Staying human during residency training. 4th edition

OVERALL RATING Very good

STRENGTHS Excellent resource for trainees

WEAKNESSES Chapter 1 provides a long list of negative outcomes associated with residency that is difficult to read and not engaging

AUDIENCE Medical students, residents, and their teachers

As with most things in life, timing is everything. When I was asked to review Allan Peterkin’s book, Staying Human During Residency Training, I thought the timing could not be worse. I had just completed my residency in family medicine 3 months before, and the last thing I wanted to do was reflect on my experience so soon after completing my training.

I started Dr Peterkin’s book with a heavy heart, and I am afraid my mood did not improve much with the statistics on anxiety, depression, substance abuse, suicide, burnout, abuse, and harassment presented in the first chapter. But then an amazing opportunity presented itself, just in the nick of time: I was asked to supervise a clerk. Although I felt extremely nervous about what I could offer this student, I quickly accepted and set to work brushing up on every guideline I could find. To my surprise, the information my charge was most hungry for was not the 10 minor risk factors for osteoporosis as outlined in the 2006 Canadian Consensus Conference. This was his first clerkship rotation; he was married and had just bought a house. His question was “How do I survive clerkship?”

As you might guess I returned to Dr Peterkin’s book with renewed vigour, and I liked what I found. There was information about financial and legal matters that I would have found useful during residency. However, most of the information included ideas and suggestions I wish I had known before starting residency, which I was excited to share with my clerk. The second chapter outlines important factors in choosing a specialty and school for postgraduate training. Chapter 3 offers ideas on staying healthy during lengthy on-call shifts, while chapters 4 to 7 discuss behavioural modifications students can implement to maximize career opportunities as well as work-life balance. The book closes with a section on considerations for the end of residency and a list of Web-based resources.

The fourth edition of Staying Human During Residency Training also includes a forward by Dr Susan Edwards, dated 2008. As Director of Resident Wellness, Postgraduate Medical Education, at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Dr Edwards states that her department provides each incoming resident with a copy of Dr Peterkin’s book. Although I applaud this effort, I would like to see clerkship directors follow Dr Edwards’ example and provide all first-year clerks with a copy of this resource. Many of the methods I used to survive residency were actually developed in clerkship, and while Dr Peterkin’s title is apt, I prefer his subtitle: How to Survive and Thrive After Medical School. There is, of course, a time for everything.

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