Different Name--Same Me

Yesterday, July 1, 2006, marked the beginning of my second year as residency. I am no longer an intern. Now, I am a Resident. A friend asked me if I was excited. I told him I was, mainly because now I could just say that I'm a resident and not an intern and not have to explain to people the difference between the two. Although, I am still troubled that people don't understand what I do.

A man at church today asked me if I was about ready to trade in my short white coat for a long one. ?huh? This man sent me a graduation gift A YEAR AGO when I GRADUATED from Medical School!

So my quest continues: To educate people about who I am and what I do.

In case you are new to my blog (because you just happen to stumble upon it) or perhaps you've forgotten, I will tell you again who I am and what I do.

I am a doctor, an M.D. I have been since May 28, 2005 and I have the diploma on my wall that says so (that sounds bad...but I'm saying it anyway). For my specialty, I have chosen a primary care residency. I am training in a combined program. I will be Board Certified in two specialties when I'm done three years from now and take the two tests required to be so.

First specialty is Internal Medicine. It is defined as "a primary care physician who specializes in adult internal medicine, specifically the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases."

Second Specialty is Pediatrics. It is defined as the "care and treatment of infants, children and adolescents."

Ergo I am training in Internal Medicine/Pediatrics or Med/Peds...hence the title of the this blog, "Ramblings of a Med/Peds Resident (the word Resident has replaced Intern).

When I finish my residency on June 30, 2009, I will look for a job that will allow me to see anyone from birth to death with a non-surgical, non-obstetrical medical problem.

I promise that I will try to Ramble with a little more consistency that in the previous year. I am in the ER at the county hospital this month and will work 18 shifts, so perhaps I will have a little more time to blog.

Thanks for reading.