I just graduated from medical school, and my new hospital has some very strange rules

I just graduated medical school last week. I did it. I’m a doctor now. <br><br>It’s a hell of an accomplishment, but I’m not into celebrating. After eight years, I’m pretty broke and the idea of going out and drinking with my classmates for a weekend and then hitting the job running on Monday doesn’t really appeal to me. I’m actually a caffeine addict, so maybe I’ll just go get a coffee on Saturday and call it a day. <br><br>But I’m excited. I’m nervous, but excited. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, and I finally am one. <br><br>I start on Monday. My wife and I are moving to a new state, so I’ve never actually seen the hospital. I was told it was a great opportunity for a new doctor like myself, not a lot of competition, so I could work there for a few years and then maybe get a job at a more prominent hospital in an area I’d like to live in. <br><br>But I’ve heard great things, especially about the staff and management. Apparently they’re very careful to prevent burnout, and they’re very understanding that the doctors have lives outside the hospital. I’m excited for it. <br><br>So I emailed them yesterday, just to see if there was anything I needed to do before starting. Maybe they would want me to read something, or watch some videos, or buy something. <br><br>They emailed me back almost immediately, and they did have a few things they wanted me to read. I’m guessing it was an automated reply, but I didn’t check too hard. <br><br>Most of it was what I expected. A bunch of different ways they prevent burnout, the staff I’ll be meeting on Monday, a basic job description. I already knew most of it, but it was good to have a refresher. <br><br>At the very bottom of the email, there were five rules listed in a single paragraph. <br><br>*No one is allowed in the hospital except for staff, patients, and patient guardians. This is for your safety as well as ours.* <br><br>*Do not give families any information you do not actually know. Guessing or giving your opinion can lead to serious problems, so just stick to what you’re sure of.*<br><br>*Do not enter any rooms that you are not specifically using for patients.*<br><br>*If a patient asks for you specifically, you absolutely must find time to see them.*<br><br>*Do not go into the basement.* <br><br>I’m not sure what to make of most of them. <br><br>I can see why they wouldn’t want untrained staff giving families unsubstantiated information. That sounds like a good way to create unnecessary panic and maybe even a lawsuit. I also get the rooms thing, you don’t want to accidentally walk in on someone mid-surgery because you were looking for a bathroom. <br><br>But I’m a little worried about the patients asking for me part. I know I’m new, so they’re not going to give me the hard jobs or the patients that need a lot of attention, but I’m still going to be busy. If a patient wants me to come read them a bedtime story or something, I can’t just put everything else on hold to accommodate them. <br><br>I’m also a little puzzled about why they don’t allow guardians. I know sometimes they can get in the way, but it also maintains trust and lets the patients feel more comfortable. Particularly with children, the parents are often a lot more helpful than you might think. But it’s probably best not to question this too much, I don’t want to make a bad impression on the first day. <br><br>As for the basement thing, I can’t see why anyone would even want to go there. I’ve never spent much time in a hospital basement, but usually it’s just where the laundry folks do their job or maybe where you’ll find the disused x-ray machine from the 80s or something. I’m not really sure why they need to specify that we can’t go down there. <br><br>Overall, I don’t really have any problems with these rules. They’re all pretty reasonable, and I can’t see why any of them would be a problem. <br><br>I’m going to be a doctor.