Hi everyone,
I spent yesterday submerged in spreadsheet purgatory: 34 columns and 478 rows, interrupted by a haircut, a run to the drug store and dry cleaners, a peek at Facebook, a tomato-basil-garlic pizza, and a glass of wine. Otherwise, I stared at the computer, dead to the world. If you didn’t know how the rank list is made, now you know.
Tomorrow, we start Resident Appreciation Week at Yale, so naturally, as I review candidates, I wonder which of them will make us proud the way you do. Which will bring energy and creativity to work? Which have bottomless wells of compassion? Which will question dogma and challenge us to be better doctors? Which will say good-bye to their patients at the end of the day? You have to dig deeply into residency applications to find these virtues, but the evidence is there if you know where to look.
For a moment this morning, I want to turn away from the future to acknowledge how fortunate we are today. If we practice great medicine at Yale, it’s because we have extraordinary residents, right now: trainees who ask big questions, who advocate for the unfortunate, and who value teamwork over solo accomplishment. If we measure up to our mission—to foster community, collaboration, and kindness—it’s because of you, the residents we have today.
As we head into Resident Appreciation Week, I want to thank every one of you for making us proud. We have a fantastic week planned, but no meal, no activity, and no swag* can ever fully capture how much we appreciate you, and how blessed we are to work alongside the most wonderful residents in the world.
Thank you for everything you do,
Mark
*You’ll like the swag.