barrage communication of "you are no good" just reminds me too much of my childhood upbringing - and at my age, I just am not willing to put up with it. Those of you who can put up with it, and still retain heartfelt kindness to patients - my hat's off to you. Its more than I can do.
I expected it to be hard. But I guess I expected either a bit more encouraging atmosphere (or at least a blend of positive comments with the negative comments), or at least them to be funny when giving you the negative comments - like Dr.Cox on scrubs.
This place is not too "malignant", nobody has cussed at me or called me names. But the general atmosphere of residency here is such that it seems nobody will tell you that you are doing okay, - and if you are a confident person you can handle that, and if you are not it sort of eats at your self confidence and your sef esteem. I am not - at least not anymore.