The years in residency can be difficult and stressful, both for residents and their significant others. The AMA Alliance magazine, Physician Family, offers 10 top tips for partners of medical residents to survive residency, including:
- Find support. Residents work long hours and are stressed and tired. These pressures can affect everyone in the family, so it’s important to have a support network, such as the AMA Alliance.
- Share calendars. A resident’s schedule is unpredictable, so keep a calendar handy that includes the schedules of every member of the household. This practice can help make planning easier and encourage communication.
- Schedule alone time. Spouses and significant others of residents get stressed, too. Setting aside time to reflect and rejuvenate can be very beneficial.
- Be flexible. Taking care of sick and injured patients is inherently unpredictable. Always have a back-up plan.
See more tips for surviving residency from the spouse of a pain management fellow in the summer 2014 issue of Physician Family, published online four times a year especially for the loved ones of physicians, residents and medical students.
