Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

4 Beatles playlists for your residency emotions

Maureen Miller, MD, MPH
Physician
July 20, 2019
Share
Tweet
Share

I recently graduated from residency and fellowship. The last week in-house was a second adolescence. My moods have been up and down. I’d giddily return a parking pass, then surrender IT access in tears. No one could feel this — my — moment as deeply, specifically, or correctly as I could. What word is there for that? There’s song.

Influenced by the new film Yesterday, I melodramatically equated my break-up with the bedside to that of the Beatles. Those guys never put a name on their grief, either, only in their songs. They weren’t happy, sad, angry, relieved, grateful, but them all at once. Their feelings about ending don’t go down as easy as “and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Paul McCartney compared it to an army sent home singing Sammy Fain’s “Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine).” As John Lennon spun the same sentiment, remixing himself with Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti,” “And now my life has changed in oh so many ways, a womp-bomp-a-loom-bomp, she-bop bam boom.”

In The Beatles Anthology (1996), each Beatle captured a range of emotions about intimate group work in intense conditions. They offered advice about teamwork and self-care. What they describe resonates with my experiences of clinical chaos as a resident and fellow. For copyright reasons, the documentary is hard to find online. I took quotes from Goodreads.com.

To begin each excerpt, I summarize what they said with a principle of dialectical behavioral therapy, which is popular among doctors I know and may never have caught on without the Beatles’ earlier popularization of Eastern philosophy. Then, after each excerpt, I prescribe a playlist of songs that narrate emotions residents all experience in themselves or patients on shifts. Not all are happy or lovey-dovey, and few are my personal favorites, but such is residency. Such is life.

1. Observe your emotions, cultivate understanding of them, regulate accordingly (Ringo Starr)

“I do get emotional when I think back about those times. My make-up is emotional. I’m an emotional human being. I’m very sensitive, and it took me till I was 48 t to realize that was the problem!”

Rx: “I Wanna Be Your Man,” “Honey Don’t,” “Act Naturally,” “With A Little Help From My Friends,” “Don’t Pass Me By,” “Good Night,” “It Don’t Come Easy,” “Daybreak” by Harry Nilsson, featuring Ringo Starr

2. Be mindful of your emotions and physical reactions (George Harrison)

“What I thought of the [John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Two Virgins” album] sleeve then was the same as I think now: it’s just two not-very-nice looking bodies, two flabby bodies naked. It’s harmless, really — different strokes for different folks.”

Rx: “Taxman,” “Within You Without You,” “The Inner Light,” “All Things Must Pass,” “Let It Down,” “Got My Mind Set On You” “What is Life” “My Sweet Lord” “I Me Mine” “I Want To Tell You” “I Need You” “It’s All Too Much”

3. Build distress tolerance (Paul McCartney)

“George would perhaps be in his Ferrari — he was quite a fast driver — and John and I would be following in his big Rolls Royce or the Princess. John had a mike in the Rolls with a loudspeaker outside, and he’d be shouting to George in the front: ‘It is foolish to resist, it is foolish to resist! Pull over!’ It was insane. All the lights would go on in the houses as we went past—it must have freaked everybody out.”

Rx: “From Me To You,” “Baby’s In Black,” “I’ll Follow the Sun,” “I’m Down,” “Paperback Writer,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “For No One,” “A World Without Love” (for Peter and Gordon), “She’s Leaving Home,” “Hey Jude,” “Goodbye” (for Mary Hopkin), “Hello Goodbye,” “Helter Skelter,” “All Together Now,” “Live and Let Die”

ADVERTISEMENT

4. Practice radical acceptance (John Lennon)

“It takes a lot to live with for four people over and over for years and years, which is what we did. And we called each other every name under the sun, we got to blows, we’ve been through the whole damn show. We know where we’re at —we still do. We’ve been through the mill together for more than 10 years, ya know? We’ve been through our therapy together many times, ya know?”

Rx: “Ask Me Why,” “Misery,” “You Can’t Do That,” “I Should’ve Known Better,” “I Feel Fine,” “No Reply,” “I’m A Loser,” “Help!” “Nowhere Man,” “Doctor Robert,” “A Day in the Life,” “Baby You’re A Rich Man,” “Revolution 1, “Don’t Let Me Down” “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number),” “Hey Bulldog,” “Isolation,” “Well Well Well,” “Instant Karma,” “Mind Games,” “Free As A Bird”

Maureen Miller is a transfusion medicine pathologist and epidemiologist. 

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

MKSAP: 38-year-old woman with fever and flank pain

July 20, 2019 Kevin 0
…
Next

Why doctors should never practice self-primary care

July 20, 2019 Kevin 5
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine, Practice Management

Post navigation

< Previous Post
MKSAP: 38-year-old woman with fever and flank pain
Next Post >
Why doctors should never practice self-primary care

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Maureen Miller, MD, MPH

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Why EMRs will not placate technology-hungry medical students

    Maureen Miller, MD, MPH
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Medical students: How to survive the 21st century medical school

    Maureen Miller, MD, MPH

Related Posts

  • Residency training, and training in residency

    Michelle Meyer, MD
  • Why residency applications need to change

    Sean Kiesel, DO, MBA
  • Let’s talk residency: COVID edition

    Angela Awad and Catherine Tawfik
  • 5 ways to transition to residency

    Stephanie Wellington, MD
  • The rewarding and grueling process of residency application

    Akhilesh Pathipati, MD
  • Best practices in virtual residency interviewing

    Madhumitha Rajagopal and Jaclyn Yamada

More in Physician

  • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

    Patrick Hudson, MD
  • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

    Howard Smith, MD
  • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

    Kara Pepper, MD
  • How doctors took back control from hospital executives

    Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD
  • How art and science fueled one woman’s path to medicine

    Amy Avakian, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • What the research really says about infrared saunas

      Khushali Jhaveri, MD | Conditions
    • How the cycle of rage is affecting physicians—and how to break free

      Alexandra M.P. Brito, MD and Jennifer L. Hartwell, MD | Conditions
    • Why ADHD in adults is often missed—and why it matters [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • What the research really says about infrared saunas

      Khushali Jhaveri, MD | Conditions
    • How the cycle of rage is affecting physicians—and how to break free

      Alexandra M.P. Brito, MD and Jennifer L. Hartwell, MD | Conditions
    • Why ADHD in adults is often missed—and why it matters [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...