My patients often say that once they have a name for their condition it makes it easier to deal with. It can be dissected and studied. It’s easier to talk about with others. They can chime up, “Oh, yeah, I have that too!” and a camaraderie is formed. Support groups are formed around conditions.
My condition has no name – So, I’m giving it one.
“Post-Residency Syndrome”
It is closely related to Imposter Syndrome which is very common among medical students and residents. In this condition one feels that one is “less than” their peers. That somehow they are in the position they are in due to a glitch in the system, an errant electron, a fluke. And that someday they will be revealed as a fraud.
Those with Post-Residency Syndrome may suffer from Imposter Syndrome as well, but it is more than that. This person is in a unique position in life. They have just completed (minimum) 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of med school and 3 years of residency (of course this varies dependent on specialty) and are setting off into their own practice. It’s exciting, but terrifying.
I’ve not decided on the exact criteria, but hey! I’m making this up so I can change it later.
Tentative DSM criteria
1. Feelings of complete inadequacy and incompetence despite proof to the contrary
2. Going home at night and looking up 13 things that you saw in clinic and questioning if you should have made a different decision.
3. Freaking a little each time you have to see your partner’s patients because you wonder if they will think you are an idiot.
4. Missing your residency friends like crazy because now you’re all scattered across the continent.
5. Questioning your career choice in coming to the middle of nowhere where you have to make really hard decisions in the middle of the night all alone, but it’s too late to turn back now because – – – CRUSHING MED SCHOOL DEBT. (This might be a tad narrow for DSM criteria, but I’m making the rules here.)
I’ve been working on some ways to effectively treat this syndrome.
- Talking to my colleagues. I know this sounds lame. And no, I don’t go fishing for compliments. I do ask for honest feedback and how I could have done better if I feel something went poorly. Also, a few of my partners are about 3-4 years out of residency, so they still remember what it’s like and are very supportive.
- Limit the amount of “agonizing time” that I allow myself after clinic. I look up the most important 2 things from clinic that day and move on.
Do you suffer from Post-Residency Syndrome? Have you come up with ways to combat this?