Pregnant Residents

I love babies. They truly are little miracles. and when a resident becomes pregnant, it's great. I think it's really important for women to continue to be in medicine and to have families and to balance their lives and to be great role-models for our daughters.

However. That doesn't mean I won't complain when I continue to get screwed over each time there's a pregnancy in the program.

This year, my free elective time was split up into two blocks because of a pregnancy, which made data collection difficult.

Next year (which is really starting in July), I ended up with 2 extra weeks of intensive care time because of a pregnancy, during the ONE WEEKEND that I needed off to attend a wedding.

Today, I got screwed for a third time. A co-resident asked to switch an ER shift because her parents are in town. I thought, why not? She'll pay me back at the end of the month. So originally I was supposed to work from 6pm-4am tonight. But then I get called that there is a pregnant resident who was just made bed-rest and could I please cover the 7a-7p shift, including trauma. Now, let me do the math for you... that shift is 2 hours longer and includes trauma, which I am actually not trained to do!

As if that's not bad enough, I showed up today at 7am and GRR, there must have been some miscommunication and I was actually supposed to work the 7p-7a, overnight shift! So now, I'm back home, pissed that I got up so early, can't go back to sleep because I just drank an entire liter of coffee, and I have to go back tonight at 7pm.

I know residents aren't really supposed to have LIVES and all, and I know we're supposed to be at the mercy of the program, but seriously? This is just too ridiculous.