What does it feel like waking up every day and going into the trenches?
It was long days and tiring, but as a new resident physician it is hard to gauge if it was due to COVID or just a new experience.
How has COVID-19 changed you as a doctor and as a person?
I can't say it's changed me as a doctor because I've only been a doctor during the time of COVID. But it has definitely played a large role in forming the doctor I am today. Personally, I can't say that I've noticed any significant changes, but that question may be better answered by my family.
Did medical school prepare you for COVID-19?
I think medical school provided me with the fundamentals of medicine and critical thinking, but nothing could have fully prepared me for this.
How are you getting through this?
From a medical standpoint I have just been trying to stay as up to date as possible on the information and guidelines coming out. On the personal side of things, it has been helpful to have a great support system of co-residents going through similar experiences, and picking up new hobbies like gardening.
What miracle moments have there been? Or tell us about a patient who gave you hope.
One of the COVID patients I was taking care of took a long time to recover and was hospitalized for a while. The patient struggled with this situation and was frustrated with his new oxygen requirement. He would often talk about how he used to have great lungs and could blow balloon animals. On one of my last days with him before he was able to go home, we walked into his room and it was full of balloons that he had successfully blown up.
How is your family coping?
Some of my family is also in healthcare, which has been helpful because we have shared experiences. In some ways we are lucky because we are able to leave the house and get some socialization at work. For other family members it has been even harder because they experience the stress of the pandemic and quarantine but aren't able to be as social. Plus they have to be around me when I'm not always at my best after a long day.
Has this experience reinforced your decision to be a doctor or made you question it? Can you elaborate?
Granted I am less than a year into residency at this point, but I am still enjoying being a physician and look forward to continued learning and growth in the years to come.
What is the biggest challenge that you currently facing?
Residency and trying to make the most of the time off that I do have.
What are you missing most from your life before COVID-19?
There are a lot of things I miss, but the biggest is probably the ability to be spontaneous. I miss being able to decide last minute to go on a road trip on a long weekend, visit family, or have a get together with friends after work.
What are you learning through this situation that will carry you through life?
One of the biggest things that I am learning and still continuously working on is to be in the moment. For so many patients things have changed in an instant, and so I am trying to do better to appreciate what I have.
— Rebecca Davis, DO, PGY1
Forbes Family Medicine
Allegheny Health Network
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