Dear QMR,Welcome to our advice column!
Read about some of the questions the QMed community has asked QMR about Kingston, QMed, and life in general. Have a question? Ask QMR in the field below! |
|
|
|
Dear QMR,
How did you deal with debt after medical school? Were you able to start paying back your loans right away with a resident salary, or does it all kind or build up until after residency? Sincerely, No Money Mo Problems Dear No, The key to smart financing is responsible budgeting. Some residents will save over half of their earnings, while others will dig further into their line of credit. The sooner you are able to accumulate wealth and investments, the sooner you will be able to compound your earnings (aka “make your money work for you”). At the same time, if you ignore your line of credit, your debt will also accumulate and compound through interest. Realistically, most of us will make enough money once we start working to have no trouble paying back our loans. The people who may run into issues are those who live outside their means in medical school and continue this trend throughout residency. Remember that other expensive things (like cars, kids and mortgages) may also come up, so plan accordingly if these are part of your life plan. That being said, the only thing you need to do at this stage is to make your best attempt at living frugally. Give yourself a budget every month and try to stay within it (you can try tools like YNAB or Mint). Carry this trend throughout residency and into early practice. If you live like a resident for the first two years of in independent practice, you can be financially set for life. While it really isn’t about the money at the end of the day, think about how much less stress you’ll carry if you’re working for fun when you’re 50, instead of working to pay off your mortgage. That said, don’t forget to enjoy your life too – if you want to travel the world, you should probably do that before you get that bilateral knee OA.
0 Comments
Dear QMR,
I want to provide feedback for my instructors and our classes, but I am not sure if the feedback forms on Elentra are anonymous. In addition, not all classes or professors have feedback forms available. What are other ways I can provide feedback that will be heard? Sincerely, Feedback Freddy Dear Freddy, The feedback forms on Elentra are kept anonymous. UGME recognizes that students might feel uncomfortable giving feedback to instructors otherwise, often for fears of repercussion. You can rest assured that your feedback will not be held against you. Please fill out these forms – whether your experience has been positive or negative. This feedback is taken seriously; you’d be surprised at how quickly some of the comments are addressed. Remember – problems won’t be fixed if they are not addressed. Similarly, instructors want to know if and what they are doing well. This is especially true for newer instructors. For classes or professors that do not have feedback forms, you can provide feedback in other ways. Your Academic Reps and Course Reps are good people to contact. They will collate information from many of your peers, and their ability to act as a third party allows for communication without putting you directly in the line of fire. Dear QMR,
I've heard medicine is a lonely career. How can I make sure I prioritize my relationships so I don't lose them over time? Sincerely, Don’t Wanna Be All by Myself Dear Don’t, Thanks so much for your great question. Regardless of whether we are trying to maintain relationships with friends, family or partners and whether these individuals are in our own homes, classes, cities or afar, relationships as a medical trainee take work! So here are a few tips and tricks to try to make that work more manageable. 1. Double-up: Certain items in our schedules, like hanging out with friends, tend to get cut from the roster more liberally than others. Try to circumvent this by integrating relationships into unavoidable components of your schedule. For example, call a family member while walking home, or have a friend join you to grocery shop or meal-prep together. 2. Make it a date: It can sometimes be helpful to have a recurring event in your calendar to look forward to and (hopefully) stick to over time. Whether this is a weekly workout class with a classmate or a monthly brunch date with an old friend, having a regularly scheduled event can help to keep your relationships on track. 3. Patience: While balance in all aspects of our lives at all times would be ideal, we sometimes need to be patient with ourselves. Maybe we won’t be up for every class party or make it back in time for every family member’s birthday. This does not make anyone lame nor does it mean we don’t care. It is ok to forewarn those important to us as to when a busy stretch is upcoming. In fact, it can sometimes be helpful for those who care about us to know that our radio silence is not us ignoring them, but rather is sometimes a signal that we may actually need a bit of added support from them. Having this conversation ahead of time can be really helpful. These ideas are just a start, and while at times they may be tested, your most meaningful relationships will only grow stronger with the strains of Medicine! Dear QMR,
