Day in the Life

Hi everyone! My name is Christie Grech, an intern at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. When you are interviewing at various programs around the country, at some point you probably want to hear what it’s really like in the hospital — what do the residents actually do day-to-day?

Here’s my “typical day” during a general pediatric in-patient month.

6:30 AM to 8:00 AM – Pre-Rounds: I arrive at the hospital and get updates on my patients from the night team. Approximately every fourth day, I will pick up new patients admitted overnight. After getting sign-out, I obtain lab results, collect vitals and review imaging studies through Michigan’s electronic medical record. After examining each of my patients and talking with them, I come up with my clinical plan for the day. While “pre-rounding,” my senior resident helps me review my plans, offering clinical pearls that will help me (and my patients) get through the day.

8:00 AM to 9:00 AM – Morning Report: After pre-rounding, I join my co-residents for coffee and breakfast at conference. Conferences are located on the 12th floor, close to my team workroom. Morning conferences are typically case-based, resident-driven and very interactive. Residents ask questions and work through the case together while the attending physicians contribute the occasional clinical pearl or insight.

9:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Rounds: After Morning Report, I join my full team, including the attending physician, senior resident, co-intern, medical students, a Resident Assistant and often a clinical pharmacist and dietitian. The team gathers at the patient’s bedside to join the patient’s nurse and family for rounds. Each pediatric specialty rounds with the team separately. This month, for example, I round with General Pediatrics first, followed by the Cardiology team. Rounding with specialists directly lets us talk right with the experts and helps to develop a sense of collegiality between the residents and the entire pediatric faculty group.

11:00 AM to 12:00 PM – Work-Time: After rounds, I complete orders, follow-up on patient studies, call consultants, discharge patients home, and write notes. Throughout the morning, our Resident Assistants stay incredibly busy offloading our administrative tasks. This lets me focus on what really matters – taking care of my patients.

12:00 PM to 1:00 PM – Noon Conference: At noon, I attend a weekday educational conference for the residents. These conferences are generally lecture-based topics covering the core pediatric curriculum. A catered, healthy lunch is provided every day and I’m able to spend time with my fellow residents.

1:00 PM to 6:00 PM – Afternoon Work: In the afternoons, I continue managing my patients, following-up on studies and completing clinical plans. I also admit new patients to my team and guide medical students through patient encounters. Many afternoons also contain brief teaching sessions by our attending physicians. At some point in the afternoon, I’ll head off to our Pediatric Resident Lounge to grab coffee and snacks. About one day per week I head off to see patients at my Outpatient Continuity Clinics, and about twice a week, I have the opportunity to head home early, when my work is completed.

6:00 PM - Evening Sign-Out: The night-team comes in at 6:00 PM to take care of my patients. Once I sign-out to them I am able to head home to spend the evening with friends and family.