Staying In Contact With Residents And Attendings

The start of a new academic year brings many changes, including graduating current residents and welcoming new residents. It has a similar feel to losing a family member while gaining a new sibling. You spend time with these young adults whether it is long hours at the hospital, events outside of work and even sharing in monumental or challenging life changes. As a resident, I had built strong relationships with past attendings, affording me the opportunity to gain friends and mentors. Now as an attending, I try to do the same, returning the favor to the residents and fellows I work with. 

As your journey continues and you part ways with colleagues and mentors, remember to take time and connect or reconnect with those who were an integral part of your training and life. This is directed to both residents and attendings. It is good to connect and remain involved with the people who have shaped and advanced your career. I am in regular contact with the faculty from my residency program and the program as well through educational lecturing and ongoing projects. Currently, I am fortunate enough to work with my fellowship director at the same practice that I joined upon completing my fellowship. I send my attendings images of interesting cases to get their advice or postoperative imaging for critiques on how to improve my technique. They still text to see how I am making out as I advance in my early career.

I also make a point to keep in touch with past residents and fellows from my current program. Just the other evening, I spent time on the phone catching up with our fellow who recently graduated, seeing how his relocation went and how the start of practice is going. The conversation then turned to a discussion of some of his upcoming surgical cases and formulating a game plan just as we did the prior year. Even the smallest gesture, such as sending a “good luck” text message, goes further than you think and gets extraordinary appreciation from younger colleagues just starting their careers.

As an attending, I appreciate how much pride one can have in seeing a current or past trainee succeed. When prior trainees call me to review a patient they saw or talk about a surgery they have planned, I have an instant sense of accomplishment. It feels good to be a mentor and even better to see a mentee do well. Additionally, these new physicians enjoy hearing from their former attendings as we check in on them. It is nice to know that even though the day-to-day guidance is not there, a mentor is only a welcoming call or text away when needed.

This may be just a sentiment I have but I feel I can speak for those who I have had a relationship with on both sides of the spectrum, as a resident and as an attending. I would encourage both trainees and attendings alike to take time over the next few months to continue to foster these relationships, and remember to stay connected.

Dr. Hood is a fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon. Follow him on Twitter at @crhoodjrdpm.