Going from being an intern to supervising interns (the next month) is quite a leap. I remember feeling overwhelmed at this juncture.
Remember that you’ve met the qualifications to be where you are, succeeded throughout intern year, and are ready for the next step. You know more than you think.
The first month is the hardest, and it gets easier from there. You’ll likely notice imposter syndrome creep up at first (Am I really qualified for this? Do I know enough to supervise interns?)
Remember that your fellows and attendings are there to support you. Keep asking questions and support when you need it.
Three big challenges I faced:
1. Having less time with patients because I was now supervising multiple interns.
I missed the level of connection with patients I had during my intern year. While I saw more patients overall (now the entire team, usually 16 patients or so), I had less time with each patient. Often, I’d see patients during team rounds with the attending and interns.
What helped me was spending a bit more time with the patient and family during the hospital admission. During this time, I’d either supervise the intern, ask questions, or admit the patient myself.
I’d ask about their family, what they enjoyed doing for fun, and what mattered most to them.
Even though our time was truncated, this helped me feel connected to the patient and continue to see them as more than their illness.
2. The struggle of days as the “Resitern.”
When an intern was in the clinic or off for the day and I, as the supervising resident, took the role of an intern, we’d call this a “Resitern.” This meant I’d preround and supervise all the patients, plus put in orders and write notes for half of the list.
These days were particularly long and often challenging.
It would be especially challenging if the other intern was off the following day, and I would be the “Resitern” for the other half of the list.
I learned how to juggle a lot these days, and they certainly stretched me, but they weren’t easy. What helped: Keeping detailed running notes for both “halves” of the list, giving myself some extra time on the days I needed to prepare as a “Resitern,” and allowing myself a night off to do nothing but relax.
3. Wanting to spend more time teaching but having a busy schedule
If you have an entire team (interns, resident, attending, possibly a fellow), finding time to teach and guide medical students and interns is possible. I would try to cover a topic pertinent to our patients as often as possible.
The challenge is on call days or when you don’t have an entire team. I often want to spend more time teaching but feel pulled between teaching and getting the work done.
Eventually, I learned to teach in” micro-moments”: in the elevator, while walking in the hallway, or while grabbing food.
I’d stick to high-yield pearls for diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. I’d try to teach what was most helpful to me as an intern and what I wish I had learned sooner.
Keep taking time to guide, teach, and support your learners, even on busy days. All of these “stolen moments” really can add up.
Best of luck as you transition into a supervising role. You are capable of this next step.
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