July Effect

July 1 each year is the start of residency for several thousand medical school graduates. That is the where the term "July Effect" arises. I am, starting July 1, part of that effect.

My colleagues in law, and business get so excited when they speak of internships. Companies with big names and even bigger reputations are discussed freely. Visions of suits, handshakes, networking breakfasts, long hours and potential job offers to follow usually accompany those discussions.

But for those of us in medicine, internship is more akin to a form of indentured (or edentulous) servitude. It is that first year when you have no sleep, no very little, have high amounts of activity, and no opinion (at least none that matters to anyone). On the food chain, even medical students are treated better (they go home early usually). It is a very different look and feel.

So now it's my turn to become part of the productive, or dangerous, time called internship. For the next year, beginning on July 1, I will become part of the 1000's of first year, PGY (Post Graduate Year)-1, residents... aka Interns. I'm scared, excited, worried, elated and I'm hopeful to be at least able to find my way around this massive medical center.

I am also going to become part of the "July Phenomenon", that time when experts have said to stay healthy and avoid the hospital due to up to a 10% rise in medical error. That is the first month that "we" are there, doing our doctor thing, in the very first month of our training practice. There have been arguments over the years if the effect actually exists, but from the looks of the PGY-1 class around me, I think the world is safe... as long as they are continually hovered over and supervised.

And so it begins. The years of medical school have led to this point in time. You really can't do much with a medical school diploma so this is where the rubber meets the road so to speak and we translate our knowledge into real, tangible patient care.

I'm scheduled for a opening schedule of 160 hours over the next two weeks with only one day off in the next 14 (not a violation of the new GME hours rules).

Ready or not hospital, patients and staff,

HERE WE COME!