New to Medicine - Welcome Shauna!!

I came accross the blog about a month or so ago, and I'm so happy I did!

I recently (very recent, 5 months ago) started dating J. He's PGY3 family medicine. Let me just start out by saying that I had NO IDEA what residents go through! The looooong hours, the call shifts, the stresses about money, board exam, applying for jobs and the interviewing, etc., plus visa paperwork (he's from Canada). I would have done lost it a long time ago!

I think I've read just about everything there is to read on the blog, and it's been a great help in understanding how difficult things are and how to better deal with them. J and I live and hour and a half apart, which makes even a normal relationship difficult to start as you want to spend time with and get to know each other. In comparison to the distances some of the ladies have to deal with, an hour and a half is nothing...but add in the crazy life of chief resident, and it becomes very hard. I am in school full time and working part time, so my schedule also hampers spending time together.

Though this is all new to me, I can see the patience and determination these men (and women) must possess in order to get through med school, residency, fellowships, and practicing all while maintaining relationships with family and friends...plus the dedication of the spouses and SO's and what they have to deal with.

So, thank you for having this blog out there!! It's helped me deal with the "I got called in...again," and the "I'm so tired, I just need to sleep."

Oh, maybe I should introduce myself...I'm Shauna...Hi!