I finished a “regular” week of clinic, and I found my self totally exhausted in a way that is routine. I had hoped to possibly visit home this weekend to see a couple of old friends and reconnect to that sense of community that has been harder to find in a new city with all the demands on my time as a resident. It would have been a short trip. I know seeing old friends would have energized me, but the road seemed too long for a short weekend. I could not transition from a day in clinic to a night on the road. I was tired.

A silver lining is that I found a sweet little house concert instead. There was a pair of earthy, singer-songwriter types on their way from East to West who shared their music after a little potluck dinner. The scene was complete with a dog and a breastfeeding mama. This kind of space feels so familiar and refreshing to me, though it is so different from my day to day in the hospital and clinic. There was an air of respect and quiet as the 25 or so packed in on mismatched furniture and a blanket on the floor. Christmas lights, a salt rock lamp, and loads of houseplants made a fitting backdrop for the living room stage.

To be on the road… it is events like this that remind how accessible and sweet it is. You show up in a new town with maybe 1 connection, but then you are welcomed in, and you share something that helps others to open up. It’s a lovely night. On the next day, you are back on the road again. I spoke with the musicians afterwards and one reflected on how nice it is to have music as that vehicle for connection while traveling. She went on about how she funds her art projects by working in the service industry. She has considered indiegogo or kickstarter, but she feels it is important to be supporting herself.

In my case, I have something a little different up my sleeve. A year from now when I finish my residency training, I plan to clean out my apartment, load up my car, and adventure west. I would be happy to follow in the example of the musicians I saw last night. But on my tour, I imagine connecting with the hostages of our broken medical system over the topic of how to break free. I’ll meet with burned out students, residents, attendings who want out, and hopefully some of the ones who are already finding their way. Medical Liberation Tour!