Just Say Yes
If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity, but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!
– Richard Branson
“Just Say No” was a prevalent advertising campaign as part of the United States’ war on illegal, recreational drug use. With an already overloaded schedule full of deadlines, most residents would love nothing more than to “just say no” to any additional tasks from preceptors, when given the opportunity. Although it is not advisable to let unfinished projects accumulate, it is important to remember that all of this extra work is actually an incredible opportunity to learn and grow, especially while still in a postgraduate training program. I continuously keep that in mind, and because of that, I am the type of person that always says yes.
I have said yes to many things and, within the hour, have thought, “Why did I do this to myself?” or “I have never done this before. How will I ever figure this out?” Well, the beauty of residency, my friends, is that you are not yet expected to know how to do everything. Residency is designed to allow you to experience all of these confusing moments of uncertainty and to slowly learn how to become an expert in a little bit of everything. Now is the time for you to learn from your mistakes, create countless drafts covered in red ink, and receive copious amounts of feedback. In the end, we will be better clinicians capable of continuous growth and development.
The best way to approach something you have never done is to first overcome your fear and uncertainty. Then, use the arsenal of mentors and resources you have acquired within your residency program. There is always going to be at least one person you can reach out to who has experience in the project you are tackling. When I said yes to writing a case report during my first month of residency, I didn’t have the slightest clue of how to even adequately work up a patient, let alone write a case report and submit it for publication. Yet I didn’t want my inexperience to keep me from an incredible opportunity, and I knew that, with assistance, I would figure it out. The clinical infectious disease pharmacist read through and edited all five of my drafts, and with that support, I was able to accomplish one of my goals – being published in an infectious diseases journal.
Performing meaningful research is another opportunity that many residents don’t take full advantage of. One of my research projects involved evaluating the use of prophylactic antiemetic regimens for patients with multiple myeloma receiving high-dose melphalan before autologous stem cell transplantation. Through my research, I discovered that the regimen we were using in our health care system was not adequate at preventing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in our patients. The oncology pharmacy team and I recommended and implemented a new antiemetic regimen for these patients within a new oncology care plan. Despite my research, I was apprehensive about the regimen I recommended to the health care providers. However, I was overjoyed by the positive changes for our first patient on the new regimen. The patient tolerated his conditioning regimen well and only required one additional rescue antiemetic for nausea. By taking the extra steps of being part of research, I have been able to significantly contribute to patient care within my health care system, which I am very proud to be part of.
Sometimes, I wonder why I keep torturing myself by saying yes to everything. Then I think about how, each time I have said yes to an elective project, I have gained an extremely valuable learning opportunity. Your greatest strength and confidence come from experiences you overcame that you thought you incapable of doing. It may become overwhelming at times, but as long as you persevere and seek guidance, you will get through it. Later, you will look back as a clinical specialist and realize how all of these struggling experiences shaped you into a valuable team member and asset to any health care system. Remember, just say yes!
About the Author: Nicole Ianniello is a first-year pharmacy resident at Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines, Florida. She received her Pharm.D. degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2019. Her professional interests include hematology/oncology, infectious disease, and transplantation. She will continue her residency as a second-year oncology pharmacy resident at the Memorial Cancer Institute. Her interests outside pharmacy include playing music, exercising, and spending time with her family.