Hi Friends!
First of all just wanted to wish a HAPPY CANADIAN THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY CANADIAN FRIENDS AND FAMILY!
Secondly, sorry I've kind of fallen off the blogging bandwagon for the last while! Third year is no joke - work and studying never seem to end and the responsibility of being in the hospital and on your "A game" is tough. I can feel the burnout hitting as I've been studying since March with only a weekend between core rotations as a break.
After being stressed myself and seeing several other friends posting about Mental Health and Awareness I wanted to add my two cents into this discussion.
In my personal opinion, even though it is the most important, mental health always falls to the back burner of every students mind. Generally you don't realize you haven't been taking care of your own mental health until later on and you find yourself in your apartment or in the hospital on the verge of a breakdown. You feel like you cant do anything right - can't answer questions properly, can't suture, tie knots, write a proper note, do a proper history and physical... the list can go on forever.
*I can actually feel my heart rate increase as I type this*
In THAT very moment is when you think
"Can I even do this?
Will I pass this shelf?
Am I going to make it through third year let alone Step 2 CS/CK?
Will I even get a residency?
How am I going to pay for all this debt I'm in?"
This list can also go on for miles and can be applicable to any stage of medical training you're in.
9 times out of 10 THAT is when we realize we haven't taken care of ourselves. Haven't eaten properly, haven't seen anything other than the inside of the hospital and our apartment, have barely slept and don't even know what self-care is at that point.
Although it seems counter-intuitive taking a little bit of time out daily or weekly to do something for yourself can help tremendously with your productivity and attention.
I'm currently in OBGYN (delivering babies) and in my first rotation where we have 24 hour calls. So figuring out how to balance school with keeping myself sane has been difficult. I notice when I'm not taking care of myself I can't focus to save my life - let alone study. It's been a journey each rotation to figure out how best I work so I can balance studying, the hospital and my personal sanity.
After OBGYN I head into Surgery where I'll spend 7 weeks in Trauma Surgery and 5 weeks in subspecialties. Then into my final rotation of third year Internal Medicine!
Even though I've had my fair share of, "Can I do this?" moments I wouldn't trade 3rd year and my experiences for anything. I've been thoroughly enjoying NYC when I do get the chance to explore and the people I have met through the hospital.
Until next time,
Jen
Showing posts with label positive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label positive. Show all posts
Sunday, 7 October 2018
Friday, 15 September 2017
Imposter Syndrome
Hi Friends!
I write this blog post on a slow morning - as I sit here and it's past 11 and I still haven't finished my first cup of coffee.
I've been doing a lot of reflecting about undergrad and medical school these past few days and I wanted to share with you the basis of my thoughts - and Imposter Syndrome basically sums it up.
The first time I heard this term I was in PSYCH 100 in undergrad - winter semester of my first year of undergrad. Back then it was more or less a definition I had to memorize for one of my midterms and nothing more. Now it's definition has a lot more meaning in my life.
For those of you who are wondering what I'm talking about:
"According to Joan Harvey, the impostor phenomenon (IP) is a “psychological syndrome or pattern. It is based on intense, secret feelings of fraudulence in the face of success and achievement. If you suffer from the impostor phenomenon, you believe that you don’t deserve your success; you’re a phony who has somehow ‘gotten away with it.’” (Harvey, 1984, p. 3). “Syndrome” may be too strong a term, but many of us experience these feelings with varying strengths and frequencies."
https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/planning-courses/tips-teaching-assistants/impostor-phenomenon-and
I think that website from Waterloo sums it up pretty well!
But that's basically what every medical student deals with at one point in time.
I think about all the times my friends and I talk about medical school and making it off the island and I can never forget how I explain myself getting through medical school "under the radar - letting me slip through the cracks and hoping they don't find me". If that's not textbook Imposter Syndrome I don't know what is.
As I've mentioned before - as medical students we're PHENOMENAL at bringing up our classmates and believing in them but we always fail at believing in ourselves.
The amount of times I've found myself telling my friends or thinking, "If only you believed in yourself as much as I believe in you". For whatever reason I, and I'm sure many other students, cannot transfer those feelings to myself.
I've been struggling to find a way to fight those imposter feelings - that website I posted up above has some ideas that I'm going to try to implement into my daily life.
