After my first day the thing I am most struck by is how much I enjoy this group of people. I was expecting bright, accomplished students–and they are that–but I was surprised by how well and how quickly a group of twenty or so strangers came together and started enjoying themselves.
On the faculty side I’m thankful that there are people ahead of me professionally who think the status quo isn’t working. It can be hard to be sure of your perspective when you’re at the bottom of the ladder. Hearing senior physicians and nurses voice concerns about the culture of communication and specifically site the role senior staff have to play in the issue is really validating. Having that type of support shifts the issue from one of “that’s just how it is” to “what can we do about it.”