Reflections on PGY-2: Parenthood, Night Shifts, and Growth

I’m approaching the end of my PGY-2 year and figured it’s a good time to reflect—on residency, on life, and how the two continue to blur.

The transition from intern to second year was both challenging and exciting. I went from being a task manager to actually managing patients—thinking critically, making decisions, and feeling a new sense of ownership. You couldn’t pay me to repeat intern year… but PGY-2? I might do it again for the right price.

Of course, this year brought another major change: parenthood. Just four days into PGY-2, my daughter was born. Suddenly, I felt like an intern all over again—no idea what I was doing, running on no sleep, second-guessing everything. But nearly a year later, I think I did okay. Credit where it’s due: Paula, my wife, carried so much of the load. Thank you.

One of the more unexpected parts of the year was watching AI hit clinical medicine in real time. Tools like OpenEvidence and DoximityGPT changed how I practice. Instead of digging through primary literature to answer a PICO question, I can ask OpenEvidence and get a structured, evidence-based answer—often citing JAMA or NEJM directly. It’s not perfect, but it’s streamlined how I learn and make decisions on the fly.

The latter half of the year was tough. My schedule was backloaded—lots of ICU time, lots of nights. And I don’t mind the work, especially when it feels purposeful. But I hit those low points. The “can I really do another night shift?” kind of low. And in those moments, I found myself repeating one thing:

I get paid to solve problems.

Not easy ones. Not always solvable ones. But meaningful ones—where the outcome can change someone’s life. That kind of work is rare. And I’m lucky to do it.

So, PGY-2 flew by. My daughter is almost one. And that old saying holds true: in residency, the days are long, the weeks are short, and the months are even shorter. Add a baby to the mix, and time warps even more. Long days, short weeks, blink-and-it’s-the-next-month.

If you’re heading into PGY-2, here’s what I wish someone told me: The learning curve is steep, but the growth is real. You’ll doubt yourself—often. But you’ll also surprise yourself. Trust your instincts, ask the “dumb” questions, and lean on your colleagues. And when the work gets overwhelming (and it will), remember: you’re not just checking boxes anymore. You’re thinking, leading, solving real problems—and that’s where the fun starts.

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