Does having research in the specialty you're interested in really matter? What do you think is the biggest difference maker for schools to pick you for residency? Sincerely, Researching how to survive CaRMS Dear Researching, Many schools consider research a “strong” asset [read: requirement]. However, the impression I get from many residents, preceptors and program directors, is that research is research. I would not [and did not] worry about doing research in a specific field. No one expects you to know in your preclerkship years which specialty you’ll end up in [except maybe plastics *sighs audibly*]. Just find a fun project and learn something new. Dear QMR,
I have a cute boyfriend in medicine, what are some tips I can use to maintain the relationship into residency? Sincerely, Crazy in Love Dear In Love, Medicine is hard, but relationships can be harder. A while ago, my boyfriend transitioned from medical school into residency while we were dating (long distance with a six-hour time difference!). I wish I had a schema, or mnemonic, or magic shortcut that could guarantee your relational success, but at the core of all successful relationships are hard work and sacrifice — I don’t think there’s any way around that. They say relationships should be 50/50, but I think 100/100 is better. After all, we all go through different life “seasons” where we need different forms of support and care. My advice is:
Dear QMR,
Is residency really that bad? I hear scary stories of burning out and a lot of crying. Sincerely, Clerk and Afraid Dear Clerk, Just like the rest of life, residency has good and bad days. You will finish some days feeling on top of the world, and you will also finish some days at your lowest. It’s okay – it happens to all of us. In your days at QMed, you will establish relationships that will last you a lifetime. Hopefully somewhere in this wonderful group of people (and among those in your personal life), you’ll find a few close friends that will support you through your worst days. Hold on to these people. To echo the wise advice of Dr. Murray, it’s not such a bad idea to have a “failure friend.” In addition, figure out the things that keep you well and set aside time in your day to make them happen. Whether it be yoga, rock climbing, running, swimming, innertube water polo, Dragonboating, reading, or your dog, don’t let these things fall to the wayside when life gets busy. It’s also a good idea to step back from time to time and actually ask yourself whether or not you feel well. If you do, reflect on the things that are helping to keep you well, because this way you’ll know what to fall upon in the future. If you don’t feel well, you should actively work to change that -- recognizing when you are beginning to burn out and nipping it in the bud is key. Do you need a vacation? (You probably do.) Use every single one of your vacation, education, and lieu days. Get good sleep. Above all, remember this: you had a hard day today because medicine is hard, not because you are bad doctor. Dear QMR,
How did you navigate residency with respect to matching to a specific city/school? Sincerely, How do I CaRMs Dear How, Ahh, the wonderful black box that is CaRMs …how lovely. Before we get started, there are few things that you need to know about the CaRMS process: #1: Whether it takes you two years, five years, or fifteen years after medical school- you will be a doctor, and you will be okay. #2: You will know people who go unmatched. If you are comfortable with it, reach out to them to make sure that they are doing alright. In your time of celebration, they may need you the most. With that aside… There is no rulebook for CaRMS. Every school and every specialty evaluates candidates differently. By the time CaRMS rolls around, you will have shortlisted a single specialty, or a few specialties, that you would be happy matching to. The fact of the matter is that all QMed grads have the capability to do exceedingly well in a number of specialties. You need to ask yourself what the most important thing to you is. Most times, people take some sort of combination of “geography-centric” and “specialty-centric” approach to the rank order list. If you would only be happy in one specific specialty, you need to accept that you may need to spend many years away from the people and places you love to train in that specialty. If you care most about being in a specific place, then the first thing that you should do is secure an elective at schools in that place. You are more likely to be favourably ranked if the program knows you personally and has worked with you in the past. If you have a connection to the place, you should consider including that information in the personal letter that you write to the program, and also consider discussing it in your interview. That said, do not fret if you are unable to get an elective at that school; schools typically also keep track of people who have applied for electives, even if they do not actually obtain them. I also have colleagues who have done related electives at the school, and met with the program directors of the program that they are interested in, to at least put a face to a name. At the end of the day, there are no rules and there are no rulebooks. Most of the time, your gut will be right. For more on this topic, check out the CMAJ Podcast episode with Dr. Jillian Horton from Jan 4, 2019. Sincerely, I got 99 problems but CaRMS ain’t one Dear QMR,
