What an Anesthesiology Resident at Academic Hospital Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Medical Industry
Briana, an anesthesiology resident, wishes someone had emphasized the extensive studying required throughout a medical career, stating, "going into medical school is not the place for" cramming. The continuous need to study for exams significantly impacts time and mental energy, a reality that requires adaptation throughout the career progression from medical student to attending physician.
Hard Truths, Industry Realities, Workplace Challenges, Overcoming Challenges, Resilience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Briana Kossbiel
Anesthesiology Resident
Academic Hospital
University of Arizona, 2016
University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson, 2021 - MD
Biology & Related Sciences
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Medical
Honors Student, Veteran
Video Highlights
1. The amount of studying required to pass exams is significant and continuous throughout a medical career. It's not something that can be fully prepared for beforehand, and study habits may need to adapt over time.
2. The intensity of studying impacts time and mental bandwidth, requiring significant adjustment and potentially impacting other aspects of life.
3. There are various "hoops" and exams to jump through to practice medicine; understanding this beforehand would be helpful for managing expectations and preparing mentally for the long-term commitment.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
I think someone definitely should have told me how much studying it really takes to pass those report exams. You go through high school and even college with some classes you can get by with cramming the night before. But going into medical school is not the place for that.
Knowing that you're going to be taking exams your entire life, just to keep up with all the knowledge needed to practice medicine and take care of your patients, is something I wish I'd understood better going in. I knew there were exams, and hoops to jump through.
But I wish I'd understood how much that would take out of you, in terms of time and mental bandwidth. I don't think it's something you can truly prepare for because everyone studies and approaches exams differently; some people are group studiers.
However, I think it's something that can change over time with the different roles you have, from a medical student to a resident, and even an attending physician. I wish I'd been prepared for how that studying would change and that I might have to adapt more than I thought. That's something I wish I'd known going in, but I feel I have a better grasp on now.