Can you briefly describe “a week in the life” on your current rotation?
I am currently on an inpatient psychiatry rotation. The treatment team begins at approximately 8:30am, so I arrive earlier to review charts and see my patients beforehand. After treatment team, we review the patient list, evaluate new admissions, and collaboratively develop treatment plans. Here is where we discussing various psychotropic medication options within the context of each patient’s unique biopsychosocial background. Additionally, the unit fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, involving the nursing staff, social work, and pharmacists. It has been a great learning experience.
My outpatient neurology rotation was a great way to ease into residency. I typically arrived around 8:00 am and almost always finished by 5:00 pm, with weekends completely free. The schedule was varied, giving me exposure to a broad range of neurology cases, including movement disorders, epilepsy, and stroke. Each attending and resident I worked with shared valuable teaching points, often tying in connections between neurology and psychiatry, which made the experience both educational and relevant to my career goals.
For family medicine, I have been working at an outpatient clinic with a consistent 8:00 am to 5:00 pm schedule, one half day each week, and no weekends. I split the patient list with the attending and any students rotating with us, and I am given a great deal of autonomy in seeing and treating my patients. This independence has helped build my confidence in placing orders and writing notes, while still having support available when needed.
I am currently in my second month of inpatient psychiatry at Baptist Riverfront. I start each day around 7 AM with my chart review of my new patients and follow-ups. I typically carry around 6 to 9 patients on average. I see my new patients first, then potential discharges, and lastly the follow-ups. Some weeks I have a medical student, and I incorporate teaching/observations throughout the day. I particularly enjoy teaching students who are interested in psychiatry, but either way, their extra note-writing assistance is greatly appreciated! After rounding with my attending, I take a break to eat lunch and then spend the rest of the day working on notes and obtaining collateral until it is time to head home. The day ends whenever you are finished with your work, which can be anywhere between 3 to 6 PM (and gets shorter with more experience and optimization).