bloh Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 For those that are in clerkship/have passed it, can you comment on how feasible it is to eat healthy (or just plain eat) during clerkship. Are you always running around? Is there time to eat? Is there time to sit down and eat? How about bringing microwavable food? Or do you have a membership to costco so you can buy a crate of granola bars? I tend to eat many small meals rather than the prototypical binging of breakfast/lunch/dinner - will that be feasible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Highly dependent on what rotation you are on and how busy you happen to be that day. On rotations like gen surg and ob/gyn, if you have time to pee, then you have time to throw back a cup of yogurt (the slightly firmer stuff slides out of the container easier) or a banana. On other busy rotations, you can eat while you do your charting or work at the computer. You may or may not have easy access to a microwave, or time to line up at the cafeteria, so it's easier if you pack some stuff in your bag or locker.. granola bars are portable but not necessarily the most healthy.. I ate a lot of yogurt, fruit, and bread (no prep time). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviathan Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 I bring a banana or other fruit in the morning for breakfast. We have lunchtime lectures where they serve us food, usually salads or sandwiches and sometimes pizza (thin crust and mostly veggies, so healthyish). I pack a granola bar or two and keep it on me in case I get hungry while rounding. Obviously every rotation is different but this is just an example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostintime Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 I think call is the hardest, sometimes you get so busy that you just simply don't eat for like 8-9 hours straight and then eat random things afterwards because nothing really is open. I'm slightly picky with my food so I just bring a huge bag of "call stash" then I eat, mostly crackers and bread and some sandwiches. Then there's some rotations where you sit on you bum all afternoon and have a million chances to munch away yourself fat and silly if you please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Yes, in general there's time. Interestingly I usually had a lot less time for lunch or downtime in general on emerg than on any of gen surg, neurosurg, or plastics (the latter of which has clinics that redefine busy). I think I had one day on gen surg without any kind of lunch (though some nights on call I didn't eat for a long while) and so far one day on plastics. I think I always managed to get food on neurosurg somehow. There was always time for lunch on peds and it was only while on call for birth unit that I ever went without eating for very long periods. Fortunately most units have kitchens with snacks available... though the candy in birth unit was dangerous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darla Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 When call was *too* wacky for food, I was a fan of Boost type drinks - I could down one between the call and the floor while I was in the elevator. Also strongly recommend having extra granola bars in your bag for your residents. A fed resident is a happy resident. Use the time that you have on weekends to make sure you have "real" food for the week so when you get home from a 12 hour shift you're less likely to go through a drive thru. Also means that you have some leftovers for microwaving at work. If you don't have a slow cooker yet, invest in one and learn how to use it. It can be a lifesaver in clerkship. Making lunches for a week made my life easier. Bags of veggies, crackers and cheese, trail mix, fruit and sandwiches, then eat during rounds and teaching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradguy Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 A doc I worked with always kept a granola bar in his scrubs pocket and would munch it down when he'd get a bit cranky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloh Posted March 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Trust me - I have cooking down to a science. I can pretty much multitask ANYTHING while cooking most meals lol. I was mostly concerned with the professional part of eating during clerkship. I can eat fast but I was wondering if it'd be frowned upon to eat nuts for example in the vicinity of others but not directly in contact with patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darla Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Ah, yes. It depends on your teams. Some teams don't like you to eat at all for some reason, others build it into your day. Unfortunately I don't think you'll find a fast rule, you'll need to gage the team on the first day. Most teams have a room though where you can eat. Don't be afraid to ask your junior resident their opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostintime Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 I LOOOOOOOOVE services where there is like a 2 hour lunch built in. It's amazing, I feel so spoiled compared to wolfing down food for like 10-15 minutes or less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbert Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 I agree with everyone else, it really is rotation dependent. For the busy rotations, I would always stuff goodies in my pockets to eat whenever I could. I would eat while walking, in the stair wells, anywhere I could really. Sometimes you just really don't get a lunch break, especially if you don't ask for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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