Relationships in Medicine

Well, if you're me, relationships are something you don't have to worry about, hah.  Little bit of self-deprecating humor there.


Even as a medical student, it's really easy to be a 24/7 busy person, and it doesn't end. It will become more stressful when you have more and more responsibility and life and death decisions are being made, especially conversations involving end of life care with patients and their families.


So it might seem like just working the entire time is adaptive, right?  It definitely is adaptive (to an extent, hold on) and you'll have more time to study/work/do research and all, but at a cost of your social life and pursuing things outside of medicine that make you happy.  


If there's any advice I could give, it's:


Life isn't really going to slow down.  You have to make time for that date, that engagement, that wedding, your loved ones.  It's too easy to postpone things over and over and you'll probably feel really guilty after.  Also, people will stop inviting you to things because of your history of postponing/cancelling.  Sad but true.  It hurts when it's your loved ones.  They hurt as well. 




I would pretty much like to have someone in my life I could pick up from work or make a quick dash to bring them lunch or soup in a thermos and the like.  You know, just someone special who you could do nice things for and have some kind of a relationship where you complement each other.


Medicine is a jealous lover: the work will always be there, and the world isn't going to end if you take that vacation or are unable to see patients for a few hours/a day on a day of rest.


If you need to, sleep less to make more time to spend with that special person/people, and keep showing them you appreciate them in whatever way works for you.  But do remember, you need to be able to express gratitude and feelings, not keep them inside, because no one can read your mind and be able to know how much you really appreciate all they do for you.