Introducing Doctor TS
We graduated this past weekend. I walked across the stage, picked up my diploma, received my hood, and took the Hippocratic Oath. For the rest of the day, anytime someone said "Dr. TS", I giggled. It doesn't feel real, despite working for the past four years to get here (and in reality, the past 10 or so, because I've been planning this for a long time). My mom was laughing at all of us with our "shit-eating grins" (her words); we were just walking around calling each other "Doctor" after the ceremony was over.
I felt pretty good all weekend, but today I got my PGY-1 schedule and I will be starting on neurology. We all know how I feel about neuro, so add my fear of being the intern in charge + fear of being the intern on neuro = rather scared TS. I do hope that I can learn to enjoy neuro more--I think part of the reason I don't like it is the way our school went about it. But who knows? I'm going into psychiatry, not neurology, and while I hope to learn what I need to get by in the overlapped area, I'll never be a neurologist. That job is my friend newly-Dr. B's job, who is now moving to the East Coast. At least some of my other newly Dr. buddies will be staying here, at least for their intern year, before moving far away. It's bittersweet at this point--I'm so proud of my friends, but sad that they're leaving. And sad I only get 2 weeks off, so I can't possibly visit everyone. Oh well.
Thank you for the comments on the post about not being a nurse. It really isn't that big a deal, but for some reason it gets to me. If the roles were reversed, and I'd just finished four brutal years of nursing school, I'd be offended if someone called me "Doctor". Or maybe not, who knows?
Just so it will be in writing somewhere, it took a village to get me through medical school. Or at least a very loving husband. He has put up with me when I was cranky, brought me food when I was exhausted, and snuggled with me even when I was post-call scuzzy. The rest of my family has also been very supportive through all this. Also, I have great friends, both in and out of medicine. Of course, entering residency won't be very relaxing, either, so I will continue to rely heavily upon them, but at least I can take a minute to thank them all for helping me get this far. To all y'all, you know who you are; thank you, and I love you.
Posts
5 comments:
I am a skulker of sorts, but I wanted to respond to your nurse comment. I think I can speak for most of us nurses when I say we are more offended when people say, "Oh you're so smart! Why don't you become a doctor?1" I know it's meant as a compliment, but it's a little back-handed since it implies that doctors are smart, and nurses are not. And then how do you defend your career choice without sounding like you're trying to degrade your doctor colleagues? Oh the silly things people say.
Congratulations on your big day, Dr. TS! You should be proud, and I'm proud with you!
An excellent point, Julie, and thanks for delurking. Basically, it comes down to the old cliche: To assume makes an ass out of you and me. If there weren't brilliant nurses out there, I'd have to calculate all my own dilutions to administer drugs by IV, for example, and I fully expect there to be many times when the nurse catches me making an error that could be lethal. Thank God for smart nurses! (and watch out for dumb MD's!)
Back when I wanted to be a physical therapist, there were most definitely several people who said that exact thing; "but you're SMART... why don't you become a doctor!"
...Crazy people.
Congrats doctor sister.
Congrats on finally making it through the journey! But you can't just stop at "Dr. TS," oh no. You need to really pour it on and say, "Excuse me, that's DR. TS, M[pause]D." LOL!
Seriously, you worked your ass off, clearly cared about what you did and how you did it, and I'm sure you'll excel in residency as before. Cheers!
Congratulations, Doctor!
Post a Comment