What makes a resident a great resident?

Ophthalmology is a unique medical and surgical field with a beautiful blend of medicine and surgery. It is often called the “cool branch” because it attracts many potential residents. However, when they accept their residency, they find out just what an astounding amount of work is needed to master the skills in this small-scale field.[1]

Eye surgery is among the most challenging surgical programs, with rigorous hours and high stress levels. But with a lot of dedication, determination, and discipline, one can be a great resident and enjoy the training process. As quoted by Oprah Winfrey, “Doing your best at this moment puts you in the best place for what’s next.”[2]

Most surgical residents admire their excellent attending surgeons, but it is also vital to give back to your team by becoming exemplary residents. Every resident can develop qualities that will transform them into a “GREAT RESIDENT.” These qualities are the same for any outstanding resident, regardless of their subspecialty, and are not limited to surgery. So, here is a useful mnemonic to remember: “RESIDENT.”

R – We are committed to being responsible for your time, money, and our environment.

E – Efficient

S – Skills: Social and technical

I – Independent learning

D – You have to be detail oriented to fulfill the needs of your clients.

E – The easy and effective way to rewrite sentences

N – Negative to positive

T – Teaching and training are often overlooked methods of employee education.

A responsible, trustworthy resident is an absolute prerequisite for any hospital. A key to being a good resident is that they have the maturity and reliability to earn someone’s trust. They need to show responsibility by doing meticulous work, being punctual, and handling their cases appropriately – all of which come from good training and guidance. One of the hallmarks of true responsibility is recognizing when to ask for help in subjects you lack knowledge about. Finally, commitment means owning up to your mistakes and taking ownership of them. A great resident will be mature enough to take on pre-op tasks, but still knows when they need oversight from a senior resident or an attending surgeon.

Residents who work hard with all sincerity and dedication will be titled “ great residents “ indeed. But this is challenging; residents must get an in-depth understanding of in-patient care and face tough challenges in the operating theater and outpatient departments (OPDs). Residents have plenty of opportunities to publish work about patient activity and earn their academic goals. It is also important for residents to learn how to keep time with family, do exercise, and make time for any other activities they enjoy.[3]

To be efficient, you must manage your time wisely. It is always about knowing how much time you have and how you use it. Efficiency is not innate and must be learned over time. However, prioritizing your daily tasks to complete your day’s challenge has been shown to help. Also, new residents tend to feel overwhelmed with the workload, making efficiency a highly important skill for a resident.

To be a successful doctor, it is also essential to have good social skills. Residents need to be friendly and personable to get along and work with everyone in the hospital. Medical professionals like nurses, physical therapists, and social workers often rely on their coworkers to provide patients with the best care. To get hired as a resident, you must demonstrate your skills. This means investing time beyond regular duty hours for wet lab practice and ward/bedside patient examinations – an investment sure to be worth it if you want to get hired.

Independent learners: Learning does not occur passively, but instead requires active participation. Excellent residents are invested in their education, learning from every experience and finding the opportunity to learn something new. Poor residents expect their mentors or supervisors to teach them what they need to know and read just enough to get through the day. At first, self-directed learning seems challenging, but it is a skill critical for physicians at all levels of experience.[4]

Attention to detail is a skill that is necessary not just for residents, but also for those who aspire to be attending physicians. To provide optimal patient care and achieve the best possible surgical outcomes, beginners need to focus on details. Getting used to being detail oriented can also be achieved by reading about cases seen in OPD/operating – room (OR) sites, as well as going through videos of patients planned for the operating theater beforehand. Lastly, assisting with cases during consultation rounds or with more experienced surgeons will work toward developing this skill.

Empathy: A resident should be able to empathize with their patients. This starts during the training period and continues throughout their career. Sometimes, the workload can be overwhelming for a resident. However, they will always need to remember that quality care is more critical than any pressure they face and they should not compromise their empathy toward their patients.

Negative to positive: Despite their best efforts, some residents may sometimes be wrong and will be penalized accordingly. A great resident knows that failures are the stepping stones to success, and he/she will hold on to the mantra, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” A great resident knows that what matters does not lie in reacting all the time negatively; instead, it is about learning from each mistake and negative experience and converting them into positive ones.

Teach and train: “When one teaches, two learn.” Keeping this in mind, a great resident will always try to teach and mentor juniors surgically and clinically. Likewise, seniors must develop leadership and mentorship for their junior counterparts.

What makes someone a great resident varies depending on whom you ask, but experience teaches us that there are certain qualities and practice patterns that those in high performance possess. One must never forget the qualities and habits learned during residency training, which will continue to help for life. The goal of residency programs should be to create an environment with a culture of excellence, so that more residents adopt the traits necessary to be “great.”[5]

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Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.