Brittney Lemon shares Five Tips to Surviving Surgical Residency

Brittney Lemon discusses Five Tips to Surviving Surgical Residency

I am Brittney Lemon, a general surgery resident at Mount Sinai hospital in Chicago, IL. The journey from medical student to resident to surgical attending is a notoriously steep trek. Medical school is 4 years and surgical residency is approximately 5-7 years. General surgery is one of the most difficult residencies based on its duration and high matriculation rate of approximately 20%. Brittney Lemon understands the pressure surgery interns and residents feel. These feelings are augmented by the added challenge of continuous high-stress situations and the need to develop surgical abilities in a field with notoriously high attrition rates. As I am about to enter my fifth year of a surgical residency, here are a few key tips I have learned over the years to not only survive but also be successful during your surgical residency program. 

1) Find a program that you will be happy at for 5+ years. 

While you do not have to be best friends with all of your coworkers, it is definitely easier to have co-residents who have similar interests and who you enjoy being around. Unfortunately, you will spend more time with these people than your family! My co-residents have developed into best friends, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

2) Make time for your personal life.

As a medical student, you are told horror stories about surgical residency including the abusive and malignant hierarchies, the grueling hours, and ultimately the life you have to give up. Word of advice; you do not and should not put your personal life on hold! You can be a successful surgical resident while also continuing to have an active personal life. I have had multiple co-residents get married and have children during their 5 years in residency. I was personally able to plan my dream wedding and get married during the beginning of my 4th year. I also continue to make time to frequent my cabin and spend time with my family and friends. 

3) Expect long hours and enjoy your time off when it comes.

I am not going to lie, resident hours can be absolutely grueling at times and it may feel like you are living at the hospital. This is why it is so important to enjoy the time you are away from the hospital. Finding activities to both destress and take your mind off work are crucial. Whether it is traveling or simply going for a run, it is imperative to find something you enjoy and get your mind off work. 

4) Do not stress over the ABSITE.

As the yearly ABSITE comes around, I see countless residents overcome with anxiety. My advice is to study regularly throughout the year. By simply reading a half an hour or so a night and doing a few sets of questions each week, you will be more than prepared with no need to stress when January comes along. I personally enjoy the TrueLearn question bank and keeping up with the weekly SCORE Curriculum. 

5) Enjoy it while it lasts.

Soon enough you will be an attending physician out on your own. As I am soon to enter my fifth year of residency, I can imagine it can be a terrifying feeling as you realize you are now the one making all of the decisions and running the show. Residency will prepare you well, but the day it culminates will come sooner than you realize. So enjoy residency and capitalize on every opportunity to learn from others before you inevitably make the transition to an attending surgeon.