I am sure I'm not the only student who has been experiencing this so I'm opening up about them on my blog hoping to maybe kick start a conversation about this and maybe share some ideas about how to fight Imposter Syndrome.
- Jen
I write this blog post on a slow morning - as I sit here and it's past 11 and I still haven't finished my first cup of coffee.
I've been doing a lot of reflecting about undergrad and medical school these past few days and I wanted to share with you the basis of my thoughts - and Imposter Syndrome basically sums it up.
The first time I heard this term I was in PSYCH 100 in undergrad - winter semester of my first year of undergrad. Back then it was more or less a definition I had to memorize for one of my midterms and nothing more. Now it's definition has a lot more meaning in my life.
For those of you who are wondering what I'm talking about:
"According to Joan Harvey, the impostor phenomenon (IP) is a “psychological syndrome or pattern. It is based on intense, secret feelings of fraudulence in the face of success and achievement. If you suffer from the impostor phenomenon, you believe that you don’t deserve your success; you’re a phony who has somehow ‘gotten away with it.’” (Harvey, 1984, p. 3). “Syndrome” may be too strong a term, but many of us experience these feelings with varying strengths and frequencies."
https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/planning-courses/tips-teaching-assistants/impostor-phenomenon-and
I think that website from Waterloo sums it up pretty well!
But that's basically what every medical student deals with at one point in time.
I think about all the times my friends and I talk about medical school and making it off the island and I can never forget how I explain myself getting through medical school "under the radar - letting me slip through the cracks and hoping they don't find me". If that's not textbook Imposter Syndrome I don't know what is.
As I've mentioned before - as medical students we're PHENOMENAL at bringing up our classmates and believing in them but we always fail at believing in ourselves.
The amount of times I've found myself telling my friends or thinking, "If only you believed in yourself as much as I believe in you". For whatever reason I, and I'm sure many other students, cannot transfer those feelings to myself.
I've been struggling to find a way to fight those imposter feelings - that website I posted up above has some ideas that I'm going to try to implement into my daily life.
I am sure I'm not the only student who has been experiencing this so I'm opening up about them on my blog hoping to maybe kick start a conversation about this and maybe share some ideas about how to fight Imposter Syndrome.
- Jen
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Find your Tribe
Hey guys!
So I was asked a really good question and I thought it would give me a perfect opportunity to write a blog post.
"How do you keep going when people doubt you?"
I have a long and a short answer to this one...
In short - DON'T LISTEN TO THEM!
Now my longer response. Everyone I've spoken to has had their fair share of people who didn't believe in them or didn't think that they would be able to get to whatever their dream goal was. I can only speak from my own experience but I've had my own non-believers in my life. It's difficult when you are seeing any sort of academic advisors and they tell you to "quit" or "drop out" or "try again later". So negative... and such a bone breaking way to crush someones soul. Coming back from situations like that are very difficult. But it all boils down to your support system.
I've been so incredibly grateful that my friends and family have always stood behind my back 150%. Whether they be at home (hi Mom, Dad, Alex and Babcia!), on the other side of the country (hi Mary Anne!) or on the other side of the world (hi Susan!) I know I have people who have so much belief and faith in me that it just keeps me going.
But back to getting over that initial soul crushing moment - it's going to be hard... and it will never get easier when someone says you can't do something. Turn those emotions around and take all that sadness and all of those tears and fight. Do everything you can to prove that person wrong. So what if they don't think you can make it into medical school. Half of the time they may not really even know what it takes to get into medical school (other than your usual GPA and MCAT statistics). And find someone who does believe in you.
I've been so fortunate that my parents have always told me to follow my dreams and they will always be there for me. Internally that wasn't enough. I wanted someone from an academic standpoint to believe in me too. Fortunately I was able to find professors who believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself. And I want to say thank you to them - for writing my letters of recommendation, letting me sit in your office to talk, welcoming me into your lab and for most importantly not putting any weight on my transcript and basing their opinion on me after knowing me as a person and as a student.
All in all - you will have people who will doubt you or criticize you on the way but take everything they say with a grain of salt and keep on pursuing your dreams.
- Jen
So I was asked a really good question and I thought it would give me a perfect opportunity to write a blog post.
