Happy National Doctor's Day! Thank you to all the amazing physicians out there who work endlessly and tirelessly, without expectation or hesitation to keep your patients safe and healthy. In celebration, I have finally put together this much-anticipated post answering all of your questions about being a physician, life in residency, and how I stay sane/healthy/balanced. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any more questions. I am happy to do more Q&As as well, from choosing my specialty (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) to earning my MBA and whatever else you want to know.

How do you remember everything?

Remembering everything takes time. Before I took my first medical licensing board, I turned to a friend and said, I believe this is the smartest I will ever be. I then finished the exam and celebrated with two large glasses of wine. It takes a lot of practice, rote memorization, and reading. I think of understanding medicine as a "see one, do one, teach one" process. If you can teach the subject to someone else, your have learned it really well and that is how a lot of medicine is practiced now. In addition, throughout medical school and residency, we practice a sort of socratic method discussing different patient scenarios and cases as well as our approach to medical management. There are several resources available for following the most up to date evidence based treatment algorithms as well. I also love Quizlet for flash cards. Several of the study tools I used are featured in my blog post here. Understanding the anatomy helps make a lot of things make sense too, especially in my field. I am a visual learner so seeing the muscles in cadaver lab helped me more than just studying pictures and words in a book.

How do you keep calm during times of chaos?

This is a great question! It is difficult not just during times of chaos but also when that chaos leads to a poor outcome. You have to continue working through your shift no matter what happened that morning or night. Having a great support network an strong staff members is key to emotional survival. I also have my Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) cards to ensure I have the algorithm on hand for when a patient codes (becomes unresponsive with the biggest concern being for cardiac or respiratory arrest). We train for this every year so it's pretty much memorized but it's a comfort to know I am as prepared as I can be for the worst case scenario. They say you should check your own pulse before checking the patients when it comes to these emergent situations. It is true, you have to take deep breaths, stay level-headed and know that you are the most equipped and capable person to handle the situation. Confidence is 90% of the job an clinical knowledge as well as physical exam skills is the other 10%.

How do you stay healthy with such a crazy schedule?

Staying healthy with this schedule can be tough. I started doing the at home 28 minute workouts with Cassey Ho of Blogilates my intern year because it gave me flexibility to accommodate my crazy hours. I love that I can do the exercises anywhere and I don't need anything (not even a mat really, although it is helpful). I did a few blog posts on this routine here and here.

I figure if I have time for social media, I have time to work out. A lot of it is mindset, time management, and knowing your health is just as important as your patient's health. You have to practice what you preach. There are a few other good sites like www.doyogawithme.com, which offers free meditation and yoga classes online. I also love finding new and sometimes free workouts around the city like The Bar Method at Rittenhouse Square. More recently, I have joined ClassPass because I discovered a great workout called SLT (Strengthen, Lengthen, and Tone), which I also featured in a blog post here.

Who is on call with you?

Photo credit: @coryjpopp

There are no other residents in my program on call with me. There is an attending if I ever have a question or need help. Some places have a senior resident and a junior or intern resident (like my internal medicine intern year). I work at a rehabilitation hospital that is stand-alone, meaning it is not connected to an acute care facility and we have to call 911 to send them to the Emergency Room if they are not stable enough to remain in rehab. I also work on a rehabilitation floor within an acute care hospital, which has other specialties and residents available in case a patient declines rapidly and needs higher care.

Can you sleep when you're on call?

Yes, I can sleep on call! Depending on the hospital site I am taking call at, I may get more sleep at one than the other. The site within an acute care facility has less patients and the nurses are more familiar with medically complicated patients. I average about six to eight hours of sleep with one or two pages interrupting it (on a good night). At the stand-alone rehabilitation hospital, I get about 5 hours of interrupted sleep. On a bad night at either site I could get less than two hours, if that. Not all specialty's are like this. Some take call at home and sleep through the whole night, others are busy their entire shift and get no sleep, and still others don't have to take call.

What happens after you finish residency?

You can go into fellowship (for me, I'm thinking Cancer Rehab or Sports Medicine) for one or two years. Of course, if you were doing say, a surgery residency, this would be longer. Other residents will graduate and go straight into general practice as attendings depending on their interests. Some physicians will also go into administration, research, teaching, or find another career path.

I hope this helps shed some light on what it's like to be a resident physician...it's not Grey's Anatomy but it's definitely fun to pretend like it is sometimes :)

PS: Don't forget to thank your doctor today!

