Maybe it’s just me, but I come across things that physicians and residents say in my daily reading that really make me wonder about medicine in general. Let’s look at a few:

I do think it still has to be a fairly nurturing environment (as much as is possible in medicine) to help you feel emotionally and physically better.

After reading this, you seem to think that medicine actually produces very few nurturing environments. Given that the burnout and depression rates are higher for people in medicine, you would expect the exact opposite to be true, and that medicine would provide a good social support system for residents and physicians in need. That’s not the case.

I’m totally burned out. I’m 8.5 months into surgical residency, no vacation yet. With the exception of 1 Friday-Sunday weekend in September and 1- 3 day weekend at the holidays (which I had to take q2 for a week to get), I havent spent more than 48 hours away from the hospital in 8 months. …it has to get better, right? It cant get any worse…

No explanation needed. I really feel for this person, though. If I could hire him or her to work for me, I’d give them as much time off as needed.

From what I have noticed, the 80 hour restriction is just a joke. It is all politics. Most of my friends in residency work well over 80 hours and are told by their programs to lie. It is just very unfortunate.

No surprise here. I’ve known that this has been going on for a long time. The catch-22 has you. Locked up like a caged animal, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

I am 14 hours into a 30 hour shift . . . but I am an intern . . . nevermind.

Where else can you appreciate these kinds of hours? The military, fire-fighting, and others come to mind. The working conditions are better. Much better.

Would I do it all over again? Ask me again in 4 years when I’ve finished residency. I’ve got a feeling that 4 years of medical school was a lot easier than the next 4 years.

I’ve got a feeling that this guy’s feeling is spot on.

My usual advice when someone asks me if they should go to med school is to try and talk them out of it. If they still want to go … they will probably be ok. You have to love what we do or the medical machine will grind you into a pulp. And I do love what I do, but I think even I am getting ground down with time.

Even a true love for medicine doesn’t stop the medical grind machine from doing its job. This is the way it was designed. First it brainwashes you, and then it grinds. Slowly.

If I could go back in time, I would pay the medical schools NOT to accept me. I want my life back. It’s not what you think. Trust me. Get out while you can.

My thoughts exactly. Getting out of medicine is a bit trickier than you might imagine, but it can be done. I’m living proof.

Idealism is difficult to maintain in the climate of the modern medical system.

Pre-meds, you’ll learn what this quote is about in time. For the time being, just take it from me that it’s true. Truer than you’ll ever know. Maybe one day you’ll look back on this day as you sit here reading this, and realize it for yourself.

Until then, Godspeed.