It’s July 1st!

July 1st has a special meaning for physicians and surgeons. Traditionally, it’s the first day of the training year. What does that mean? 

It means that brand new doctors start their first day of work, internship, on July 1st. With the flip of a calendar page, they go from medical student to doctor. On June 30th, they couldn’t possibly order a medication or a test for a patient, but on July 1st … Bam! They’re instantly capable!

It’s an incredibly exciting, albeit chaotic, day in teaching hospitals all across the country. I’ll be honest - it’s a chaotic month. Ok, really the first three months of the year can feel kinda wild. Oh, the memories!

The inside joke is don’t go to the hospital in July! I kid. I kid! You’ll get great care. Just know that July 1st is a big switch day. All of the young doctors are getting acclimated in new roles. It’s a time of transition and transitions can be slow. Or messy. Even confusing. 

But there’s an exciting, new world on the other sid...

Did you make a New Year’s resolution?

New Year’s resolutions are a hot topic in January, and they are so controversial. While some are religious in their resolution-making; declaring, “new year, new me!” Others strongly oppose it: “I don’t need an arbitrary date to make a change.” This is a healthy debate where both the pro-resolution and the anti-resolution camps make strong points. 

Personally, I’m all about New Year’s resolutions. I think it’s fun to chase a new goal and take on a new challenge. January 1st is a memorable point in time, but it’s man-made. Your “new year” can begin whenever you decide you’re ready to change your life. You don’t have to wait for a particular day to make a change. Start today!

My most memorable resolution

In the fall of 2015, I realized I was tired of feeling so tired. A busy private practice surgeon, from Monday to Friday, I was usually away from home for 12 hours at a time. As a mom of two awesome boys, then 4 and 5 years old, after tucking them ...