a letter to the fledglings.

i was asked to compose a letter to the incoming 3rd year medical students. this is what i wrote (i hope they enjoy reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it):

Dear Class of 2013:

Congratulations on starting 3rd year! You are about to begin one of the most interesting and special times of your life. It’s one of the many milestones in your journey to becoming a doctor. It will help you grow, and it will shape you and your view of medicine as a career. And it will change you whether you want it to or not. (Hopefully for the better.)

This year is huge. Seriously. It is a big deal. And I know you are going to love it. And at times you are also going to hate it. But regardless of how you feel about it, you are going to remember the experiences you have this year for the rest of your life. You will do a lot things for the first time (and some for the last time) this year. You are going to deliver babies (and countless placentas), you are going to help sick kids (and adults), and you may even get to amputate someone’s toes. This is your time to get as much experience as you can with as much as you can. Because after this year, most of you are going to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life, and you may never get to do some of these things again. So if someone says to you, “Hey, you wanna go see Dr. What’s-his-face do a Whateverectomy?” You should say, “Yes, please!” because you might never see another whateverectomy for as long as you live.

You are going to be tired (Soooooooo tired!!)… and on top of it you will have to study for your shelf exams, but you will do it because you have to. And you will get through it… I promise.

If I can offer you any advice, it is this: Sleep when you can. Spend time with the people that matter to you whenever humanly possible. And most importantly, do your best as often as possible. Because people will notice, and you will be proud of yourself when it is all over.

I wish you the best of luck… but you don’t need it… because You are going to rock it.

Have fun, study hard, stay safe, and don’t recap any needles. :)

xo