u/KhmerFirstGen

Started as an MA 2 months ago thinking I’d get proper training and support, but it’s basically been sink or swim from day two. Shadowed one day, then thrown into full workflow like I’ve been there for a while. Half the time I’m figuring things out on the fly, and when I mess up or don’t know something, people get annoyed instead of actually helping.

What makes it worse is the volume. We’re doing ~50–60 surgeries a day (ophthalmology), and I’m either expected to room damn near the entire flow or help transport beds for all of them on top of everything else. It’s nonstop, high pressure, and there’s basically no margin to learn without getting criticized.

What gets me is it’s usually small things. And no one explains anything until after you’ve already done it wrong. Happens a lot with my nurse peers unfortunately.

At this point, I’m honestly ready to move on. I graduate next week and plan on transitioning out of this role and into clinical research, especially with the MCAT coming up this summer. Hoping for a setting that’s less of a volume shit show.

Biochemistry ACS