March and June are the big months in the medical education world. In March, you have The Match. In June, you have residency graduation. This is the 4th residency graduation we participated in this past weekend, and I can tell you that every year it feels slightly different. When we (meaning Z) first attended this as an intern, there was just a lot of anxiety. You arrive in a brand new town with no known friends or family (at least for us), and suddenly you meet the work-family that you get to spend the next 6 years. As rude as it may sound, it is your family whether you like it or not…you just hope that you will all get along with each other for 6 years through many sleepless, exhausting nights, morning conferences, and working on cases in the operating room.
We can happily accept the fact that we were matched well. We are surrounded by co-residents who care and willing to support each other. The program director, even though not always obvious, deeply cares about his students and working to provide the best resources possible. We know this is not always the case with every residency program, so we do feel incredibly blessed.
Z is turning PGY5 this July. This effectively leaves us with 2 years of residency, which brings a new wave of anxiety. PGY5 means becoming floor chief for many services and the responsibility to train and mentor the residents after you. Over the years, Z has taken the latter role especially seriously – perhaps his secondary science teaching years rubbed off on him in some ways. He also needs to decide what he wants to do after residency…oh big life decisions.
The two graduating chiefs are moving onto bigger things. Both will be moving to different states for their fellowship training in Kansas City and Connecticut. Oh, in case if you haven’t realized yet, you move around a lot during this phase of your medical career.
I got to meet the two interns that will be joining this program. As I slowly earn the ‘senior resident’s spouse’ title in the group, I become more attuned to the needs of the spouse/significant other of the new interns to make sure that their transition to this new stage in life is just as supported as the interns in the residency program. I’ve learned along the way that nothing can be accomplished alone. In fact, one’s success comes from another’s sacrifice (or support, whichever you see it), and to be successful and happy as a family, each of us has to feel fulfilled and happy as well. I appreciate this program evolving more into a family affair and ensuring that all is being cared, inside and outside of the hospital.
I look forward to what PGY5 brings to our lives.
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