How long have you been practicing Emergency Medicine? For those who have been at this a while, is there anything that has surprised you or that you didn’t expect? In this week’s episode, the original 3 amigos, Drew, Tanner, and Andy, discuss the past 9 years of their careers under the question “What’s surprised you?”.
The Nerves:
After all these years, the guys did not expect to still have nerves in certain situations. Whether it’s calling particular consultants or the anticipation when preparing to care for a patient in cardiac arrest, the butterflies are still very real. That being said, there are generally fewer pre-shift jitters now as seasoned attendings than there were at the beginning of their careers. They have come to realize, though, that a little bit of nervousness is a good thing because with what we do as EM physicians, if you’re not a little nervous, you’re probably not paying attention.
Taking Care of Patients:
One of the most pleasant surprises that was mentioned was that they all still enjoy taking care of patients. As some physicians progress in their career, they become less excited to take care of patients and decrease clinical hours, but for the most part, the guys have found that being a seasoned attending has given them more bandwidth to create more meaningful connections with patients that help to remind them of their why. And to top it all off, it is still surprising that we get paid to do some amazing things that are both fun and rewarding.
Our Families:
As the hosts reflect on their families and how their families have grown as they have progressed in their careers, they are surprised by how engaged their families, particularly their kids, are in their careers. They noted that being in EM requires sacrifice by the physician, but also by the family. It has been fun to see over the years how that shared sacrifice has brought their families together and increased interest in what the hosts do for work.
Take Home Points:
- The nerves don’t go away completely as you progress in your career, and that’s probably a good thing.
- Becoming a seasoned attending has made patient care more enjoyable.
- Sharing what you do for work with your family can make them more engaged in what you do.
Post by Patricia Capone, DO PGY3
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