Brian Elliot: Advice to the brand new fellows

Brian Elliot, Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellow at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, made the following post on X:

“I was asked to give advice to the brand new fellows. I told them two things that are completely obvious but seldom actually done…

1. Please, PLEASE ask people their name and keep a list. I once asked an RT her name and she said I was the second fellow to ever do so. The RTs, nurses, etc are people you interact daily with, get to know them.
2. Ask every single question you can think of early on. How do you plug in the bronch, what do the buttons do, how do you set up your own art line. People tend to think they should know everything as a fellow. Instead, become an expert by learning everything top to bottom.

Those are my two obvious recommendations. I’m curious what other people think are helpful tips for the new fellows and residents.”

Source: Brian Elliot/X