A Day in the Life of a Second-Year Resident
PGY2 is when psychiatry really starts to come into focus. After exposure to the basics during intern year, you get to dive into the specialty with a varied rotation schedule. The year includes consult-liaison psychiatry at UAMS and the VA, VA inpatient psychiatry, night float (twice), geriatric psychiatry, interventional psychiatry (ECT/TMS/Ketamine), child and adolescent psychiatry, outpatient adult therapy clinic, and an elective block. Some rotations – like night float and consults – are busier, while others – like geriatrics, interventional, child/adolescent, therapy, and electives – are more relaxed. Since PGY2’s cover night float, I only average about one long call (12-hour shift) per month (plus 1-2 holidays across the year).
Right now, my days are split between two very different populations: geriatric patients in the morning and children in the afternoon. I start each day around 7:45 a.m. on the geriatric psychiatry inpatient unit. The pace is slower than other inpatient services, but it allows for collaboration between nurses, social workers, APRNs and medical/PA students, which leads to lots of fun discussions!
After lunch, I transition to the opposite end of the age spectrum. Depending on the day, I’m either at Arkansas Children’s Hospital doing consults in the outpatient child psychiatry clinic or at the Child Diagnostic inpatient Unit. Though the varying afternoons yielded an adjustment period, getting experience in difference aspects of child and adolescent psychiatry has been great exposure to the field! On other afternoons, I’m in therapy clinic seeing adult patients for psychotherapy where I am learning how to hold space, stay curious, and sometimes just sit in silence without panicking (which turns out, is really hard!!).
Every Thursday, all the Psychiatry residents regroup for protected didactic time. The afternoon starts with a catered lunch (yes, free food every week!!), giving us a chance to catch up with each other and hear what everyone’s been experiencing on their rotations. Then we head into lectures on various topics targeted to our specific level of training. It’s a nice pause in the week and helps foster a sense of connection between our co-residents despite us all being on different rotations.
Outside of work, I have a life filled with friends, family, cats, hobbies and time to enjoy life. Most days I leave work by 4:30 p.m., which leaves time for hobbies, self-care, and social outings during the week. I love going on runs or bike rides after work or spending quiet evenings with my two cats. I’ve also gotten into stained glass art and have hosted reality TV watch parties with fellow residents (I got a text!!!).
PGY2 isn’t without its challenges, but it’s also when everything starts to feel more real. With the increased responsibility and expectation compared to PGY1, the confidence in clinical knowledge and skill really starts to grow. And equally as important, my life outside the hospital as a PGY2 is full of the things I enjoy with people I enjoy doing it with, which leads to a sense of balanced growth of both my career and my personal life.
