Jerome Abrams: Surviving Your Medical Residency

The residency may often be the most difficult part of an aspiring doctor’s medical education, putting the prospective professional through a significant test of their mental, physical and emotional limitations, and perhaps even presenting challenges that make them reevaluate their intellectual and professional pursuit. Jerome Abrams, an accomplished family physician with many years of practice experience, understands how often daunting the medical residency can be, though he also knows the best ways to be prepared and to survive the potential challenges of these crucial final years of one’s medical education.

Maintain Your Focus

As you begin your residency, says Jerome Abrams, you may have noticed that class and books have gone by the wayside. Though this may feel as if a burden has been lifted, it’s important to know that you are entering perhaps one of the most demanding phases of your training, making it absolutely crucial to stay focused and prepared. Do your best, he says to maintain the same commitment to hard work and studying that got you through the classroom setting, and to constantly stay prepared for whatever is next.

Find an Outlet for Stress

Stress can often have the effect of hurting concentration, focus and the ability to perform properly throughout one’s residency. As Jerome Abrams knows, it’s vital to find an outlet for the stresses one often incurs throughout the course of a residency; a way to alleviate this potentially insurmountable obstacle and keep your focus on the ultimate goal. Do your best to limit the impact of stress on your performance and your success. These last stages of your education will make all the difference.