# The first day of the rest of a doctor's life
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [June 30, 2002, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725 "2002-06-30T19:25:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2002, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/1 "2002-06-30T19:25:14Z")
Congratulations, then, but please don’t be so modest in describing your accomplishments the next time!
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2002, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/2 "2002-06-30T20:24:22Z")
D’oh!
The short version of my brilliant, long-departed OP: tomorrow (Monday) is my first day as a medical intern. They just called me to fill me in on the eight patients I’m picking up. Wish me (and the sick and infirm of Greensboro) luck.
I’ve started a 'blog about my intern year called the [Internal Monologue](http://www.thejtrain.net/internalmonologue/monologue.shtml). I’m still working on the page, but there’s some yammering about orientation up right now. (Design suggestions welcome. If you stop by, sign the guestbook!)
Dr. J
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### Author:  [@The\_Mermaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mermaid)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/3 "2002-06-30T23:43:00Z")
:insert sound of jaded nurses chanting:
Fresh Meat!
Fresh Meat!
Fresh Meat!
Fresh Meat!
Muhuhuwaaaaaaa
I love the first of the month. 😃
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### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2002, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/4 "2002-07-01T00:40:21Z")
Ah! Summertime in N.C. How lucky for you.
[BBQ](http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/jnts.htm) is my gift to you. Don’t like pulled pork BBQ. Get over it.
Specifically, from the above link, [Stamey’s](http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/jnt5.htm) is the one in Greensboro. Good luck, Doc.
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### Author:  [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2002, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/5 "2002-07-01T00:41:15Z")
The first is not so bad, it’s about two weeks later when they’ve figured out how to order all the neato lab tests they’ve read about in the textbooks that’s the killer. 😉
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### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/6 "2002-07-15T01:53:43Z")
Don’t forget to visit the [topless car wash](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=125457) (Exotic Carwash in Greensboro, NC (626 Guilford College Rd))!
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2002, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/7 "2002-07-15T02:07:25Z")
Good luck!!!
😃
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/8 "2002-07-15T03:49:59Z")
Hmmm…my car is a mite dirty…
Thanks for the good wishes, everybody. I am updating my blog, [url=http://www.thejtrain.net/internalmonologue/monologue.shtml]The Internal Monologue\*, fairly often, so you can come by there to catch up on my exploits.
Dr. J
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2002, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/9 "2002-07-15T03:51:23Z")
If any mods want to fix the above coding snafu, I’d be grateful. Otherwise, [here’s the link](http://www.thejtrain.net/internalmonologue/monologue.shtml) .
Dr. J
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### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/10 "2002-07-15T15:41:13Z")
From **DoctorJ** ’s blog:
> [@](#):
>
> I thought of what a friend of mine said a few days ago–that when he thinks about it all, he wants to get his inner child out and rock it to sleep. I alternate between that and a desire to beat my inner child’s ass for not talking me out of this and into cooking school.
Personally, I’ll always be glad I stayed with mathematics.
But definitely worth reading - and I normally can’t _stand_ blogs and LJs. So follow the link, folks.
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### Author:  [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/11 "2002-07-15T15:47:16Z")
woohoo!
congrats!
i’m only 1/3 of the way through my degree.
2 years down, 4 to go.
good luck!
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### Author:  [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/12 "2002-07-15T16:28:47Z")
Congratulations, Doctor.
Just remember one thing; the hospital’s chief counsel represents the HOSPITAL, not YOU. 😉
Zap!, Esq.
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### Author:  [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/13 "2002-07-15T16:28:48Z")
Congratulations, Doctor.
Just remember one thing; the hospital’s chief counsel represents the HOSPITAL, not YOU. 😉
Zap!, Esq.
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2002, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/14 "2002-07-17T04:44:14Z")
RTF–thanks. That means a lot.
Irishgirl–as tough as residency is, I wouldn’t give it up to be a med student again in a million years. Believe me.
Zappo–someone once told me to never trust a lawyer that I’m not writing a check to. I think that wisdom applies here. 🙂
Everyone–I’ve added some entries to the 'blog this week; one is about my first nutjob clinic patient, and one is about the first time I’ve had to withdraw care on a terminally ill patient. I’m not updating as often as I’d like, but it isn’t for lack of matierial, believe me.
Dr. J
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### Author:  [@Nightingale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightingale)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2002, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-a-doctors-life/116725/15 "2002-07-17T14:16:23Z")
Congratulations on the beginning of a long and happy career.
I can identify with your feelings about the “nutjob clinic patient”;let me warn you it’ll only get crazier from here. You haven’t really been initiated into the medical profession until a) someone threatens to sue you if you don’t refill their scrip for narcotics RIGHT NOW! b) you write an order for Tylenol or Motrin and the patient throws the pills at you, and c) the pharmacy calls to notify you that someone has altered the prescription you wrote so that it now reads “Lortab 7.5 – dispense 100” instead of “dispense 10”. At least one of the above happens on a weekly basis to the docs at my ER!
Seriously, you sound like a great doc – compassionate, thoughtful, and not afraid to ask questions if you’re not sure what to do. I predict you’ll do well. Good luck to you (and your patients 😉 ) in the coming weeks!