Common house job mistakes that juniors later regret
Most of the painful lessons are the same across hospitals. Here are the ones that keep coming up when people look back on the year.
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The mistakes that keep repeating
Every batch makes the same set of mistakes. Looking back, most of them are small habits rather than dramatic failures. Here are the ones that still cause the most regret months later.
Not writing things down
You will forget the plan, the pending labs, the relative’s number, and the exact words the registrar used at 2 a.m. A cheap notebook or the notes app on your phone prevents more problems than any textbook. The people who look organised are usually just the ones who write everything the moment they hear it.
Trying to look like you already know
Seniors notice. They trust the person who says “I don’t know, I’ll check and come back” far more than the one who invents an answer. The first few weeks are supposed to feel uncertain. Pretending otherwise only makes the learning slower and the trust thinner.
Ignoring your own basic needs
Skipping meals, never drinking water, and sleeping only after the post-call collapse is how people burn out by month four or five. The job will take everything you give it. Eating one proper meal and protecting a few hours of sleep after a night call is not luxury — it is how you stay functional for the rest of the year.
Getting pulled into every attendant argument
Some families will test every boundary. You do not have to win every discussion. State the plan once clearly, document it, and escalate if the situation becomes unsafe. Spending an hour arguing about a bed or a scan time that you do not control helps no one and leaves you drained for the next patient.
Incomplete handover
The next person on call inherits your unfinished tasks. A short, written list of pending results, sick patients, and outstanding jobs is one of the simplest ways to look reliable and to protect the patients who are still in the unit when you leave.
Not asking for help early enough
The culture sometimes rewards looking busy and independent. In reality the registrars and PGs would rather hear about a problem while it is still small. Calling early is almost always better than calling late with a deteriorated patient.
Read next: House job survival guide · Surviving night duty · Studying for FCPS Part 1 during house job · Clinical guides for the ward: medicine on call and surgery on call.
Frequently asked questions
Do these mistakes actually matter long-term?
Most of them do not appear on any certificate. They do affect how tired you are at the end of the year, how much you learned, and how the people around you remember working with you.
What is the single most useful habit?
Writing everything down the moment you hear it. It sounds trivial until the night you cannot remember whether the potassium was 5.8 or 6.2.
How do I stop arguing with attendants?
Decide in advance that you will explain the plan once, offer to get the senior if needed, and then step away if the conversation becomes circular or aggressive. Your safety and the next patient’s care come first.