Lutul D Farrow MD Assistant Professor Cleveland Clinic

Lutul D. Farrow, MD Assistant Professor Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University

Talking Points • Who am I? • What is Residency? • Choosing a field. • Residency requirements. • Pro and Cons. • Lifestyle demands.

My Story • BWU ‘ 98 • CWRU SOM ‘ 02 • Why my residency choice? • Fellowship • Current Position • Clinician • Researcher • Team Physician

Residency Defined Stage of graduate medical education • ON THE JOB TRAINING • • MD or DO REQUIRED • “Required” for independent practice • History • Terminology • • House officer House staff Intern/internship Resident

Getting Into Residency • Finish medical school! • USMLE exams • No, you are not done taking tests after MCAT

Success Tips • Work hard • Play hard • Find a Mentor • Diversify • Research • Volunteer • Have Fun

Choosing a field • Do well in medical school! • Explore all options. • What fits your personality? • Mentors • Past experiences • MATCH DAY!

Choices • Nonsurgical • • Primary care: Medicine, FP, Pediatrics, OB/Gyn, Med-Peds Other: Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology, Pathology, Dermatology, Radiation. Oncology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology, etc • Surgical • Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, ENT, etc

Time Commitment • Primary care • Generally 3 years • OB/GYN • Generally 4 years • Surgical fields • Generally 5 – 7+ years • Others • ED – 3 or 4 years • Pathology – 4 years

Pros and Cons • IMHO! • Surgery vs Non-surgical • One person’s Pro is another person’s Con • Don’t let sterotypes determine what you do!

Lifestyle Demands • Depends on specialty • IT’S ALL RELATIVE • 5 of the best years of my life • 5 of the worst years of my wife’s life! • • • Life is better now • • • Physical demands Mental demands Demands on those around you! 80 – hour work week A day in the life

A day in the life 5: 30 am – morning rounds 7: 00 am – Didactic lectures 8: 00 am – 5 pm – Surgery or clinic Home • • • More studying, research, writing papers, preparing presentations Sleep “On Call” • • • Overnight stay in the hospital One of the most grueling/enjoyable experiences of my life

Recommended viewing • 1991 So You Want to be a Doctor • 1995 M. D. : The Making of a Doctor • 2001 Survivor, M. D. • 2009 Doctor’ Diaries