Resident Physician

You survived med school. Congratulations — now comes the hard part. You'll work 60-80 hour weeks for pay that, when divided by hours worked, is less than minimum wage. You'll make life-and-death decisions at 3 AM on four hours of sleep, and an attending will review your work and tell you everything you missed. It's brutal, transformative, and the only way to become a real doctor.

Learn the skills

Courses and certifications to get you job-ready

What you'll actually do

• 01Round on patients at 5 AM so you can present to the attending by 7 AM
• 02Write admission notes, progress notes, and discharge summaries until your hands cramp
• 03Get grilled by attendings during teaching rounds — a daily exercise in public humility
• 04Manage a patient panel that grows faster than your ability to keep up
• 05Perform procedures under supervision — hands shaking optional but common
• 06Study for board exams in whatever free time you have (spoiler: you don't have any)
• 07Calculate your hourly wage and immediately wish you hadn't

Career Path

Where this role sits in the bigger picture — and where it can take you.