While I'm not going into general surgery, I think I still hold a romanticized notion of the general surgeon as some kind of master-of-the-universe figure who works smoothly and calmly with a high degree of precision. This, despite much evidence to the contrary. Even taking my experiences into account, I never thought the general surgery residency could be that bad. However, this interview on EMPhysician with a general surgeon (who eventually did a vascular fellowship) has me thinking otherwise:
How did you stay sane during training?Keep reading the post for a wide-ranging interview on the ups and downs of training to be a surgeon. Interesting stuff, wish I'd read it a long time ago.
I didn't, actually. I just worked all the time. I gained 25 pounds, and developed varicose veins and plantar faciitis so painful, I took analgesics constantly. My blood pressure went up, and despite my best efforts, I could not eat healthy as a resident. I developed prediabetes, and basically ignored my physical needs altogether. It is a show of weakness to express the need for the requirement of basic human needs as a surgical resident. Going to the bathroom was a big deal, actually. My only saving grace was the fact that I was only in my mid/late 20s, and my body tolerated the abuse...abuse that would be difficult (perhaps impossible) to physically recover from for someone a bit older.
I had no hobbies, nor could I engage in any meaningful discussion with other people (outside of medicine), since I had no time to engage in the world activities and issues. I became very one dimensional, and my entire identity became "me, the surgeon."
Almost totally in line with my experience on the general surgery rotation at our school, minus the homosexuality issues.
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