Least favorite

This month called January is my least favorite of the year. One reason maybe the weather. Even though I am located in the south where it is often sunny, January is usually cold and cloudy. Winter has just set in and spring is far enough away, I rarely think about it.

Another reason for my discomfort during this season is the resident training cycle is half over. Often, I think I am the only one who realizes the true meaning of "half." Interns are now much more comfortable presenting patients they have evaluated. Good skills have been developed, things begin to move a bit more quickly, and yet, it is a common time for them to begin missing things, too. There will usually be a few cases which make us all pause, reflect, learn the importance of being thorough once again. I find myself becoming hyper vigilant once again. As a person who makes few New Year's resolutions, I think this is a time for my favorite one: To do better.

Better can be a confusing term but in the sphere of my work, it means I will strive to be more accurate in my diagnosis, more compassionate with my patients, a better colleague to those with whom I work. I will learn at least one new thing each day and at the end of the year I hope I will be a better physician than I was at the beginning. Medicine is no place for complacency. If this year's class of interns are learning this then my enjoyment of these cold winter weeks will increase. Hopefully, so will the temperature.