My First Month As A Resident Physician
Posted by [email protected] on Jul. 30, 2021 / Subscribe 0
By GARRETT HADLEY, DO
Resident Physician
Internal Medicine Residency | Baptist North Mississippi
The first month of residency is officially finished. My first impression of Baptist Memorial Hospital- North Mississippi is how kind everyone is here. There hasn’t been a moment where I or my co-residents have felt unwelcomed. Despite the changes that incorporating a new residency program brings, the hospital staff has been dynamic and positive through the process. The attendings have been happy to teach. The nurses have been patient with us as we’re navigating the new depths of doctoring. The administration has invited us into their homes. I couldn’t be more pleased with my co-workers for the coming three years.
I’ve already found a new family in my co-residents and faculty in the Graduate Medical Education department. I feel very fortunate to have the diverse, yet like-minded group of interns that we do. I find myself looking forward to the didactic sessions each day so that I may see everyone and catch up on the new and exciting things that are going on in each of our lives. The passion of the faculty for the program and its participants is obvious. This goes beyond just delivering quality medical educations. You can tell that they want you to succeed as much as you do. It’s not rare that an attending takes you out for dinner and inquires how you are adjusting to Oxford/resident life. At this point, I believe that I nearly have every faculty’s personal cell number with strict instructions to contact “if you need anything”.
On another note, the first month of residency has certainly been challenging. I had the pleasure (and anxiety) to embark on the Night Float service for my first rotation. There have been many firsts - adjusting to a 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. work schedule (I’m a morning person), delivering resident-led lectures, and independently managing patients, just to name a few. As those who work in medicine know, it's a very humbling craft. There’s always more to learn and new skills to perfect. This experience has been testing, but also extremely rewarding. It’s a surreal feeling to finally be directly involved in patient care after years of training for this purpose, as if you’ve finally reached that precipice that you’ve been striving towards your entire life. The amount that I’ve already learned in this brief time has been great, but I also know that I have a long way to go. I look forward to watching myself and fellow interns grow into the competent physicians we desire to be.
With regards to the city of Oxford, it has surpassed all my expectations, with its small-town feel, but never a lack of things to do. The University of Mississippi brings a vibrancy that you wouldn’t expect of a city the size of Oxford. I’ve personally enjoyed some of the Ole Miss facilities across town, such as the South Campus Recreational Center and trail complex. I look forward to attending university sporting events in the upcoming academic year. Go Rebels!
The local cuisine has been incredible, with many more restaurants on my “To Try” list hopefully soon. The Square is a fantastic place to grab a bite and drink or find a cozy nook to sip some coffee and read. It’s always alive, no matter the hour. I have frequented Square Books since moving here. I’ve enjoyed looking through their selections and sitting on the outdoor patio (while shamelessly people watching those below).
Some of my personal favorite experiences/places in Oxford thus far include:
- Faculty and resident dinner at Southern Craft Stove and Tap – Core Faculty Member Dr. Sumner Abraham put each of us on the spot. We were each instructed to individually share who “we actually are,” free of the cookie cutter portions of ourselves shared in the interview process. This was undeniably uncomfortable, but we all left knowing each other on a new personal level. This is the moment that I started thinking of us as a family rather than just a department.
- Ole Miss South Campus Recreational Center – Going to the gym is one of my favorite hobbies. I was initially apprehensive that I wouldn’t find a new gym in Oxford that suited my liking. I was blown away by the quality and sheer size that is the South Campus Recreation Center. I prefer a very lively gym. The facility is always bustling with students and members of the community. There’s a vast variety of equipment and machines to use. I’ve been a regular for over a month now and I’d be optimistic in saying that I’ve utilized half of what’s offered.
- Resident-led lectures – This one caught me off guard. I didn’t expect to enjoy resident-led lectures as much as I have. This, also, was initially uncomfortable. For many of us, we have never had to lead hour-long academic sessions. It’s been cool to watch my co-residents’ abilities and confidence grow with each consecutive week. The faculty has also been very helpful in assisting us with these. I led the first Morbidity and Mortality Conference of the year. Dr. Abraham and Associate Program Directory Dr. Jacob Whelan treated me to a trip to The Growler off the Square while aiding me in the case and what’s to be expected of the presentation.
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