Medical school is a short and sweet journey. Medical school debt, on the other hand, is longer, and much less sweet. Does the debt ever become less anxiety-inducing? Were CaRMS expenses as astronomical as everyone makes them out to be? I'm not quite yet at the point where I'm pinching pennies, but as someone who relies solely on my LOC to support me, I prohibit myself from enjoying lots of activities because of my fears of debt. For example, I feel compelled to spend my last summer of pre-clerkship working, whereas I wish I could be travelling or doing something more fun. Do you have any advice for me? Sincerely, $trapped for Cash Dear $trapped, Your first sentence says it all. Medical school is short and sweet. You want to squeeze all of the experiences out of this unique time in your life, because let’s face it, when you become a resident, and you’re doing 24hr call (yes, even you family gunners, prepare for off-service), you’re going to wish you accumulated exciting memories instead of working to stash cash under your mattress. I know thinking about debt can be overwhelming, but let’s put it in perspective. The average medical student graduates with roughly $160,000 in debt (or if you’re like me closer to $300k, but who’s counting?). The average take-home pay for a doctor in Ontario is $150,000 a year, or $12,500 a month. Let’s say you have $200k on your LoC, if future-you diligently pays $4000 monthly to said LOC, you can pay if off in 4-5 years. With some quick math, one can see $8500 is left for everything else that is life, and that doesn’t include the potential second income from a partner. Looking more manageable? Now picture yourself working as a lab tech this summer, $20/hr. You’re feeling good, but then you realize, your earning potential is 1/5 of doctor-you. At this point, $10,000 takes 500 hours to make, instead of 100 as an attending. What might take a few months will soon take only a few weeks. Your time is better invested making memories and relationships you’ll cherish for a lifetime. So, splurge on that bottle at Stages, go on that dream trip to South East Asia this summer, get extra guac on your burrito. You’ve got upwards of 30 years to pay off your debt, thank future-you for taking on that burden, and do something fun with what little free time you have left. Sincerely, In Debt We Trust Dear QMR,
Why is QMed so cliquey? Sincerely, Cady Heron Dear Cady, Oh, the classic cliques. You would think after leaving high school people would collectively start to grow out of this habit. However, it is not necessarily ill-intended, as it is also human nature to feel secure in a select group of people you know you can be included with. As a wise second-year, I can tell you that the “cliques” will always have some framework in class, but the “cliquey-ness” starts to become more fluid. The more you are exposed to different small groups and participate in different events, the more opportunity you will have to meeting new people. Also, everyone will calm down from the initial first year hype and people will start to open up more. That being said, be the change you want to see in QMed. If you want to see less cliquey-ness, host a social event that includes many people, such as a dinner party or a games night. Put yourself out there, don’t be worried to step out of your comfort zone to explore other friendships, and help advocate within your class to encourage the whole group to be more inclusive. Good luck! Tina Fey Dear QMR,
How do I get a medical school boyfriend/girlfriend? Sincerely, Hopeless Romantic Dear Hopeless, The question isn’t, “How do I get a medical school partner?” but, “Do I even want a partner in medicine?” There are both advantages and disadvantages to this, and you need to think about what you want. If your partner is in medicine, you can share the highs and lows of your work life with someone who truly understands the nuance of the profession, and this can provide an incredible support. At the same time, you will both be working in demanding professions, and it can be challenging to co-ordinate working in the same location, child care, vacation, and others. Below is a tried-and-true recipe for finding a medical school significant other. Proceed with caution, for with great power comes great responsibility: Step 1: Make the decision and tell all of your friends and classmates that you would never date someone in medicine. Step 2: Create an online dating profile (Tinder, Bumble, Grindr, whatever floats your boat) that not-so-subtly indicate you are in medicine. A photo of in you with your stethoscope, or looking extra cute in your scrubs, is perfect. Step 3: DO NOT swipe right on any QMed interests when using aforementioned dating apps. You want your crush to know you are single and available, but still play hard to get. Step 4: When your crush mentions seeing you in an online dating app, joke about how hard it is to meet people outside of medicine. Step 5: Try to get closer to your crush: Start an interest group, Join MedsHouse, bribe Dr. Sanfilippo to putting you in an SGL with your crush. Do whatever it takes. Step 6: If somehow, the above steps don’t work, just go to the MedLaw mingler and settle for a lawyer. Good luck, Here’s Looking At You, Kid |
Thank you!Thank you to all our contributors to this column. All advice and opinions belong to our QMR contributors and do not reflect the opinions of the Queen’s Medical Review.
If you don’t see your question here, look for your question in our next issue. Questions and answers may have been edited for length or clarity. Categories |
