Is it normal to be scared/worried to start residency?

[jb24]

I was a pretty average medical student and did fine in clerkship for the most part. However I am worried about becoming a resident. Sometimes I feel like the match algorithm made a mistake and I'm not worthy of this. Pretty sure this is imposter syndrome, which I had badly at the beginning of medical school as well. 

Very nervous to say the least about making mistakes and screwing up. Anyone else feel this way?

[bearded frog]

6 minutes ago, jb24 said:

I was a pretty average medical student and did fine in clerkship for the most part. However I am worried about becoming a resident. Sometimes I feel like the match algorithm made a mistake and I'm not worthy of this. Pretty sure this is imposter syndrome, which I had badly at the beginning of medical school as well. 

Very nervous to say the least about making mistakes and screwing up. Anyone else feel this way?

It can be scary. When you start you're asking your senior if its ok to order tylenol for someone. At some point you decide to order it on your own without asking, and you freak out until you see that they didn't die. It gets easier after that. At some point you realize you know more than the clerks, and at the start of second you're shocked at how dumb the incoming R1s are and are annoyed how scared they are of even ordering tylenol without asking you first.

Then you coast until your final year then it gets scary again because you have to write your board exams and then you realize you're going to lose the safety net of residency and the buck will stop with you, but you don't have to worry about that right now!

[rmorelan]

3 hours ago, jb24 said:

I was a pretty average medical student and did fine in clerkship for the most part. However I am worried about becoming a resident. Sometimes I feel like the match algorithm made a mistake and I'm not worthy of this. Pretty sure this is imposter syndrome, which I had badly at the beginning of medical school as well. 

Very nervous to say the least about making mistakes and screwing up. Anyone else feel this way?

yes - anyone that isn't nervous is not appreciating the gravity of things in my mind. Plus more likely to injure someone out of arrogance. 

I was "slightly" terrified. Starting on ICU - running the precode pager? What the hell did I know about that kind of thing? Am I going to kill someone? 

Truth is I don't think ever goes away fully. First night of solo call - scary. First time doing procedures in residency basically without supervision - scary. The exams - scary. First time as a fellow when your word drives entire management plans - scary. First time doing anything as staff? - very scary (yeah 10 mins on an X ray because well, it is now MY xray). Every once in a while as staff it is still scary (what the hell is that is not what you want your radiologist to say when looking at your scan). 

Medicine is scary at times, but you being there is no mistake. Most med students are "average" and the average med student is pretty smart. 

[shikimate]

Yeah definitely bit of a steep learning curve especially for rotations you haven't done before, or say if you have to cover patients from other teams. Worse if your new place use a different EMR.

Teamwork is important, don't be afraid to ask questions to your seniors. If you are covering call, make sure to meet your senior (and someone from the other teams if you're covering multiple teams) for at least for 10 minutes before they go home to go over the list of patients, potential issues, admitting situation etc. Even medical students/clerks can be very helpful. For example if you're new to the place the clerks (who are near the end of their clerkship) probably know quite a bit about their EMR, or where they keep stock of various things, or who to page for various situations etc. Doesn't matter which service you are on, staying organized is always your best friend. Always review your list of patients and your "to do" list. Ask others what call is like, and what time at night is usually busy vs slow. Then you can make use of these slow periods for eating, showering etc. 

Unfortunately nobody is perfect and inevitably you'll look back and say you could've done a better job at certain situations. If you are unsure as R1, just remember "first do no harm", so go for the most conservative/safest possible choice.

[sterntaler]

I feel this 100%. I have been reviewing random topics because I'm afraid that I will do even worse than third year clerks :<

[LostLamb]

Super normal to be scared. You'll be fine.

I had an experience on July 3 (second day as a resident, i got July 1 off luckily!) and it cemented in my mind that I was ready.

If we were in person I'd share my little clinical anecdote--because I run into these sentiments with a lot of junior trainees now that I am preceptor I share it with them. It makes one humble to know there was a time you didn't know everything and things were okay.

There will be good and bad outcomes. We all will make mistakes. We all will make great saves, too. Just remember to work with your team and share the wins and share the pain. It makes it easier to manage that way and you won't burn out (as easily).

[jb24]

On 5/25/2021 at 7:27 AM, sterntaler said:

I feel this 100%. I have been reviewing random topics because I'm afraid that I will do even worse than third year clerks :<

I should do this.

[Arztin]

Completely normal and healthy reaction. It's not too bad during residency. You'll have people helping you. Responsibilities are gradual. Your main goal at this stage is still to learn.

Wait till you are at the end of residency. The same sensation creeps in, but it's even worse when you realize you will soon lose all that safety net. (You are never truly alone however)

[LostLamb]

And then you're staff and everything takes twice as long as you worry that you DID miss something and now there is no safety net.

But...you'll still be okay.