By spending 5 minutes on meals before leaving for work- you can find a healthy breakfast and prep a healthy lunch. Here are my go - to's. You can find your own. You're smart - get your brain working on what way you can get fruits/veggies/whole grains/protein in for breakfast and lunch in fast manner. Making choice in the morning will help you from choosing a less healthy choice at lunch when you're hungry and suffering from decision fatigue.

Have a joy filled day!  Tonya

Work with me. Learn mo...

Starting in residency and amplified ten-fold as we transition to early career, many physicians realize that close friendships take more intention. Often, we are oblivious to it early in our career as we’re so busy working in a new setting and raising families, but it eventually catches up. Over several years, I eventually connected with some special friends in Florida, especially when my work life wasn’t insane.

After moving from Florida to Alaska (another story for another day), I was profo...

Dr. Aaron Rothstein is a GP in Canada who runs a podcast. He recently had me on to discuss burnout. Listen to more of his podcasts here.

Looking back at the people who taught me throughout residency, a multitude of nurses, residents, faculty, ward clerks, and various techs all taught valuable lessons. I’m not forgetting how integral patients were to my education, but I’ll save them for a future blog.

My very first code was as the medicine intern on night call. When the code pager went off, I ran a short distance to the MICU and entered a room as the only physician.  The nurses looked at me and gave me a quick rundown—a 65-yea...

Many residents cultivate friendships during residency, others cultivate more intimate relationships, and some cultivate their marriage relationships. One thing is certain; personal relationships take more effort during training due to the demanding hours and stress. They also can suffer without that effort. 

One of the most important things my husband and I did during medical school and residency was learn how to carve out time for ourselves as a couple.  I know this is a common thread for a...

My neighbor from my medical school and residency era, text me last week to tell me my old house was on the market.  The whole family linked to the MLS listing to reminisce over the photos. 

Wow! All the memories came flooding back:
We purchased the 1896 historical home near downtown Mobile as medical students - talk about a fixer-upper! My husband, the main renovator and contractor, hired some key craftsmen who cared more about restoration than making money. Over 7 years, during the heart of...

I likely learned constraint earlier in my career than others out of sheer necessity. My husband and I were a 2-resident-physician home with 2 children. Admittedly, I served on some committees and took on recruitment in residency that I didn’t have to, but I enjoyed the experiences, and they weren’t a strain on my time or energy.  At other times, I declined small opportunities even though I enjoyed them because they strained my family time, such as working the sidelines at extra sporting events o...

I was a second-year resident on my pediatric emergency medicine month. I had worked enough shifts to become comfortable with the duties, the nurses, and the attendings. I listened to the attending take a radio call and was told they were “bringing in an 8-year-old who is playing possum,” implying that the child was faking an unresponsive state. 

Though comfortable walking into any room by this point, I still experienced some anxiety while waiting for a patient arriving via ambulance. Not kno...