These past few days have been a time of listening and reaffirmation for me. As a newly-minted third-year medical student, I’ve only just begun interacting with patients on a regular basis and contributing to their care. My practice has very few habits, which means any principles I set for myself can be more easily adhered to than if I had attended this conference a few years from now. Listening to the residents speak about their experiences in such a diverse amount of care settings has given me a better idea of what the next step in my career will be, or rather, what it can be.
In medical school, the common refrain is “I’d love to do _____, but I’m just too busy studying.” Evidently, that refrain turns into “I’d love to do ______, but I’m just too tired and too busy working” after graduating medical school. I don’t mean to suggest that the residents who voiced feelings of fatigue and overwork are not valid in their feelings. Rather, I took these observations to mean that there will always be something that can keep me from doing the things, socially and professionally, that I believe will improve my profession and make me satisfied with my life.
Attending Telluride has given me a clearer understanding of what patient safety can be at my home institution and at my future work environment(s). I’m excited to return home to continue learning about patient safety and develop a QI project before I graduate.