1. I’m a Resident AND a Real Doctor! Well, kind of. . . . . .
Lutul D. Farrow, MD Assistant Professor
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University

2. Talking Points Who am I? What is Residency? Choosing a field.
Residency requirements.
Pro and Cons.
Lifestyle demands.

3. My Story BWU ‘98 CWRU SOM ‘02 Why my residency choice? Fellowship
Current Position
Clinician
Researcher
Team Physician

4. Residency Defined Stage of graduate medical education
ON THE JOB TRAINING
MD or DO REQUIRED
“Required” for independent practice
History
Terminology
House officer
House staff
Intern/internship
Resident

5. Getting Into Residency
Finish medical school!
USMLE exams
No, you are not done taking tests after MCAT

6. Success Tips Work hard Play hard Find a Mentor Diversify Research
Volunteer
Have Fun

7. Choosing a field Do well in medical school! Explore all options.
What fits your personality?
Mentors
Past experiences
MATCH DAY!

8. Choices Surgical Nonsurgical
Primary care: Medicine, FP, Pediatrics, OB/Gyn, Med-Peds
Other: Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology, Pathology, Dermatology, Radiology, Radiation- Oncology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology, etc
Surgical
Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, ENT, etc

9. Time Commitment Primary care OB/GYN Surgical fields Others
Generally 3 years
OB/GYN
Generally 4 years
Surgical fields
Generally 5 – 7+ years
Others
ED – 3 or 4 years
Pathology – 4 years

10. Pros and Cons IMHO! Surgery vs Non-surgical
One person’s Pro is another person’s Con
Don’t let sterotypes determine what you do!

11. Lifestyle Demands Depends on specialty IT’S ALL RELATIVE
5 of the best years of my life
5 of the worst years of my wife’s life!
Physical demands
Mental demands
Demands on those around you!
Life is better now
80 – hour work week
A day in the life

12. A day in the life 5:30 am – morning rounds 7:00 am – Didactic lectures
8:00 am – 5 pm – Surgery or clinic
Home
More studying, research, writing papers, preparing presentations
Sleep
“On Call”
Overnight stay in the hospital
One of the most grueling/enjoyable experiences of my life

13. Recommended viewing 1991 So You Want to be a Doctor
1995 M.D.: The Making of a Doctor
2001 Survivor, M.D.
2009
Doctor’ Diaries