A Typical Week for a First-Year Med-Psych Resident
Monday
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Dr. Nakatani at the North Carolina Art Museum. Morning/Afternoon: I am currently on an outpatient block, so I spent this day at endocrinology clinic. The day started at 8am. We saw a variety of patients, including those with osteoporosis, diabetes, and thyroid disorders. I appreciate how the preceptors create a safe learning environment and are always open to answering questions. Even in busy clinics, they make time to teach and share clinical pearls. I finished seeing patients and writing notes at 5pm.
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Evening: Durham has wonderful local trails and easy access to the outdoors. This evening, I walked around Al Buehler, which is a three-mile loop through the woods and a five-minute drive from campus. I like walking with friends or using the time to call family.
Tuesday
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Morning: From 10am to noon, I had practice simulations with three of my co-interns. This session was led by one of the hospitalists at Duke. In pairs, we practiced how we would approach different emergency situations we might encounter in the hospital.
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Afternoon: In the afternoon, I attended our psychiatry Academic Half-Day. For this session, we had two lectures: one about choosing an antidepressant and another about dialectical behavior therapy. We finished the day with an hour of process group. Process groups occur during most Academic Half-Days with a facilitator not affiliated with Duke. It creates a safe space to meet with the other psychiatry interns and debrief our weeks. I think process group is a special way to get to know the other interns and discuss the challenges that come with residency. It is always one of the most meaningful parts of my week.
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Evening: After Academic Half-Day, I went with some of my psychiatry co-interns to Fullsteam, which is one of the breweries downtown. We were able to sit outside and enjoy the nice weather.
Wednesday
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Morning/Afternoon: On Wednesday, I was at the Duke Outpatient Clinic (DOC) for both the morning and afternoon. At this point in the year, I have three patients scheduled for each half day. For each patient, I review the chart, meet with them, make a plan, and present it to the attending. The DOC has been an incredible learning environment and I have really appreciated how the faculty balance their support with autonomy.
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Evening: This evening, I went to Pizzeria Toro with friends. The restaurant is in downtown Durham and has some of the best pizza in the area.
Thursday
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Morning: In the morning, I drove to Cary for cardiology clinic. I saw a variety of patients with heart failure, arrhythmias, and heart valve disease. My preceptor was excited to teach and share her love of cardiology. She also asked what I hoped to specialize in and tied her teaching to my own clinical interests in palliative care.
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Afternoon: In the afternoon, I worked in the emergency room in the Veteran’s hospital. I appreciated having a senior medicine resident there who taught me how to navigate the medical record and guide me through the flow in the emergency room. We finished the day at 6pm.
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Evening: This evening, I went to the grocery store and did some cooking for the next few days. There are plenty of grocery stores in the area. My favorite is Wegmans.
Friday
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Morning: This morning, I had Grand Rounds starting at 8am, which was about artificial intelligence in medicine. I then had an hour of teaching with my medicine co-interns about viral hepatitis. Then, I met with one of the psychiatry associate program directors. He met with each of the interns individually to learn more about their paths to Duke and how the program can best support each of us professionally and personally during residency.
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Afternoon: I finished the work week with an afternoon in the DOC. I saw three patients and I also caught up on my patient messages. Each week in clinic, a dedicated senior resident is there to help teach. I have really appreciated having them there to answer questions as I learn to navigate the outpatient clinic structure.
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Evening: This evening, I went with a friend to Maple View Farm Ice Cream in Hillsborough. Their ice cream is amazing and they have nice sunset views.
Saturday
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Morning: The Saturday morning farmer’s market is one of my favorite things to do in Durham. They have great fresh food, flowers, and coffee.
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Afternoon: In the afternoon, I went to the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, a free museum with beautiful art exhibits. There are also surrounding nature trails with outdoor sculptures.
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Evening: Although Durham has plenty of great restaurants, it is also nice to explore the surrounding towns. This evening, I went to Lantern in Chapel Hill.
Sunday
- Morning: Brunch at Guglhupf is one of my favorites, especially because you can get a side single pancake.
- Afternoon: In the afternoon, one of the med-psych chief residents hosted a welcome party at his home to start the year. It was a great way to catch up with residents and meet faculty.
- Evening: This evening, I prepared for my next rotation in the cardiac ICU by reading about the patients I would see in the morning.
Estimated average number of work hours per week: 50 on ambulatory
I chose Duke because ...
… of the strong community and supportive learning environment. There are also unparalleled clinical and research opportunities.
My favorite thing about Durham is ...
… the warmth of the people, access to the outdoors, and great food.
My favorite thing about Duke is ...
… the community of passionate and caring individuals within medicine, psychiatry, and med-psych.
My advice to prospective residents is ...
… to find your support people throughout the application cycle and in your residency. For me, it was important to find a program where I could learn, ask questions, and feel supported.
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