the eager medical student: to lunch or not to lunch?
Okay, so you are an enthusiastic medical student on the wards and you want to learn. At the same time, it is 2 PM and you haven’t eaten anything since yesterday at 9 PM but your resident is too busy (with work that you cannot do so you are not busy) to keep track of your meals–what do you do?
This is one of the age old dilemmas facing the medical student: to lunch or not to lunch? I was reminded of this today as I was in the same situation. Most of the time, your resident is actually quite understanding of your situation but simply has too many things to take care of to remember that you cannot leave until you are freed.
So I say, “FREEEEEEEDDDDOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!”
Maybe it’s just that I’m older than most of my classmates, but I don’t see the point of starving myself. Most of the time, you can fill up, freshen up and be good for another 8 hrs on only a 15-minute meal break. Not only will a 15-minute break not hurt you, but the boost you get from the break will only help your work.
These days, I work hard when I am on the unit (etc) and ask permission to go and get a bite to eat when there isn’t much going on. As I mentioned before, most residents will have no problem sending you to get a bite to eat (today, I was told to take an hour when I asked), and they will be most impressed with you when you come back in 15 min ready to go. Even the ones who seem less than impressed with you for asking to take a lunch break will come around when you show back up in 15 min fresh and ready to go.
It is the rare fool who will permanently hold it against you. But usually these people already have a reputation in their department so you know who they are beforehand.
In short, putting yourself through pain is often not worth it–there is nothing constructive that comes out of it. And on the contrary, taking those few moments here or there will only help you to be that standout student you want to be.
I suspect I will return to this point again and again in the future as I run into it so much on the wards.
keywords: medical student, medical school, wards, eating, break
