Snow Snow Snow!

On the eve of our seemingly savior President's inauguration, I've never seen so much snow coming down as now. I'm not from a snow-shy state either, but walking home last night, so much snow caked on my head that it actually weighed me down!

Right now doing my medicine floors month in Valhalla at one of our sister hospitals. I will be so glad when it's done. Just not my cup of tea, and I never thought I'd say this, but I like the way the St. James's (Dublin) medicine teams run a lot more. I'd forgotten how on floors you never ever get out on time, doesn't matter whether you're in surgery or medicine, you can't possibly enjoy your life like that. At least with ER you know you end at such-and-such time and get definite days off. I've talked to many disgruntled people over the last few weeks, including the superstar residents, high-ranked surgeons...they definitely don't tell you this crap when you're a young doctor hopeful.

Although residency is tough on everyone and so many 12 hr. shifts in first year really kills your spirit, I'm so glad I'm in ER. There's fewer arrogant assholes. I wish patients in hospital could see what their residents have to go through and how what seems like a small simple task is actually the result of someone scurrying high and low, begging, yelling, crying to accomplish it. Then on top of that everything is complicated by the state of health care in this country, medicaid and medicare limiting doctor's options, etc. Makes me more tempted to become an ex-patriate again!

But aside from all that, I think I'm disgruntled because I'm lacking a creative outlet . You spend time doing all these extracurriculars and excelling in all these activities to make you a well-rounded person because that's what med schools and residency programs want (well you do too but you know what I mean). Then when you get into residency, all of a sudden all those extra things are taken away from you and your whole life is just medicine when you've gotten used to being able to do and balance everything. can't wait for more time to just enjoy other things.

I'm starting to realize that medicine is just a job like everything else, and although for me it's a more preferable, safe stable job than others, it's just acquiring a set of skills like a mechanic or electrician. I always thought that loving your job was to love your life, and that medicine was the only job that I could like, but now I want to spend all my free time not doing medicine! It could be worse, but am definitely longing for the day when I can feel balanced again.

We'll see what changes our new president can instigate. I'd definitely love the pressure to be relieved from the ERs.

Apart from all this medicine mumbo jumbo, have checked out a couple restaurants for NYC's winter restaurant week. Went to a quite nice cozy French place last night, and checking out a Scandanavian restaurant tonight! Woo! I don't know how but somehow have lost like 6 pounds ... by eating!