Today a story from a 40-something doctor on the power of just asking.
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When I was in the middle of my residency, I was working so hard. Everyone is beaten down. Residency pretty much sucks. You work 100 hour weeks. So I thought, maybe I will go to vet school instead. And then I thought, I’m going to call the San Francisco Zoo. So I called up the zoo and I said, “I’m an anesthesia resident. If you need an extra pair of hands, I’d be happy to donate my time.” The guy on the phone said, “That’s great, the chimpanzees are due for their bi-annual exams.” They were giving the primates a new drug and I said, “We give it to primates all the time. Human primates.” So I helped anesthetize the chimpanzees and gorillas for their exams. He knew I liked the big cats so he referred me and I helped anesthetize a Bengal Tiger. And all of this was just because I sat down and said. I’ll just call them. The worst thing that can happen is that they say no. I was 25. It would never have happened if I hadn’t just called the zoo. It was just an ask…“I love animals…what can I do”
I ended up staying in med school but it gave me an experience that not only helped me decide that, but also gave me joy and and outlet that helped me stay focused during my residency in a way.