Saturday-at-noon music: 11 months into residency / Parov Stelar

Hello from medicine call. Good morning! Good afternoon! Got the Friday/Sunday shifts this weekend. I tried starting this entry on call during some down time but the medicine gods got mad at me for slacking off so it ended up being a pretty busy night.

In just over an hour it will hit It is June 1st, the day before my mom's birthday. This time last year she and I had just gotten back to Edmonton after deciding on a place for me here. As much as that seems like it was so long ago it's hard to believe that it has already been 11 months.

What have I learned so far?
- As much as we made fun of the FIFE pneumonic in medical school, I find its framework has been vital for good patient care, rapport and satisfaction. Even from a medical side there have been countless times where an important piece of information was gleaned exploring this side. Go figure.
- Family medicine rulez. The people in my program are happy with their future in their profession, the flexibility and what limitless directions it can take. The job opportunities are endless, we are fostered in a positive environment and I've found it satisfying. Huzzah!
- Despite my previous point, medicine can consume you. Be careful. It will be all you think about at work, it is most of what you and your co-resident friends will discuss and it will seep deeper into your consciousness even more than in medical school. The hours are longer, the pressure is stronger.
- I started re-watching Scrubs (again). I have heard that out of all the medical shows out there it is the most accurate in its atmosphere, the conflicts and the stories. I couldn't agree more.
- In Atul Gawande's book, Better, he emphasizes the importance of asking every patient one question completely unrelated to why they are in hospital or about themselves. I saw the value in it but I am blown away by how much it improves my rapport with patients and in turn my enthusiasm to genuinely want to help them. You can see their faces light up when they see that you're not just running through the motions and show an interest in who they are. It can be anywhere from a simple "what do you do for work/fun/school?" or a follow-up question regarding a random tidbit they mention about themselves. I now actively try to do it at least once a day.

As much as I find it interesting looking back, the future is just as intriguing. I could be finished in just over a year, or more hopefully on to further training in something that will further diversify my future practice. Either way,

Whoa, this got too long! Anyways, here's my tune for the week. I stumbled upon Parov Stelar recently via Spotify (best music streaming service ever) and am really digging his jazzy-loungey-chill songs. Excuse my incoherence and lack of proper vocabulary, I'm a bit low on sleep. Just listen.