"How do you keep going when people doubt you?"
I have a long and a short answer to this one...
In short - DON'T LISTEN TO THEM!
Now my longer response. Everyone I've spoken to has had their fair share of people who didn't believe in them or didn't think that they would be able to get to whatever their dream goal was. I can only speak from my own experience but I've had my own non-believers in my life. It's difficult when you are seeing any sort of academic advisors and they tell you to "quit" or "drop out" or "try again later". So negative... and such a bone breaking way to crush someones soul. Coming back from situations like that are very difficult. But it all boils down to your support system.
I've been so incredibly grateful that my friends and family have always stood behind my back 150%. Whether they be at home (hi Mom, Dad, Alex and Babcia!), on the other side of the country (hi Mary Anne!) or on the other side of the world (hi Susan!) I know I have people who have so much belief and faith in me that it just keeps me going.
But back to getting over that initial soul crushing moment - it's going to be hard... and it will never get easier when someone says you can't do something. Turn those emotions around and take all that sadness and all of those tears and fight. Do everything you can to prove that person wrong. So what if they don't think you can make it into medical school. Half of the time they may not really even know what it takes to get into medical school (other than your usual GPA and MCAT statistics). And find someone who does believe in you.
I've been so fortunate that my parents have always told me to follow my dreams and they will always be there for me. Internally that wasn't enough. I wanted someone from an academic standpoint to believe in me too. Fortunately I was able to find professors who believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself. And I want to say thank you to them - for writing my letters of recommendation, letting me sit in your office to talk, welcoming me into your lab and for most importantly not putting any weight on my transcript and basing their opinion on me after knowing me as a person and as a student.
All in all - you will have people who will doubt you or criticize you on the way but take everything they say with a grain of salt and keep on pursuing your dreams.
- Jen
Friday, 3 July 2015
A Lesson in Humility
Hey!
After about a month on the job, AND ABSOLUTELY LOVING IT, I've found one reoccurring theme in my daily activities.
As many of you know I have my BSc in Kinesiology, so I came into this job thinking it would be relatively easy. Boy was I mistaken.
*My med school interview*
"Jennifer, what do you think the most important quality of a doctor is?"
"Humility. As a doctor I believe you will never be the best at anything. Sure you may have mastered your way of a treatment but there is always going to be someone out there who has a different way of approaching the situation - and their way could work better"
*End Scene*
Now, you may be wondering why I've decided to relive that nerve wracking moment in my life. I believe humility is not only the best quality you could have as a doctor but as a person as well.
I've done it, you've done it, we've all done it. You look at a job and you think to yourself, "That job looks so easy. I'd be able to do X, Y & Z". After doing this job I have decided to never do that again.
I always thought being a receptionist wasn't going to be too difficult of a job, take peoples payments, book them appointments... ect. After working for a month and getting to points where I was about to cry behind the front desk I've realized it's one hell of a difficult job.
As a receptionist you are the front line of the clinic. If people come in angry they take it out on you, if they call angry it's on you, if scheduling doesn't work out it's on you... basically if anything doesn't work out the way they want it to it's automatically your fault.
With saying that, I have met some very pleasant and amazing people at the clinic so obviously anywhere you go you're going to meet those bad apples. I'm just vocalizing the fact that I didn't realize and appreciate how much receptionists do and what they deal with.
All the best,
Jen
After about a month on the job, AND ABSOLUTELY LOVING IT, I've found one reoccurring theme in my daily activities.
As many of you know I have my BSc in Kinesiology, so I came into this job thinking it would be relatively easy. Boy was I mistaken.
*My med school interview*
"Jennifer, what do you think the most important quality of a doctor is?"
"Humility. As a doctor I believe you will never be the best at anything. Sure you may have mastered your way of a treatment but there is always going to be someone out there who has a different way of approaching the situation - and their way could work better"
*End Scene*
Now, you may be wondering why I've decided to relive that nerve wracking moment in my life. I believe humility is not only the best quality you could have as a doctor but as a person as well.
I've done it, you've done it, we've all done it. You look at a job and you think to yourself, "That job looks so easy. I'd be able to do X, Y & Z". After doing this job I have decided to never do that again.
