Hi everyone,
Kudos to my able assistant and scheduling wizard, Tatianna Hilton. Last week, Tatianna scheduled most of the 157 hour-long meetings I’ll have with every Traditional Resident between now and June 2024. These meetings are one of two that each of you will have this academic year, one with me and one with your APD.
Let’s pause to reflect: 157 hours! It’s nearly a week of 24-hour days! It’s nearly a month of 40-hour weeks! It’s lots of schmoozing!
The primary goal of these meetings is to review your performance, but they’re also a chance to see how you’re doing professionally and personally. At each meeting, I’ll complete the attached form. Here’s what we’ll discuss:
Summary Comments: We’ll start by reviewing your progress towards promotion or graduation. Most of you will hear that you’re on or ahead of schedule, which is a nice way to start a meeting. If you’re behind, we’ll confront the issues together.
Self-Reflection: I’ll ask you to reflect on your progress. What’s going well? What are you proud of? What are your challenges and what are you working on? If you’re struggling, we’ll strategize.
ITE Score: By the time we meet, most of you will know your score, so we’ll review the results.
Study Plans: Good internists study, so I’ll ask about your approach. Effective plans include reading about your patients, listening to podcasts, subscribing to journals and on-line resources, and doing practice questions. Please be assured: study time is inversely proportional to rotation intensity.
Procedures: While the ABIM no longer mandates procedure training, most residents work to master POCUS, paracenteses, ABGs, and placing CORTRAKs and ultrasound-guided IVs. The Resident Procedure Team (RPT) is a great resource for learning.
Scholarship: We expect all residents to pursue scholarship. Many preliminary interns use elective time for research and many categorical residents participate in the research-in-residency (RIR) program. Scholarship can also include QI and educational projects. For categorical interns, our meeting is an opportunity to explore your interests and introduce you to mentors and resources like the Yale Research Resources Repository (The Yale Triple R).
Citizenship, Service, and Extracurricular Activities: We expect all residents to contribute to residency life. Examples include serving on committees, joining interest groups, and participating in distinction pathways, wellness activities, sports teams, and humanities groups. I’ll ask about the contributions you’re making or hope to make.
Wellness: It’s my responsibility to ensure you’re doing well, so I’ll ask if you’re sleeping, eating, exercising, and socializing. I’ll probably ask about your family and, if you’re a categorical or PST resident, if you’re meeting with your Mentor-Advisor-Coach (MAC). If you’re facing wellness challenges, we’ll troubleshoot.
Postgraduation plans: Time flies, so we’ll use this meeting to discuss jobs, fellowships, and life after residency.
Program Feedback: This part helps me. What is the program doing well? What needs to change? How can I be a more effective Program Director? I’ll also ask about your peers. Who stands out? Who needs more support? Feedback is priceless.
Professional Goals: We’ll end by listing goals for the academic year. Examples could include mastering procedures, honing study plans, presenting your research, finding a mentor, choosing a specialty, and much more. Specifying goals holds us both accountable for your success.
Meeting with each of you is a joy. What could be more fun than spending an hour (or 157 hours!) with talented, articulate, charming people like you? If you haven’t scheduled your meeting yet, please follow up with Tatianna (Tatianna.Hilton@yale.edu). I can’t wait to see you!
Enjoy your Sunday, everyone. I’m headed to Queens to visit my dad’s graveside with my mom and brothers, which is a Jewish tradition held annually around the High Holidays. Afterwards, we’ll honor another tradition, pastrami sandwiches at Ben’s Kosher Deli in Bayside.
Take care,
Mark
P.S. What I’m reading:
- Sowing Discord at Minnesota’s Seed Art Competition (written by my daughter, Isabella)
- The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle
- All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business by Mel Brooks
- How New Haven Pizza Conquered the World