So the glorious MATCH DAY has finally come and gone. And you are proud to announce that in just a few short weeks you will be a practicing MD (or DO). Congratulations are in order and you my friend deserve all of the honor!
So what will you do with your self and obviously hyper-functioning brain between now and July 1st (your first day as a first year resident)?
Relax? Yes!
Sleep in? Yes!
Catch up with and spend time with your friends and family who have missed you so dearly these past 4 years? Yes!
Resume your hobbies? Yes!
Travel? Absolutely!
Study? NO!
You have worked so hard and studied mercilessly these past 4 years, why would you spend you few weeks of guilt-free vacation studying? Remember that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and Jill a boring girl. Please lock up (but DO NOT THROW AWAY) all of your text books and notes! Use this time to truly reward yourself for a job well done. Despite all of the coins stacked against you and all of the hurtles placed in front of you, you came out victorious as a rising Physician.
Relax and do everything you’ve always wanted to do. Recharge your mind, body and soul during this precious time off. So that on your very first day as Doctor [insert your name here] you will be well rested and ready to learn once more! Residency and Medicine is a dedication to lifelong learning, however even Doctors need a little break too.
If you absolutely must do something in order to prepare your self mentally for Residency, consider buying your self a brand new stethoscope and / or a new personalized and embroidered long white coat from Medelita. Yes many residency programs provide incoming Residents with new coats, however these may not arrive on your first day. It is certainly nice to not have to resort to that dreaded short medical student white coat while doctoring and waiting for your “adult” coat. Also investing in one now just might become a life saving move when you wake up at 4am in the morning to your pager going off and realize your institution-provided white coat is stained with blue ink. Yes I am speaking for personal experience.
