...*Okay, so maybe the part of the dead animal isn't really related. I just wanted to point out to y'all that there is part of a dead animal in my parking spot. The hindquarters part...
I Proudly Present: The State of the Residency Address. Because, yes, my life is that important. After all, you're reading about it, right?
Lacking an adequate structure involving things like The Judiciary Branch, The Legislative Branch and The Executive Branch, I will choose to return to my good ol' college days and present the State of the Residency in the structure of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. I'm obviously referring to the Psychology part of undergrad, not the chemistry part. Stoichiometry doesn't lend itself easily to descriptive analyses. But look! I do have visual aids - well, visual aid, anyway:
Some time ago, I passed the crucial halfway mark of my first year of residency. Not crucial in any appreciable way, other than the fact that I am technically on the down slope. Of this year, anyway.
In Maslow's Hierarchy, you can only move up to the next level of the pyramid if all of the needs on the level below are being met. So, how am I faring? What has my life become?
First, in the Phsyiological Needs part of my life:
1. Breathing - check.
2. Food - check. Actually, check-check. I am getting plenty of mighty fine eating this year. I must say Sacramento's edibles are superior to Winston-Salem's.
3. Water - check. Though not as much as I should. Again, I say: if I were a patient and monitoring my own urine output (but, eww, why would I?), I'd probably immediately start IV fluids and consider starting Lasix.
4. Sex - well... in the sense that I have a sex (aka I check the female box when given the option)
5. Sleep - I'll give this a half check.
6. Homeostasis - i.e. staying warm or cool. Check. But I'm always cool, babe.
7. Excretion - i.e. pooping and peeing. Check and half check (refer to the water need)
Total Physiologic Needs: 6.5/8 plus one extra for food.
Next we turn to Safety Needs:
1. Body - check. The foil hat keeps the alien mind probes at bay. And I do have a lovely apartment, though I am considering taking on a roommate next year. Actually, I'd be taken on - I may move in with a fellow intern.
2. Employment - big fat 60-80 hour a week check. For the next 2.5 years, anyway.
3. Resources - ummmmm.... negative check. Or maybe a dashed check. I have adequate resources now. But in the aforementioned 2.5 years, the check will plummet to the depths of $200,000+ debt. HAHAHAHAHA! That's a big number.
4. Morality - goodness. Check, I think. I hope!
5. Family - check. Though my baby sister just left for Spain *sniff* Those Spaniards better not mess with her!
6. Health - check as far as I know. And I firmly and decisively ignore anything that might suggest otherwise.
7. Property - check. Except for the part-of-a dead-animal under my truck. Perhaps it is emitting some truck-eroding part-of-dead-animal fumes.
Total Safety Needs: 6/7 plus one dash
And now onto the Love/Belonging Needs:
1. Friendship - this would be a slowly growing check. I'm finding the work load to be less than conducive to easy friendship-forming. The old ones are going strong though. They are gold, after all. Or are they the silver ones??
2. Family - definite check. Though they are 598.01 miles away.
3. Sexual Intimacy - sigh. No check.
Total Love/Belonging Needs: 2/3. Still over 50%, so I still think I can move up a tier.
Next to Esteem Needs:
1. Self-Esteem: Check. About half the time anyway. Maybe a third. A quarter?
2. Confidence: Check. Or... maybe I don't deserve a check. Should I check with another resident? How about an attending? I should be able to make up my own mind, right? So... check. Maybe?
3. Achievement: Check. Depending on the patient, the attending, the day and the color of my socks (when they match, that's an achievement)
4. Respect of others: Absolutely check. I respect, admire and otherwise idolize many people in my life.
5. Respect by others: to my face? Check. Behind my back? No clue!
Total Esteem Needs: 0-5/5
And, lastly, the big Kahuna, the thing we all strive for; the tier that many never acheive, and that those who do, rarely live there for long: Self-Actualization Needs. These include Morality, Creativity, Spontaneity, Problem Solving, Lack of Prejudice, and Acceptance of Facts.
Actually, other than my obvious prejudice against dead animals (or parts thereof), I think I spend a good amount of time being Self-Actualized. I think my overall enjoyment - yes, enjoyment - of my job supercedes some of the shortcomings in the lower tiers.
Hmm. That makes me sound like a Career Woman. Like in the 50s, after the War, when there were women and there were Career Women. I don't know that I'm cool with that. But I guess that is what I've signed up for for the next 2.5 (not 3 anymore!) years. Thankfully, it does look as if I am getting most of my needs met.
And if I could just get that part-of-dead-animal moved, I'd be Self-Actualizing all over the place.
