The nightmare is already beginning.

Today I had to go up to the hospital for ACLS recertification. What's that? It's the standardized protocol of algorithms that the American Heart Association uses to treat patients in some sort of life threatening cardiac distress. I've already done it once, but it's easy to forget when you've never had to respond to (or run) a code. So today I'm there with all my new residency buddies.There are 13 of us vrs. the normal 100+ because our intern year happens to be at a private hospital (there are 8 anesthesia residents and 5 family practice interns). There were about 80 nurses at the training. The first thing the instructor tells us is that the nurses get to "tag team" for the practical exam tomorrow, but the anesthesia residents have to to it alone because we will be the ones running the codes at night for the entire hospital (except the emergency department). I'm not so much worried about the exam as I am at the thought of being the only doctor at 3am when something goes wrong (and hoping I'm not the cause of it!). Hearing that was enough to make me wish I'd never gone to medical school. Guess I better go start reviewing the algorithms..

One weird thing. I paid for my lunch in the cafeteria today. All my new colleagues went to the doctor's cafeteria and got free food. "We get free food?" I asked. "well yes, I mean, we're doctors now, right" Adam said. "I thought that wasn't until next week", I replied.