I always thought being a receptionist wasn't going to be too difficult of a job, take peoples payments, book them appointments... ect. After working for a month and getting to points where I was about to cry behind the front desk I've realized it's one hell of a difficult job.
As a receptionist you are the front line of the clinic. If people come in angry they take it out on you, if they call angry it's on you, if scheduling doesn't work out it's on you... basically if anything doesn't work out the way they want it to it's automatically your fault.
With saying that, I have met some very pleasant and amazing people at the clinic so obviously anywhere you go you're going to meet those bad apples. I'm just vocalizing the fact that I didn't realize and appreciate how much receptionists do and what they deal with.
All the best,
Jen
Friday, 5 June 2015
Post Grad Life
Hey guys!
I am writing to you after my first week of work at the clinic. It's been a long week with lots of new things to learn but I have gotten through it. The area where I work is very pretty and there is a stunning park with access to the boardwalk, which I always go to before work (with a starbucks blonde misto in hand) ;).
Everyone in the clinic has been very warm and welcoming, doctors, physiotherapists, clients, massage therapists, chiropractors and the other admin staff. So far I have enjoyed every minute of having a "big girl job".
Some may wonder why I would work at a sports med clinic as an admin staff:
a) In order to work with clients I need a license (obviously I don't have one)
b) I want to see the behind the scenes activity so that one day when I am that doctor at a sports med clinic I can appreciate the admin staff and all of the hard work they do to keep the clinic in order
Other than working my butt off and trying to get my brain back to fully functioning power I've just been enjoying my summer. I've joined a group of students I'll be going to school with in the Fall and a lot of them have been asking if they should be studying before going.
There has been a lot of mixed responses on this topic but I will leave you what my orthopaedic surgeon told me...
"Do good work, have fun, and learn every day"
- Jen
I am writing to you after my first week of work at the clinic. It's been a long week with lots of new things to learn but I have gotten through it. The area where I work is very pretty and there is a stunning park with access to the boardwalk, which I always go to before work (with a starbucks blonde misto in hand) ;).
Everyone in the clinic has been very warm and welcoming, doctors, physiotherapists, clients, massage therapists, chiropractors and the other admin staff. So far I have enjoyed every minute of having a "big girl job".
Some may wonder why I would work at a sports med clinic as an admin staff:
a) In order to work with clients I need a license (obviously I don't have one)
b) I want to see the behind the scenes activity so that one day when I am that doctor at a sports med clinic I can appreciate the admin staff and all of the hard work they do to keep the clinic in order
Other than working my butt off and trying to get my brain back to fully functioning power I've just been enjoying my summer. I've joined a group of students I'll be going to school with in the Fall and a lot of them have been asking if they should be studying before going.
There has been a lot of mixed responses on this topic but I will leave you what my orthopaedic surgeon told me...
"Do good work, have fun, and learn every day"
- Jen
Friday, 15 May 2015
Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
After reading that title I'm sure you're thinking how cliche that sounds.
As much as I hate to believe it too, it's so true.
I don't know about all of you but I've had to work pretty hard to get where I am today. School never came easy, jobs never came easy, nothing ever really came easy. It always took time and patience.
Within the last month I have finally achieved my dream of being accepted to medical school and have a dream (part time) job. Although I was very frustrated and kept thinking that my hard work never pays off I'm glad I pulled myself back together and allowed myself to wait.
If there is one thing I've learned in my approximately 22 years it's that positive vibes and good intentions always come back around. It may take a while but they will always come back to you. If you put good energy out good energy will come back.
And with that I am giving all of you some good energy!
- Jen xo
As much as I hate to believe it too, it's so true.
I don't know about all of you but I've had to work pretty hard to get where I am today. School never came easy, jobs never came easy, nothing ever really came easy. It always took time and patience.
Within the last month I have finally achieved my dream of being accepted to medical school and have a dream (part time) job. Although I was very frustrated and kept thinking that my hard work never pays off I'm glad I pulled myself back together and allowed myself to wait.
If there is one thing I've learned in my approximately 22 years it's that positive vibes and good intentions always come back around. It may take a while but they will always come back to you. If you put good energy out good energy will come back.
And with that I am giving all of you some good energy!
- Jen xo
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