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DCMC ResidentFocusGroup
Part 8: 032316
Female Coordinator: Okay,thisisMarch 23ed and thisisour 1 P.M. focusgroup. So to get usstarted
it’sbe reallyhelpfulif we couldjustgoaroundand if you’ll sayyournew name and youryear inthe
program,that wouldbe fantastic. Sowe can start with,withMegan.
Megan: I am Megan and I am a firstyear.
Amy: I am Amy andI am a firstyear.
Asher: AndI am Asherand I am firstyear.
Female Coordinator: Perfect. Sotokick usoff if youall wantedtoreferto your sheetsorjusttalkit out.
What are some thingsthatare stressesforyouinyour dailyresidentlife? Whatare some difficulties
that youface?
Asher: I think,numberone forme isschedule forresidencyand thentrytomaintainsome semblance of
a dailylife athome withfamilyandfriends.
Amy: Defiantly. Ithinkanxiety-justeverydaydecisionsthatjustcauseseverycomputerinputisanxiety
causingbecause I,justlike. Butwhat if I diditwrong,that couldeffectthispatientorfearthat you’re
goingto misssomething. It’sjustalotof self-doubtabouteverysmall decision.
Asher: YeahI agree withthat. It, like partof thisprocessis of course learningwhatissick,what’snot
sickand you’re goingtomake errorsalongthe way. But sometimeswhenyoumake certainerrors,I
don’tknowI feel like it’sencouragingtohearthatbut thenyouhave thislittle bitof self-doubtthatyou
have to compete againstnexttime you’re askedtomake adecisionorat leastthat’ssomething- Iwas
actuallyjusttalkingaboutthatthe otherday. Self-doubtsometimescreepinginand you’re havingto
kindof compete againstyourself sometimes.
Female Coordinator: that’sreallyhelpful. Thankyou. What else guys?
Amy: I knowon wards month,there wasone where Iwasout withmy sisterandshe’sjustlike,“What
do youwant to drink? Wouldyouwantthis?” AndI wasjust like “I…” like tearin myeyes. Like Ijust
wantto not make a decision.
[LAUGH]
Justonce,justput it infrontof me. Like it seemedsosimplebutitwaslike I’ve reachedmymax.
Asher: I agree.
Megan: I feel guiltyalotbecause whenIgethome I’mso tiredand I justwantto lay there. Butthat’s
my one chance to be a funpersonand a real person,butI’mtoo tiredto be a real person. Sothat’s
frustratingforme.
Female Coordinator: Howdothe expectationsaroundhere effectyou?
Asher: I meanI thinkthere goodbecause theykindof outline where theywantustobe so it kindof
helpsprovide some structure. Atthe same time,Ithinkyouknow earlieronI thinkprobablymore soit’s

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a little anxietyprovokingjustbecause youwondercanyoumeetthose expectations. Andthenasyou
kindof followit,fall in andlearnthe insand outsof the systemIthinkyouget a little more confidentin
that or at leastI have.
Megan: I thinkwe put more expectationsonyourselvesthananyone else placesonus.
Amy: I agree.
Megan: I thinkas a whole people like me withtype A have muchmore expectationsonourselves. We
feel like we shouldknowmore thanwe actuallyshould. Like we thinkwe shouldknow more thanwe
do. Like the attending,alotof timesthe attending’swillsayyouknow… I had an attendingtell me
earlierinthe year,“yourjustan intern. Be okaywithjustbeingandintern.” You know?
Asher: That’strue. I thinkthat’sprobablyjustbecause youcome inthinkingI’msupposedtobe at this
pointand I needtoknowthismuchknowledge andknow how tomanage thismuch care. But reallyand
trulydependingIguessonwhere yougoto school,we don’tgetthat much responsibilityoverpatients
and so youdon’thave that skill aswell developedIthink,youhave tobe at thismax level andoften
timesthe attendingsay,“I’m impressedwithwhereyouare. You’re ina good spotfor an intern.” SoI
ThinkwithwhatMegan and Amysaid,we put a little bitmore stressonourselvesthanwe probably
shouldintermsof tryingto determine wherewe shouldbe mentally.
Amy: I agree. And thenit,it’sinterestingbecause beingonrotationswhere maybeIdon’tfeel that
patientresponsibilityorresponsibilityforthe patient,I’ve noticedmyself slackingoff. I have more of a
social life butthe more,it’salmostlike the more Iget to be withfriendsandsee that,almostthe harder
it isto come to work because theydon’thave those hours. Butalsoonce I do come,it’salmostlike I
don’tgive myfull energybecause Idon’tfeel like they’re myresponsibility. AndthenI’mrealizing,no
these are still patients,they’re still mypatientsandIdon’twant patientcare to suffersoit’sreallyhard.
It’slike some monthsit’sall Ido and othermonthsI feel likeitsuffersif Itryto have a social life. Idon’t
know.
Asher: And you knowwhat? To that effectIthinkwhatit is,isveryintense rotationswhere youare the
primaryperson,seeingeverypatient,goingthroughhandlingnumerouspagesandcontactingdifferent
consultantsthatwhenyougeton a lighterrotationit’sjustlike amomenttobreathe. Andso youknow
that the nextone youget onto is goingto be probablymore intense soyoutryand I don’tknow,
capitalize onthatas much as youcan soI kindof fall intothatsame pattern. It’s like,ohIcan get home I
can still goto the gym,I can hang outwithfriendsoverthe weekend,Icango see family. See youdo
kindof feel guiltybutatthe same time yourlike,whatelse amIsupposedtodowiththis?
Amy: I’m happythough.
Asher: I’mhappy.
[LAUGH]
Amy: Rather be thenbut yeah. Thenit’shard because thenit’slike afull weekendwithfriendsandyou
knowthat theygetthat all the time. Andmeanwhile I’mexhaustedstartingoutthe weekwhichisnota
goodthing. And then,andthenit’slike,Iwantthis all the time.
[LAUGH]

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