Day in the life of
Resident Physician – Sean Kiesel
My key responsibilities as a resident physician are really patient care. I am in charge of ordering, interpreting tests, directing care, and determining treatment for patients in the ER, inpatient service, L&D, inpatient Peds floor, and in my own clinic. My work on a day to day basis is really what you would expect from any physician. The main differences are that I have an attending physician (the one who oversees what I do) that I report to and discuss all patients with.
I also have a key responsibility to continue my education. On each patient I encounter I try to find time to read about the topic, so I can be better informed next time.
My typical day
A typical day for me depends on what service I’m on.
In the clinic, I work 8-5 and see anywhere from 10-20 patients.
In the hospital, I work 12-13 hours a day and round on 6 patients in the morning, then admit and discharge patients the rest of the day.
On specialty service my schedule is based off of the attending I am with and varies greatly.
Pros
I get to help people, interesting work, great responsibility, always being challenged, great patient centered discussions with team.
Cons
The hours can be long, the paperwork is never ending, there is a lot of stress, I have to sleep in the hospital sometimes.
