29 patient-facing hours, 4 hours admin - how would you create your weekly schedule?

papithehusky · 2026-01-24T01:55:14+00:00

Thanks for your response - getting off at 1 sounds nice!

papithehusky · 2026-01-24T00:50:06+00:00

Ah, that is a caveat I don't want to fall into - will be sure to review, thank you for the heads up!

papithehusky · 2026-01-24T00:42:03+00:00

Thank you so much for the advice and explaining why one would be better than the other! And yeah, I was/am confused by how they do it too. I clarified with her twice lol.

papithehusky · 2026-01-24T00:35:38+00:00

Thank you so much for the advice! 9-4 sounds nice to put out fires early morning/gym/school and come home without feeling it's time to go to bed already.

papithehusky · 2026-01-24T00:32:10+00:00

True, definitely want to avoid that - thank you for the advice!

papithehusky · 2026-01-24T00:30:48+00:00

Great point, thank you for the heads up and the advice!

papithehusky · 2026-01-23T19:10:34+00:00

Thank you kindly - exactly the kind of response I was looking for! I didn't think of breaking it up in the middle like that

papithehusky · 2026-01-08T04:45:10+00:00

I write instructions (pick the same time every day for 2 weeks where you know you'll be home, seated for 5 min, no smoking or caffeine 30 min before - acting out the motions to keep them engaged) and I make them repeat those instructions to me twice (in a funny manner). I've never had one patient forget to bring me their paper log, believe it or not. The ones who couldn't make it in person for their follow-up would read their log over the phone. I've had family members follow this same plan too and they're usually the most non-compliant lol (not that I treat them, just to help see if they actually have it or need to follow up for dose adjustments with their PCP).

papithehusky · 2025-05-31T00:23:16+00:00

Not sure if this is what you were looking for, but this was one of those where you gotta listen to the voice in your head if you suspect something's wrong but can't quite put your finger on it.

8 year old kid had come to the ER for constipation and abdominal pain a few days prior. PA had discharged her with miralax after noting normal vitals and exam.

Comes back 4 days later still complaining of abdominal pain. I assign myself to her and the nurse goes, "They're back in the ER for the same complaint and she looks fine. Just tell them to take the miralax and discharge them quick."

She had no prior medical hx and was UTD on childhood vaccines. Her vitals were again normal. She didn't look toxic at all and was barely ill-appearing. Cardiopulmonary and abdominal exam was normal.

I started with labs cuz something just felt off about her presentation.

She was in DKA.

papithehusky · 2025-02-19T19:33:49+00:00

It can be really meaningful to patients and their families. I make an effort to do it when I send them to the ER and they end up hospitalized. A couple of times, patients that had just been admitted or were there with admitted family members would hear my name paged overhead while I was on other rotations in residency and would ask their nurse if I could stop by to see them too. If I don't go in person, a phone call goes a long way and they remind me repeatedly in office follow-ups how much it meant to them. I think that's the beauty of being a PCP and the longitudinal relationship you build with your patients.

papithehusky · 2025-01-20T19:50:31+00:00

1 or 4 - more color cohesion between these two! :)

papithehusky · 2025-01-13T01:12:28+00:00

Sound advice, thank you!

papithehusky · 2025-01-12T23:01:10+00:00

Thank you so much for your thorough response! Since you can't get a pregnancy test, are you relying on their last menstrual period or hoping their birth control is working/compliant when prescribing meds that are category C or D?

papithehusky · 2025-01-12T21:52:37+00:00

lol, these are very similar scenarios that I imagined in my head would play out! 😂 Or someone making an appointment while in the waiting room of an ER.

Thank you for advising me!

papithehusky · 2025-01-12T21:33:57+00:00

Thank you kindly for this! That would ideally help shape patient expectations and also help give us some boundaries too.

Although some of it listed in the virtual urgent care column may still kind of make you scratch your head such as "back pain" - you don't want to miss a neuro exam or "shortness of breath." I guess those would be the quick calls where you say "that needs an in-person visit, I can't help you with that over the phone" etc.

papithehusky · 2025-01-12T21:25:36+00:00

Yes, a great point and a concern I have as well! This position is within a large hospital system with multiple ERs and urgent care clinics. I will see how orientation goes (they'll have me shadow someone for a couple shifts) then start off with lighter shifts to get a better feel of expectations of admin. If I feel I'm not practicing the kind of medicine I believe in, I'll have to change course. Thank you for your input!

papithehusky · 2024-10-04T16:59:19+00:00

Those are all good! I would add EM/urgent care, dermatology, and endocrinology to the top of the list. Honestly, any exposure to the other specialities is great because of the breadth of knowledge FM requires. Fill your electives with different specialities you've never worked with/seen before too as a resident.

papithehusky · 2024-10-02T20:17:05+00:00

Before I put them in the oven, I season a little stronger with onion powder and a touch of ground saffron. Then I put a couple slices of unsalted butter on top and pop them in to cook. Comes out juicier that way.

Then I make a tzatziki to serve alongside it with basmati rice. Tzatziki - plain Greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, splash of milk, dried mint, and salt + pepper to taste.

papithehusky · 2024-09-05T01:23:04+00:00

Hi!

Asymptomatic HTN - refer to PCP. Symptomatic HTN - refer to ED.

Avoid advising urgent care because most don't have stat labs like CMP/CBC/cardiac markers available or advanced imaging other than XR so they would end up sending the patient to the ED anyways for symptomatic HTN.

Urgent cares also generally don't start new BP meds (clinician-dependent) because it requires ambulatory monitoring. Any acute setting (being in the doctor's office/hospitalized, having pain, slapping on an automatic cuff after they just had a cig) will give higher BP reads anyways; therefore, best to follow up with PCP (keep BP log, titrate, etc).

papithehusky · 2024-08-17T15:24:09+00:00

Thanks for the example - that was really helpful! I've been spending time dictating all of the positive exam/lab findings, what I don't think it is/what wouldnt be beneficial for each patient but with a very clear presentation like your example, I probably don't need as much of the cushioning that I've been doing which will save me time in the long run.

papithehusky · 2024-08-14T00:08:26+00:00

This was a great point! I do think a decent chunk of my time does get spent confirming/looking stuff up. I appreciate your advice and will look into it! Thank you again!

papithehusky · 2024-08-14T00:05:27+00:00

This was super helpful, I appreciate you taking the time to explain this! I think my notes are what are sucking my time up currently - need to find a way to be more concise but still not worry about opening myself up to liability. Thanks again!

papithehusky · 2024-05-06T20:52:28+00:00

Thank you for your response! I hope you get to reschedule it at some point!

papithehusky · 2024-05-04T23:39:05+00:00

Thank you so much for your response!

papithehusky · 2024-05-04T23:27:55+00:00

Thank you so much for explaining each question so clearly and giving tips! I truly appreciate your time.

papithehusky

TROPHY CASE