Happy Medical New Year!

It is July! And for anyone associated with the medical field, that means it is a new year! On July 1st, the year on the medical calendar flips. July 1st is the day in which fellowship and residency programs start. July 1st is a day in which mass chaos descends upon most teaching hospitals.

All across the nation, recent medical school graduates are showing up for their first day of "work". They are now interns at the bottom rung of the ladder. After completing their intern year, they then go on to become residents. After completing residency, physicians can complete additional training in fellowship programs.

With all that said, July 1st is a very busy and chaotic day at the hospital. As with starting any new job, there is much confusion. There is a steep learning curve for trying to figure out a hospital's layout and trying to be at the right place at the right time. The dynamics for many medical teams have changed, and roles have to be assigned to every individual in the group. There are many aches and pains as these newly formed teams have to learn to work together.

A few years ago, I was in the hospital in the intensive care unit shortly after the medical new year. My doctor wanted to change out my tracheostomy tube. When my medical team left my room, the physician told an intern to go to central supply to get several items needed to exchange my tracheostomy tube. The intern was eager for the task. As soon as my doctor walked away, the intern turned ashen gray and looked as though she was going to pass out. She cried, "I don't know where central supply is. Does anyone know where central supply is?"

Several residents were standing near the young doctor. Finally, one of the resident doctors had compassion for the young intern. Reluctantly he said, "I know where it is. I will show you where it is." The resident took the intern's arm and started marching off toward an ICU exit.

The intern suddenly became extremely gleeful and proclaimed, "Oh boy! We are off on a very important mission!" The intern clapped her hands and started skipping as she walked down the hallway.

So as this new medical new year begins, please remember to pray for all our doctors in training. Pray they have wisdom and guidance as they learn their trade. Pray for all the nurses and doctors to have understanding and patience as everyone adjusts to the new workforce.

And lastly, my words of wisdom are this: stay away from hospitals during the month of July, and for good measure, stay away from medical teaching centers until September. This gives ample time for everyone to get used to their new roles. Happy Medical New Year!