Andrew S Moon, MD | Amiethab Aiyer, MD
October 2, 2023
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Members of the Sounds From the Training Room Consortium will be giving readers a peek into their daily lives as busy surgeons. Here are some stories from a few members – stay tuned for more!
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Andrew S. Moon, MD
I am starting the PGY5 year on rotation at our level 1 trauma center. The summer months can be busy for trauma, and this summer is no exception. The morning starts early with trauma boards at 5:30am. We review the imaging for the consults that came in the prior day and overnight and review the plan for each patient including the operative cases. After rounding on the inpatients and consult patients on the service, we run the list with the floor team prior to heading to the OR.
The chief residents are ultimately responsible for the service, as well as the management of patients coming in through the Emergency Department. We spend a lot of time in the OR, which on trauma can be exciting but also unpredictable. We see a wide range of injuries from ankle fractures to acetabular and pelvic fractures. Trauma patients are usually coming in on one of the worst days of their lives, and it’s rewarding to help them get back on their feet.
As the current academic chief, I am also responsible for organizing the academic schedule including the lectures, fracture conferences, and Grand Rounds. One of the main chief responsibilities is to prepare the weekly fracture conference where we discuss cases and review the management of a particular type of injury such as tibial plateau fractures. This is a great forum to engage the attendings and take notes on any tips or tricks that are discussed.
One of our initiatives as a program has been mentoring medical students, and I have several medical students I have mentored since I was a junior resident. This includes involving them in research projects, which makes it easy to regularly touch base. It’s exciting to see them progress through their medical school education and to help prepare them for their orthopaedic sub-internship rotations at the home program and aways.
Outside of work, I set aside time for my family. In the evenings, my wife and I will have dinner together then take our dog out to the park near our apartment. Before bed, I review the cases for the following day and try to fit in some studying for the in-training exam or edits to a manuscript. It can be a challenge to balance all of this during a busy surgical residency, but certainly worthwhile to be able to help people while doing what we love.
Amiethab Aiyer, MD
It is really difficult to describe a true “day in the life”, particularly as my days often blur together., much like the artwork of my 3 year old and 18 month, who run amuck on a day to day. My days often begin with interval runs up my treadmill or vibing to the latest EDM track while on my Peloton, followed by responding to emails or patient messages (which believe it or not come in as early as 2-4 AM). The early AM is often filled with meetings before heading to clinic or the OR and then it’s a whirlwind until I get through the day. During the day, there are more meetings, research discussions, manuscripts reviews, and getting through administrative work. I usually head home by around 5-6 pm and try to help my angel of a wife out with the kids. After some rounds of chasing each other, getting my daughter to understand how to play hide and seek or bouncing around outside, I usually give the kids their bath before they head off to sleep. My wife and I usually have dinner at around 830pm or so and get to hang out watching the most recent episode of Love is Blind (or insert other Netflix randomness here) . I’m also usually trying to crush more work during this point in time (because such is the nature of life) before heading to bed.
Despite how crazy things seem at times, I am often asked how I manage the workload that I carry. First off, I must give a lot of credit to my wife; she is the reason I can do what I do, and I am forever indebted to her. Secondly, I genuinely love what I do, and I rarely find it to be “work”. On that note, if you can find your passion, it can make it that much easier to navigate your day even if there is a lot going on. I will say that each person needs to acknowledge their limitations and know that it is okay to say no. It is important to identify what needs to be prioritized in your life and the rest will follow suit. There is no perfect way to do things in life, just like there are multiple ways to approach a given surgery. With that in mind, find what works for you and run with it!
DISCLOSURES: Dr. Moon This individual reported nothing to disclose Dr. Aiyer American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society: Board or committee member, Delee & Drez Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (Elsevier): Publishing royalties, financial or material support, Medline: Paid consultant, Medshape: Paid consultant, Miller’s Review of Orthopaedics (Elsevier): Publishing royalties, financial or material support
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