I’m Living My Best Life During Residency. Here’s How:

(Almost) gone are the days when doctors sacrifice any and everything for their careers. I recently saw a meme that said something to the effect of, “This generation is of the mindset, ‘I’m not gonna let this job kill me.’” I could not agree with this sentiment more. I’ve received snide comments from old school docs all throughout medical school; sharing the way “things used to be.” For so long, medical training has been (and in many places is still) treated as rite of passage full of toxicity and pain for no reason other than… “That’s just the way things are done.” Time and growth have shown residents can learn and get all they need without the grueling scheduling and inhumane work hours. We have a long way to go, but the 80 hour work week regulation set in place several years back was HUGE. I mean really. How were physicians expected to make sound decisions when they never slept? I know. 80 hours is still 2 full-time jobs per week, but I do believe this generation will be the one to continue to change the culture and expectations of medical training. I had an Attending tell me just last week, “Back when I was in residency, interns weren’t allowed to have lunch.” I just looked at him and went back to managing my patient so I could make it to…LUNCH.

Every time I see a resident on my Instagram timeline living their lives outside the medicine, my heart smiles. It is more than ok to NOT make medicine your all and all. In fact, it’s healthy. I find well-balanced persons really do make the best doctors! I, for one, feel at my best when I am giving time to ALL of my passions and interests—not just one. When I’m at my best, so is my patient care. Even on my more difficult rotations, I am dedicated to remaining intentional about practicing balance and living my best life. Here’s how:

I set boundaries. I’m not the type of person to talk talk talk about medicine all day. I was not like that in medical school either. No. Medicine is my job. It is not the entirety of my lifestyle. I try my best to stay away from conversations that solely focus on hospital goings-on when I am after hours. I’m extremely careful to monitor my clinic In-Basket throughout the day so I do not have to take my work home. I also complete my notes at the office instead of at home on my couch. This separation of my work life and my personal life is what allows me to make room for the other joys I have and, ultimately, return to work each day as refreshed as possible.

I plan ahead. Y’all already know I am the ultimate planner. Any non-medical endeavor gets scheduled at least a week in advance and written down on my to-do list so I ensure it gets done. This rule pertains my photoshoots for SAC, time with family and friends, my personal time to explore NYC, you name it! I am always referencing my rotation schedule and determining when I can fit in time to nurture my other interests. Because what I’m not going to do is spend all my off time inside. Not in NYC!!

I make the most of my time even with the constraints. Did I mention 80 hour work week? I may not have a lot of free time, but I am able to enjoy some. I try not to remind myself of the time limitations because I don’t like the feeling of always racing against the clock. Instead, I make the most of it and adjust my expectations. For me, self-care looks like grabbing take-out from a new restaurant, washing my clothes (at home in NYC!!), scrolling through IG and catching up on educational or funny videos I saved for later, planning my next outfit. All of these things are indeed forms of self-care. And though small and not at all time-consuming, they are indeed impactful.

I (plan to) make my vacations really count. I LOVE seeing residents on vacation!! It’s my absolute fave! We all know how much we earn that amazingly untouchable time. I spaced out my vacations for the year (2 weeks each) pretty well. I am already planning how to make the absolute most of the first one. For the second one, you might catch me in another country. We’ll see how this delta portion of the panoramic goes.

Life is good, y’all. Residency does have its hard moments, but that does not mean I can’t live and be my best. Living out my purpose daily is absolutely a huge part of that. Yes, I’m just getting started, but I am remaining intentional about not losing myself and all the plans I have for my life; all the plans God has for my life—medical and non-medical.