Residency Training: The Tour de France of Medical Education

I’ve spent the past 17 days waking up at 6 AM to change diapers and watch the Tour de France. If you haven’t seen it, the Tour de France is a grueling 21-day race covering over a thousand miles of roads and mountains. Watching these athletes is truly impressive.

There are different ways you can “win” in the Tour de France:

• Yellow Jersey (General Classification): Awarded to the rider with the fastest overall time across all race stages.

• Green Jersey (Sprint Classification): Given to the rider who earns the most points in sprint sections of the race, which are usually flat and fast.

• Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountain): Won by the rider who collects the most points in mountain stages, awarded to the best climber.

As I watch the sprinters and mountain climbers fight for these jerseys, I can’t help but think about residency.

You see, these riders aren’t going all-out the whole race. They’re relaxed for most of it. But when a sprint or mountain section approaches in a stage, they “turn on,” get in the zone, and push themselves to their limits for those crucial moments. Once the section is done, they return to a more relaxed state, repeating this cycle throughout the Tour.

Residency is similar. You’re not necessarily “on” the whole shift. Most of the time, you’re working up patients, placing orders, and going through your routine. However, there are moments when you immediately switch to “on” mode for a critical patient. You rush to the bedside, manage the situation, and make quick, crucial decisions. Once the patient is stabilized, you return to a more relaxed state. A few hours later, another emergency might require you to switch back to “on” mode. This cycle happens every day.

Unlike the Tour de France, where the reward is a cool jersey, in residency, your reward is the gratification of saving a patient from deteriorating further. It’s a long journey, much like the Tour, with moments requiring intense focus and energy and others where you can catch your breath.

RESIDENCY REFLECTIONS ARCHIVE

Reflections on my medical training, capturing the nuances and human connections that define our profession, going beyond the science.

In my previous Residency Reflections article, I discussed the fleeting nature of patient memories for physicians, the impact of our care on patients and their families, and the importance of reflecting on the art of medicine beyond its scientific aspects.

Read it here 👉️The Forgotten Faces: Reflections on Patient Care and the Art of Medicine

Huddle+ members can access additional weekly and monthly newsletters and a new educational platform, Huddle University.

Browse some of the content 👇️