Comments on: The Golden Weekend http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/ A Cynical Look At Medical School and Medical Training Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:11:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Sarah http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-22728 Sarah Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:11:09 +0000 http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-22728 There are other jobs where people barely have weekends off either. For example, during my first year in Investment Banking I only had two "Golden weekends" off the ENTIRE YEAR. In am near the end of my second year and have only had two full weekends off during the past 4 months. And at least you know when your weekend off will be in advance, so you can actually try to make plans for that time. Granted I am making way more than a resident would make, but in the end what I do day to day is not helping anyone. At least your hard work goes towards making this world a better place, shouldnt that should count for something in your mind? And when you ARE earning the big bucks after residency, market downturns will not make you fear life! There are other jobs where people barely have weekends off either. For example, during my first year in Investment Banking I only had two “Golden weekends” off the ENTIRE YEAR. In am near the end of my second year and have only had two full weekends off during the past 4 months. And at least you know when your weekend off will be in advance, so you can actually try to make plans for that time.

Granted I am making way more than a resident would make, but in the end what I do day to day is not helping anyone. At least your hard work goes towards making this world a better place, shouldnt that should count for something in your mind? And when you ARE earning the big bucks after residency, market downturns will not make you fear life!

]]> By: Hoover http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-17531 Hoover Sun, 18 May 2008 05:06:24 +0000 http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-17531 Yo Zuwie, nice to see you back around. Enjoy those weekends! I think you made a wise choice with pathology. Yo Zuwie, nice to see you back around. Enjoy those weekends! I think you made a wise choice with pathology.

]]> By: Zuwie http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-17519 Zuwie Sat, 17 May 2008 14:13:18 +0000 http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-17519 I am a pathology resident, and most of my weekends are "golden". We only have to come to work one Saturday a month, and only in a few months a year. Clinical residents think we "don't do anything" as a result, although we do a lot. Actually, I would like to point out how as a result of their insane workload clinical residents treat everyone who has a regular schedule as a lazy bum. Examples: ordering frozen section consultations with no clinical indication, just "I want to know what it is" or hounding laboratory personnel demanding that their precious patient's test be done immediately. Never mind that it was submitted late, without a label and there are 200 other equally precious tests to run, with equally persistent clinicians. Oh, and gosh darn it, bacteria don't grow fast even if you yell at them and talk to their supervisor. I am a pathology resident, and most of my weekends are “golden”. We only have to come to work one Saturday a month, and only in a few months a year. Clinical residents think we “don’t do anything” as a result, although we do a lot.

Actually, I would like to point out how as a result of their insane workload clinical residents treat everyone who has a regular schedule as a lazy bum.
Examples: ordering frozen section consultations with no clinical indication, just “I want to know what it is” or hounding laboratory personnel demanding that their precious patient’s test be done immediately. Never mind that it was submitted late, without a label and there are 200 other equally precious tests to run, with equally persistent clinicians. Oh, and gosh darn it, bacteria don’t grow fast even if you yell at them and talk to their supervisor.

]]> By: Michael Rack http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-17504 Michael Rack Sat, 17 May 2008 05:25:50 +0000 http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-17504 Residents today have it easy. When I was a medicine resident, we only got 2 days off per ward month. There were no golden weekends. Residents today have it easy. When I was a medicine resident, we only got 2 days off per ward month. There were no golden weekends.

]]> By: CC http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-17479 CC Thu, 15 May 2008 22:28:29 +0000 http://www.medschoolhell.com/2008/05/14/the-golden-weekend/#comment-17479 Medicine is so incredibly perverse. Part of the incentive to get an education, training, and a good job is to avoid working all the time (and at odd times.) But here (and not just for residents, but attendings as well), something the majority of the working public (with good jobs) takes for granted is considered a special privilege . Doctoral school so you can work the same hours of a pizza delivery man. Some doctors manage to avoid working weekends, but there are not many fields in which it is anything approaching the majority. Medicine is so incredibly perverse. Part of the incentive to get an education, training, and a good job is to avoid working all the time (and at odd times.) But here (and not just for residents, but attendings as well), something the majority of the working public (with good jobs) takes for granted is considered a special privilege . Doctoral school so you can work the same hours of a pizza delivery man.
Some doctors manage to avoid working weekends, but there are not many fields in which it is anything approaching the majority.

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