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With the transition from Winter to Spring comes lots of changes not only to our surroundings but also to our bodies. For some, it's seasonal allergies. For others, it's much more apparent on the surface: our skin. I fall into the latter category, with combination skin that gets both dry and oily depending on the time of day, the activity, and the climate. As temperatures warm up, I am more inclined to exercise outside. However, my skin responds poorly in the heat, especially with the extra sweat. Luckily, I discovered FRÉ Skincare, an amazing vegan product line that is designed specifically for women who workout.


Their 123FRÉ set involves an age-defying three part system designed to fight exercise induced skin damage, from breakouts to dehydration. The first part of the line is the Protect Me moisturizer with SPF30 to protect from UVA, UVB, and IRA rays, which helps prevent dark spots and aging. The second step is the Purify Me hydrating facial cleanser. I was beyond relieved to learn that the gentle exfoliating beads within this cleanser are Jojoba beads - a biodegradable wax derived from the Jojoba shrub. While they may feel similar to the plastic micro-beads commonly used in commercial drugstore goods, they are natural and safe for the environment. The third step is the Revive Me replenishing serum. This has now become my new favorite post-workout routine (next to coffee and chocolate croissants). After two weeks, I feel like my complexion is clearer and, despite not having that sun-kissed summer skin yet, I am enjoying a FRÉSH and healthy glow!



As a physician and environmentally conscious consumer, one of the most important aspects of trying a new skincare regimen involves looking at the ingredients. For me, this line has passed the test with flying colors. These products are free from Parabens, SLS, Mineral Oil, DEA, Petrolatum, PEG, and Propylene Glycol. In addition, they are not tested on animals. As advertised on their website, they are all hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, and non-comedogenic. And the best part? For every set sold an Argan tree is planted. Talk about putting the FRÉ in FRÉSH!

Click HERE to check out FRÉSkincare's starter kit and use code DOCTORCOLE for 15% off!

This post contains Affiliate Links.

Disclaimer: This post should not be considered medical advice and is in no way intended to replace a consultation with a qualified medical practitioner. All website users are advised to consult their doctor concerning medical advice or treatment.

Photo credit: @coryjpopp

As a celebration of my Match Day anniversary, I collaborated with Cory from @coryjpopp and @whyilovephilly.co to compile this beautiful documentary vignette (my first VLOG!!!) that encompasses my life as a physician and social media blogger/influencer. Ready for my Grey's Anatomy debut ;)

Despite being physically in Philadelphia, I am still mentally re-living Puerto Rico. Last week was a beautiful adventure of culture, food, music, and history. We visited the umbrella adorned street of Fortaleza, meandered through La Placita's nightlife plaza, soaked up the sun, sand, and waves, and overall, enjoyed ourselves a little too much...or maybe not enough? I sense a return reunion in the future.




What better place to host a physiatry medical conference than an island that has, much like our patients, rehabilitated itself after a terrible ordeal? The people of Puerto Rico were inviting, friendly, and excited to show off their rebuilt paradise following Hurricane Maria.

We explored the streets (or rather calle) of Old San Juan, pretended to be conquistadors at the famous forts of El Morro and San Cristobal, and celebrated some much-needed vacation time overlooking the ocean.


Of course, we made time to network with other physicians and present our medical cases, too!

TRAVEL STYLE HACK:

The best part about Puerto Rico was the food. We tried Mofongo, which is a delicious plantain-based pâté with a variety of toppings. I chose shrimp because who could say no to seafood when you're in the middle of the ocean?



Mojitos were another recommendation that did not disappoint. Also, did you know the Piña Colada was invented in Puerto Rico?!



I could not help but snap a photo of my friend's fish tacos. Talk about drool-worthy!



And the fruit was always so fresh and juicy.



For fun, we decided to go jet-skiing on the open ocean. We went so fast and got so much air, at some points I didn't know if I'd land back on the jet-ski or in the ocean. It was a little frightening and required some serious forearm strength but was definitely worth the thrill.



Our last day, we went sailing on a Catamaran to remote islands for snorkeling with the tropical fish and coral. I could not have asked for a better conclusion to the trip.

One of the highlights was reconnecting with an old medical school friend. Despite not seeing each other for almost three years, it felt like no time had passed.



So hats off to you Puerto Rico!



Until next time...and for anyone looking to plan a visit or know where I should go next, let me know in the comments below.



Also, thank you Americae for making me look and feel fabulous in the tropics. Check out this beautiful women's designer clothing store to update your travel wardrobe and remember: Reality is Extraordinary, Dress Accordingly!




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