Scott Alexander reflects on his first year of medical residency, contrasting reality with TV dramas and describing the complexities of hospital care.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander reflects on his first year of medical residency, contrasting his experiences with the expectations set by medical TV dramas and his medical school education. He describes the reality of hospital work as less about solving diagnostic mysteries and more about managing chronic conditions and dealing with an 'avalanche of disasters' that occur when patients enter hospitals. Scott uses analogies like Searle's Chinese Room to illustrate how hospital care often feels like a system where no individual fully understands the whole process. He concludes by noting his transition to psychiatry and expressing appreciation for the wider world of medicine.
Shorter summary