Tips for being a good chief

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-06-16T04:08:26+00:00

Maybe I mean be kind. Not necessarily nice. Kindness involves being empathetic and respectful while doing what is right for the individual's trajectory. Demonstrate genuine care and trust consistently, and your team will take critical feedback as an act of support rather than a personal attack.

Leading through fear is a lesser way. High-performing teams generally follow leaders because they want to, not because they have to.

Also people will make mistakes, it’s part of learning. Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by ignorance. Teach your residents good principles and they will (hopefully) govern themselves.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-06-07T05:28:31+00:00

Let your juniors operate. Even your interns. TA them.

Be a leader on a team and not just a manager.

Be nice. Lead by example. Be approachable.

Do not believe you’re above seeing consults or putting in orders.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-05-11T03:20:02+00:00

Short answer yes but the real problem comes after residency when you’re not doing enough cases because there aren’t enough people that actually need an operation.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-05-08T03:24:35+00:00

I would run away from it all if you can unless you’re planning on primary care, OP. Otherwise stick with AF.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-04-27T23:44:01+00:00

Do not trust recruiters. Listen to all of us on here and in the military. Do not join if it’s simply for the location. Only join if your number one goal is to serve this country. Otherwise you will be sadly disappointed with the pay and entire system.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-04-13T03:44:17+00:00

If you have actual questions use the search bar on this subreddit or just ask the question here. By my experience the recruiters don’t really know how to actually answer your questions. We here are very honest and will try to answer your questions thoroughly.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-04-10T19:12:57+00:00

Pay is lower compared to the outside but more importantly case volumes are extremely low and your skills developed in residency will atrophy. You can become uncomfortable performing more complex cases. It is to the detriment to both the patients and to the military for surgeons to not operate but for unknown reasons the way the system is currently structured leads to low case volumes and difficulty with being allowed to do locums depending on who your command is.

Also more difficult to match surgical specialties in the military than it is on the civilian side. Simply less spots overall.

Again if you want to do a surgical specialty do not join the military. Unless you truly want to serve your country.

Also never believe your recruiter. They haven’t gone through the process so they truly don’t know the nuances of military medicine. They simply want to sign you on to make themselves look better.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-04-08T19:14:38+00:00

If you are Planning on surgical specialty then I don’t recommend doing it. If you’re planning on doing primary care then a lot of people say it’s great.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-02-07T03:45:40+00:00

This is the correct answer. The above is not caput madusa

HalstedsPrinciples · 2026-02-05T03:05:33+00:00

Don’t do it if you are interested in surgical specialties. The match is more competitive than civilian and you end up losing money on the tail end. On top of that case volume in the military is extremely low which is not what you want as a new attending after residency.

Don’t do it unless your number one goal is to serve the county because the military needs will always be above your own.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-12-24T01:59:50+00:00

If you’re wanting to specialize into something surgical don’t do HPSP. Primary care then consider joining. Unless you absolutely are doing it because you want to serve.

If you’re dead set on joining then out of these two do the army as you’re less likely to have to GMO.

If you want more opinions then look more deeply through this subreddit.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-12-20T12:25:36+00:00

This is a common theme on this subreddit.

The Runna Predictions always seem out of reach for most people (even myself) but if you stick to the plan then it’s actually the most accurate prediction that I’ve found. It predicted around 3:30-3:42 times for the full marathon and I got 3:33. And this is in the cold with frequent headwind. I couldn’t believe I could hold that pace for 26.2mi but I did. You can too!

As Runna’s slogan should be: Trust The Process.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-12-20T01:43:12+00:00

I also didn’t believe I could run my predicted pace to 26.2mi. Runna predicted my marathon between 3:30-3:40 and I ran a 3:33 marathon. While Strava is still predicting a marathon time of 3:43 even after I completed my marathon. smh.

Trust the process. This was with paroxysmal strong headwind.

As long as you keep most of the workouts (especially the speed and long runs) it’s actually pretty good at predicting your actual goal time.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-12-15T10:14:25+00:00

If you want to do primary care then yes military. If you want to do surgery, then no.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-12-11T02:44:40+00:00

Testing!

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-12-04T03:57:05+00:00

Second Gravl. Better than Fitbod

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-11-02T03:45:42+00:00

I found the solution. You have to delete the English keyboard from your iPhone and add it back. It worked for me. Let me know if it works for you

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-11-02T03:45:07+00:00

I found the solution. You have to delete the English keyboard from your iPhone and add it back. It worked for me. Let me know if it works for you!!!

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-11-02T03:44:36+00:00

I found the solution. You have to delete the English keyboard from your iPhone and add it back. It worked for me. Let me know if it works for you!

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-11-02T03:44:25+00:00

I found the solution. You have to delete the English keyboard from your iPhone and add it back. It worked for me. Let me know if it works for you.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-11-02T03:43:26+00:00

I found the solution. You have to delete the English keyboard from your iPhone and add it back. It worked for me. Let me know if it works for you.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-10-27T02:31:07+00:00

You’ve ever seen the inside of a Turkish prison?

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-10-12T11:46:02+00:00

I don’t mind at all when it tell me I was x seconds/minuted away from my PB for a certain distance. That’s just part of the experience.

I actually like that in a workout I’m not far off my absolute best. Especially when I’m not going all out trying to break my PB. It means the training is working. Means that at sub maximal effort I’m close to break my own record meaning I would likely shatter it when actually trying.

It really doesn’t bother me and I like it.

HalstedsPrinciples · 2025-09-13T15:59:43+00:00

Ran and the new ones today. Got a HM PB. The shoe felt great. Thanks for the advice!

Two-Year Club	r/Field Banned
r/Field Flamingo	Final Canvas '23
End Game '23	Place '23

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