Encouragement During Residency

Residency. I’m pretty sure I had a small panic attack the night before my first day of residency. And we all know, the first day is just orientation! It seemed like everything had changed, and now I would be actually responsible for the lives of my patients. I suddenly felt like all I had learned in medical school had disappeared and I was grossly underprepared for what lay ahead. I’m not sure why I felt this way, I knew that I had had an amazing education and that at the very least, I met the qualifications to graduate. But what if they had made a huge mistake? What if I wasn’t all that I was cracked up to be? I had huge imposter syndrome as a young, Mexican American female entering the world of Emergency Medicine. In the end, I figured I could only do what I had always done. I got out of bed in the morning and went to work. And I’m so glad that I did.

Residency was wrapped up in 4 of the most challenging years of my life, both personally and professionally. I grew more in those 4 years than at any other time in my life. I made connections to the most incredible, dedicated, amazing humans could ever imagine. I took in everything that I could – I learned, I practiced, I communicated, I shared good news, bad news, and the worst news. I cried, I laughed, and I came out stronger at the end.

What words of wisdom would I give? Wake up, go to work, and smile. Remember that everyone has bad days and be thankful that you’re where you are at that moment. Look around you, see your community, see how others need the help and skills that you can provide them. Remember that we all have stories and most people don’t like coming to the Emergency Department. There is no such thing as work-life balance. There is only life. And there is no way, no matter how hard you try, to separate the two. Take care of yourself. Eat food on shift, use the bathroom! Take a 1-minute walk after a difficult interaction. I promise you can have 1 minute to yourself. Look out for each other. The connections you make in residency will last a life time. Exercise! Have a support system because you will need them time and time again. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, no matter what the case, because we all need a little help sometimes. And finally, love. Love someone or something and love that you have this amazing gift to share with the world.

Marianne Juarez, MD
UCSF-ZSFG Department of Emergency Medicine