My attendings provide me with tremendous autonomy. I always have their support to lean on, but as a resident I lead rounds. Together with my intern, I formulate each patient's plan of care. I admit each new patient. So I'm on the front line; I see everybody fresh. I like that autonomy, the opportunity to really practice independently as a resident.
I am in the second year of a three-year residency in internal medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital. As a second-year resident, my typical day starts a little later than when I was an intern. My morning routine includes breakfast over home-access to the hospital's computer system, which allows me to look at my patients' morning laboratory values. I get into the hospital by 7:20 or so, quickly see whoever needs to be seen and touch base with the intern on duty.
Rounds start at 7:30 and finish up around 9:30. On days when new patients have been admitted, the attending rounds with us. Following rounds, there's a teaching conference for residents, and after that I again touch base with the intern.
At 11, usually three days a week, the attending gives a lecture based on patients we have or a topic relevant to our practices, but usually also relevant to that attending's research. We have another academic conference over lunch, with residents or faculty presenting either research or review topics. Then I have an afternoon full of work. If I'm on call, that afternoon extends until rounds the next morning. During those nights I'm admitting new patients, ordering tests and treatments, and responding to events that occur to patients already admitted.
Planning a career in cardiology, I'm currently interviewing for fellowship programs.
