Today I began my residency training. Nothing too special to report - just getting through a week's worth of PALS, BLS, ACLS, etc. Then a week of orientation. The real clinical work begins on 1 July. My first rotation is the neonatal ICU. I've done a rotation in this before during the beginning of my 4th year in med school. It's a rather chill rotation - or so I'm told. I've been told things would be easy in the past and have been woefully misinformed.
I got my call schedule, and it is Q4 (on call every 4th night) during months of FP rotations. I'll find out next week what it will be for the NICU. Then I believe I have peds, adult medicine and ICU. My first vacation is two weeks at the end of November. A looooong way away. I'll be spending the holidays in the ER.
I'm looking forward to the new beginning... a new chapter in my life.

As of 11.30am yesterday, Friday, May 15, 2009, I am officially a physician!!!

WOOOOHOOOO!!!

In the course of this 10-year journey, I've had many moments of intense joy, extreme sadness, profound awe, eternal gratefulness and thousands of cups of coffee. I wouldn't trade it for the world. And, yes, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

They say it takes a village to raise an idiot, and Lord knows I've got a ton of people who are responsible for getting me throught the past 4 years.

I owe my friends and family a huge debt of gratitude for being so patient, supportive, and encouraging. I somehow managed to get through this while maintaining both my sanity and dignity! And I couldn't havedonw it without each and every one of them! :)

Right now, it is time to celebrate and relax. The next part of my journey, residency, begins in a month. Until then, I plan on spending as much time with friends and family as possible. Internship is going to be busy busy busy...