"No One Said it Would Be Easy"

I'm sitting upon a rooftop patio in Manhattan Beach, soaking in the sun and wondering why I can't spend every Sunday morning doing this. I spent most of last night explaining to my long distance boyfriend's friends why I only ever visit him for 48 hours. I just committed to working New Years Eve, and it was either that or Christmas Day. I had to use a stat day in July just to make it to my friends' wedding rehearsal dinner on time. I haven't once been able to visit my sister in the Carribean because I can't get enough days off to make it worth while.

I think it's safe to say that sometimes being a resident can make you feel like you want to complain. But as my attending likes to say: "No one said it would be easy".

So, when I'm sitting here wondering why I chose this lifestyle for myself, it's a good time to reflect on all the great experiences I've had in medicine.

Take me back to this weekend: I attended a family medicine conference in Vancouver (FMF), where Carolyn introduced me to some of her new resident friends from Calgary. We all got along swimmingly. Given that we all are going through the same residency, and at the same point in our training, I think we just understood each other. These are friends I will now see every year at this conference and I look forward to many conversations with them.

Take me back to med school - where I met some of the best friends anyone could ask for.

Take me back to the day I got into medicine - receiving the email while vacationing in South Carolina with my parents, and crying to my mom because all my dreams had come true.

Take me back to the patient who thanked me for just listening to him talk about growing old; the young patients who tell their mom they want to grow up and be just like me; the patients who I've bonded with during the final days of their life, or the patients who have kept so many emotions bottled up and are so relieved when I ask the right question.

These are just some of the reasons I chose to go into medicine. And in one and a half more years, when residency has flown by, I can practice wherever I want. And the way I see it, sitting on this rooftop before spending a day with patients, will be more rewarding for me than just sitting on this rooftop.

Although, I wouldn't mind doing the latter either. 

Good Ol' Manhattan Beach.

- Lindsey