There is no denying that residency is a journey that allows for tremendous growth and improvement in your career. Our team at FLC would like to congratulate all new resident doctors in BC for completing their first few weeks of work. As you continue adjusting to this exciting role, we are delighted to offer you a part 2 of “What I Wish I Knew In Residency.” Thank you to our clients who took the time to share their perspectives as residents and practicing physicians.
When it comes to self-care, whether it be emotional, mental, or physical well-being…
“When scheduling work and fun, it’s crucial to set aside dedicated time to sleep and to exercise. Practicing good sleep hygiene was key to surviving residency. It allowed me to be the best physician and person I could be while at work. I was also part of a running community, and training for races kept me moving. Along with sleep, it was the best way to clear my mind and keep me sharp.” – Anesthesiology Physician, completed residency in 2017
“Residency is a marathon, not a sprint. Ensure you are eating well, with appropriate macro and micronutrients, staying active daily, and having a consistent routine that does not take a backseat behind residency. Residency will overwhelm you and is endless in taking over your time. It can ultimately leave you deconditioned, unwell, and burned out before you even start working as a physician. My routine was 4 resistance workouts a week, light cardio twice a week, and outdoor activities when available. For most of them, I did supplement with medicine podcasts to allow for the considerable time spent staying physically fit. I also gave time for my brain to rest and reflect by sitting down to paint in the evenings when I could transition to bed and sleep.” – Family Physician and Addiction Medicine Consultant, completed residency in 2021
“Exercise is so rejuvenating. Getting to the gym or out for a walk, especially in the winter months, is quite tough when it is dark before and after work. However, a morning workout does pay dividends throughout the day, and you don’t feel guilt about being too tired to engage at the end of the day.” – Family Medicine Resident Doctor, completing residency in 2024
When it comes to resident income and benefits…
“Residency benefits were good. Income was enough to not gather additional debt but not significant enough to reduce debt if single. With a working spouse, I was able to significantly reduce my student loans and debt.” – Family Physician and Addiction Medicine Consultant, completed residency in 2021
“We residents apparently have very good benefits with respect to RMT (Registered Massage Therapist) coverage, and I have heard of some folks using it multiple times a month. However, I would say try to balance the desire to make use of a free benefit versus the actual need to, as sometimes using that time for a nap or social activity pays more dividends.” – Family Medicine Resident Doctor, completing residency in 2024
When it comes to mistakes…
“After being a staff physician for a few years, I would say to not dwell on the mistakes as much. Honestly, we all make them, and I was personally my own toughest critic when I would make a mistake, while some preceptors weren’t even fazed. The biggest advice is to dust yourself off and keep going. The best thing I did was create a “positive/negative journal” – one that after each day, I would write down something positive (i.e., feedback from a preceptor, a kind comment from a patient, etc.), and then if something negative happened (i.e., mistake, patient death, bad encounter), I would write it in the back and then read the significantly larger positive side afterward and remind myself that I am a good physician. We, as humans, are really good at focusing only on the negative.” – Family Physician and Addiction Medicine Consultant, completed residency in 2021
When it comes to wins…
“I add the recognition of my hard work through awards, nominations, and patient feedback (hearing from preceptors from >2 years ago and patients still speaking positively of the time spent with me, etc.), to the journal discussed above, It’s honestly, what keeps me going. The biggest transition from residency to becoming a staff is the significant reduction in feedback from preceptors/physicians, patients, the program, etc., and often the only “feedback” you ever receive is when you do something wrong or the College is looking into patient complaints! Find the little victories everywhere you can. The biggest secret to a rewarding and sustainable career is longitudinal care.” – Family Physician and Addiction Medicine Consultant, completed residency in 2021
Final remarks
Residency is a season in your journey with many ups and downs. Despite the challenges that may come your way, have faith in your strength, abilities, and diligence. Remember, you have the support of your friends, family, co-workers, preceptors, and RDBC. If ever you are feeling stressed about your financial circumstances, do not hesitate to use your 2 complimentary financial coaching sessions with FLC as part of your benefits with RDBC. We wish you an impactful and rewarding journey as you continue your residency and hope you stay tuned for our future workshops!
REMINDER: Resident Financial FAQ Night
We hope to see you at our virtual Resident Financial FAQ Night on July 20th from 5pm-6:30pm. This event is designed to answer common questions from those in your position, including ones surrounding real estate. Be sure to bring your own questions as well! To register please click on the following link, https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vc-yqrDgoEtK_HsVbuAzC850RYy2pQsPA, or scan our QR code in the image below.
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