On 2018 (as told through weekly reflections)

For the past two years, I’ve paused at the end of each calendar year to reflect on the previous 52 entries. Categorizing them allows a rough idea of my focuses and relative attention. Listed in descending order of thematic frequency.

Reflection

This catch-all category is for posts that are primarily reflective and retrospective in nature. I find myself writing in this style, reviewing the events of the past week or two, when I am uninspired for a specific topic and a lot of life has happened. I’m glad that I took this much time to stop and reflect on life over this wacky year.

10/52

0101 – On 2017 (as told through weekly reflections)
0107 – On shifting priorities
0218 – On newborns, mud, and shoes (or a taste of Spring)
0319 – On spring break continued (or the beginning of Surgery)
0527 – On small reminders
0603 – On summer nights (or Surgery: a post-mortem)
0613 – On four clerkships (or Third Year: a post-mortem)
0903 – On quick reflections (or Inpatient Psych: a post-mortem)
0930 – On the tumble of life (Or Child/Adolescent Psych: a post-mortem)
1118 – On a letter from past self and to future self, once again

Clinical Learning

The posts in this category usually follow a story format. I’m relaying a message directly from the clinic, a patient’s narrative where I am a bystander. Other times, I’m reflecting on specific communities of providers that work differently than I’ve seen elsewhere.

9/52

0225 – On a tale of two births (or life in Labor & Delivery)
0305 – On a busy night (or Women’s Health/Pediatrics: a post-mortem)
0401 – On brain surgery
0429 – On a stray bullet
0513 – On feeling the burn
0520 – On a death and a birth
1007 – On demanding conversations (or the beginning of Hospice and Palliative Medicine)
1021 – On black, white, and shades of gray
1028 – On laughs and tears (or Hospice and Palliative Medicine: a post-mortem)

Parenthood

A beefy block: the new identifier as a parent and father. I tried to segregate my posts into the trimester reviews, but once Joonsu arrived, he seems to be my main writing subject. Makes sense, this is the biggest adjustment since moving in with Mackenzi.

9/52

0506 – On the first trimester (or baby chronicles: Part One)
0805 – On the second trimester (or baby chronicles: Part Two)
0819 – On parenthood in the wards
1104 – On pseudo-paternity leave (or the beginning of Interview Season)
1125 – On the third trimester (or baby chronicles: Part Three)
1202 – On a birth day (or baby chronicles: Part Four)
1209 – On newborn reflections (or baby chronicles: Part Five)
1216 – On self-care in the time of a newborn (or baby chronicles: Part Six)
1223 – On building practices now for the future (or baby chronicles: Part Seven)

Self-Care and Well-Being

These writings focus on my mental and physical health. During this year, the lack of it becomes the lens through which I write. Some lows and changes in priorities, which will effect how I care for myself in the years to come.

6/52

0326 – On Death revisited, again
0415 – On listening to my meat-suit (or shifts in my movement practice)
0422 – On the first fall of spring (or halfway through Surgery)
0620 – On frustrating starts (or the beginning of Fourth Year)
0624 – On a panic attack
0701 – On a reprieve

Professional Identity

The reflections consider how my future practice is shaped through current experiences in the clinic. I write about the draw of the OR, the rewards of returning to the psych floor, and how a bit of responsibility feels right.

6/52

0114 – On making the rounds
0121 – On responsibility and engagement (or halfway through Women’s Health/Pediatrics)
0204 – On confidence through repetition
0212 – On feedback and reflection (or the kick for professional development)
0408 – On the pull of the OR (or consideration of a life in surgery)
0812 – On a good week (or the beginning of Inpatient Psych)

Step Two

A beefy board exam. Not quite as stressful as Step One, without a move but with a pregnant partner. Also, the lack of a neighborhood shooting made the decompression afterwards much more relaxing.

4/52

0708 – On a return to the grind (or 15 days to Step Two)
0715 – On doubt and interruptions (or 8 days to Step Two)
0722 – On the taper (or 1 day to Step Two)
0729 – On the other side again (or 6 days since Step Two)

Physician-Patient Relationship

These reflections particularly focus on the unique relationship dynamic of physician (in-training) and patient. Sometimes, how patients affect me with their words and actions. Other times, how biased our perceptions towards patients.

4/52

Relationships

Initially I felt like this was a low number of reflections for the subject of relationships, which encompasses family, friends, Mackenzi, Honey. But then I recalled the category of Parenthood, which envelops Mackenzi and Joonsu in a family blanket.

4/52

0311 – On a wintery spring break (or how I met Honey)
0826 – On the love of friends and family
0909 – On a good week (or the beginning of Child/Adolescent Psych)
1111 – On a well-deserved break for my partner

Long Form Sundays

On building practices now for the future (or baby chronicles: Part Seven)
On self-care in the time of a newborn (or baby chronicles: Part Six)
On newborn reflections (or baby chronicles: Part Five)