Internship Survival Guide

Guide

Year-one wisdom: efficiency, safety, and wellbeing.

Efficiency

  • Carry a job list — tick as you go
  • Batch jobs by ward / by computer
  • Learn one EMR shortcut a week
  • Pre-fill discharge summaries early

Safety

  • Check allergies + weight before every prescription
  • When unsure, look it up — BNF, app, senior
  • Document everything: date, time, signature, bleep
  • Escalate early — better safe than sorry

Learning

  • Carry a pocket notebook for pearls
  • 5-minute reading per night beats none
  • Attend grand rounds + M&M
  • Ask for feedback after each procedure

Wellbeing

  • Protect sleep on days off
  • Eat real meals — meal-prep weekends
  • Exercise weekly
  • Talk to colleagues — you're not alone
  • Use occupational health / mentorship

Logbook

  • Log procedures the same day
  • Note supervision level + complications
  • Keep reflective entries for portfolio
WardRound

WardRound

Clinical Decisions in Seconds