I just found out that one of my good friends, a new intern, fell asleep and nearly drove off of a bridge. Exploded tires got caught on the curb, saving her life. She was unhurt and crawled back into her car to rest.
When a passing runner checked to see if she was ok, my friend burst into tears. Not from the stress of the accident or the major damage to her car, but because she was that much further from her bed.
I love the idea that I will probably look back on internship as one of the most pristine & sacred times of my life, but profound sleep deprivation is likely to be my least favorite part of the ride. Is it necessary? I don't know. I'm pretty sure that being "alone" in the hospital at night without immediately available superiors will be essential to my growth as a physician. But since I lack a mutant DEC2 gene, a few hours of sleep here and there would leave me better equipped to make sensible management decisions about sick patients.
I wonder if I'll be able to afford post-call cab rides home from the hospital.
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Just an FYI, some residencies provide cab fees to post-call residents too tired to drive home, after that NEJM article came out a few years ago.
vagus, thanks for sharing the good news! I should have known that you (my favorite cranial nerve) would shed light on this issue. I'll be sure to ask about this at each program I consider.
Hang in there. The concept of 'micro-sleeps' where we fall asleep for a few seconds--just long enough to crash--is scary. It definitely pays to be careful post-call.
One of the best protective strategies is to find that golden time in the afternoon of a call day before the rest of the team has left and take a nap. But really, there's no avoiding the pain of intern year.
It is true you grow as a doctor when alone, but there's nothing that says you have to be on for thirty hours just to do it. I think it's kinda crazy. But it's the system we have and it's not changing this year. Here's hoping you survive it well as I'm sure you will.
A good public transportation system would also be clutch in any residency city.
tyro (as you probably already know), I like the way you think! I'm fortunate to be able to sleep any time anywhere so an afternoon nap would suit me just fine. I imagine the immersion factor and intern camaraderie will help me a lot during intern year. Here's to jumping in, learning a lot, & making it to PGY-2.
And K, you make a great point. I've been in the suburbs for just 3 years and already I've forgotten public transit. I'll keep it in mind when I assess potential residencies.
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