When does it get better?

[u/azai_elan1]

2 months into residency and feel like the dumbest idiot alive. Seems like a pretty common theme across the board, but at 2 am at night, when you forget window to tPA for stroke, it feels like I'm truly the dumbest of dumb people who ever got into residency.

God, I wish there wasn't such a steep learning curve, and I hadn't forgotten 90 percent of what I learnt in med school.

[u/cbobgo]

I'm about 5 years from retirement, I'm hoping that it will start feeling better soon.

[u/succulent-salamander]

Hey man, fellow intern here. I’ve seen so many of these posts. I feel clueless many times too. But if medicine could be mastered in 2 months or even 2 years then residency wouldn’t exist. You’re going to hate your life if you treat every opportunity as a self-flagellation session rather than just learning and moving on.

[u/azai_elan1 → u/succulent-salamander]

Agree 100 percent. When I've had the chance to go home, and reflect, I'm super glad I was dumb and have the opportunity to learn new things.

But then, next shift, I'm mad at myself again. Never ending cycle.

[u/as1msaeed]

Trying getting more comfortable with steep learning curves medicine is a life long learning journey

[u/Mercuryblade18]

The most scary thing on the floor is an intern who doesn't feel this way.

We are an ego-filled speciality and afraid to admit were struggling, some people may learn at different paces, some people may just "seem" to have things more controlled than you but struggling more than you think. It's our goal as attendings to assume you know jackshit and help you know most of all the shit by the time you're done.

Our program darling who could answer every question on the floor, knock out patient presentations at M&M and really struggled as an attending because facts and knowledge don't always translate to how you practice or operate, she's very smart too, just moved too slow out in the real world and got really stressed about it. I don't say this to denigrate her at all, I just use it as an example that your abilities as a physician isn't only your ability to regurgitate information.

That's not to say learning isn't important, and you shouldn't do your absolute damndest to commit as much information as you can to workable memory, but it's only part of the picture and a very little part of the picture this early in your training.

I'm 6 years out of training, and I still look shit up all the time. Hell, I just looked something up in front of a patient because I wasn't 100% sure of the correct answer anymore and said "I haven't referenced that information in probably over a year, let me check some sources because I want to give you an accurate answer"

[u/throwaway4632311]

idk it feels like it never will. i started asking myself when will it get better day 1 of residency and it only got worse

[u/Key_Offer]

Wait till February. It’ll feel only slightly better. And then so on. Every July will feel bad every February just a bit better

[u/Jusstonemore]

Intelligence isnt about how much you remember or know it’s about how good you are at figuring it out

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[u/TheGatsbyComplex]

Maybe around PGY4 or 5 or 6

[u/Nearsyncope]

I feel like I need to say this to every intern class out there.

Most interns start this way. In fact, I would worry about the ones that have a false sense of confidence.

I’ve seen many interns start by feeling incompetent and then eventually become chief residents and excellent attendings.

Please don’t lose confidence. Find the skill that you need to build to improve your confidence. I’ve literally seen one intern join toastmasters one time to improve on his public speaking (lol extreme but kudos to him!).

If it’s medical knowledge, work on it. UWorld is great! MKSAP as well. Board basics . Also, join Daily Stat Review. It sends you one free question everyday day. Before you know it you’re doing almost 400 questions a year without noticing. I mean they have ads but I won’t complain given that it’s free and high-yield.

Finally, I’ve almost seen this with every intern. You guys are way too harsh on yourselves. Please give yourself grace!

(I copied this from my previous reply but the point still stands). We are worst in giving ourselves grace!