u/hematoxylin-n-eosin

I’m at the end of my PGY-1 year at a top tier program. My program has a reputation for working residents hard, and I’m starting to feel the burn out. I’m living at work on difficult rotations (arrive between 5:30 and 6am and leave between 8 and 10pm plus at least 4-6 hours over the weekend). I think I’m doing a pretty good job for a first year and my attendings have given me great feedback overall, but I need to become more efficient so that my hours get a bit better. My fellow first years also put in pretty long hours but I think I’m working significantly more than our average.

I know I’m a slow grosser. We don’t gross a ton, so I’m routinely getting specimens that I’ve never seen. Takes me a long time to formulate a plan and execute it, but I’ve only had to go back to the bucket on one case. I assume grossing efficiency will improve with more reps, but happy to hear any thoughts on this front.

I think there’s a lot of room for improved efficiency during previewing. It takes me ages to get through cases in which I’m unfamiliar with the diagnosis. I cross reference PathOutlines, the WHO Blue Books, and ExpertPath on the majority of cases. I think cutting back on this and sticking to just one resource would probably help a lot.

I would love to hear any tips you guys might have for getting a little quicker without compromising quality or education. Hopefully some other residents (and all the incoming PGY-1s!) can benefit from the discussion. Thanks!