Omarr Edwards, a House Officer in Jamaica shares his top tips when becoming a House Officer.
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You’ve completed your internship and now stand at the next level of your career — you're a House Officer. Suddenly, you're the one interns look to for guidance. You may find yourself making more independent decisions (though still under supervision) and navigating a schedule that feels either far more chaotic or oddly lighter.
So, in this natural progression through clinical medicine… what do you do?
By now, you have developed your rhythm — your clinical instincts are sharper, your procedural skills more refined. But here is what I’ve learned transitioning into the House Officer role:
Carry your internship lessons forward
1. The fundamentals still apply:
- Build your “treasure chest” – a go-to collection of supplies and tools that you can access quickly in urgent moments.
- Foster strong relationships with allied health professionals – teamwork is the engine of efficient, high-quality patient care.
- Snacks are survival tools. Always have something on hand to keep your energy up during long shifts.
- Schedule your downtime – medicine can overwhelm even the most enthusiastic. Self-care is not optional; if you do not take care of yourself, no one else will. Recover, recover, recover!
2. Set realistic expectations
During internship, you made mental notes about the kind of House Officer you wanted to be or not to be. You promised to be more patient, more organized, more approachable, offer more teaching, or stick around more. Those intentions matter — but give yourself room to grow. Not every intern/team member will be like you were/are some need extra support, others need honest feedback from the outset. Be flexible. And importantly, extend the same grace to yourself.
3. Adapting to new teams and cultures
Just like during internship, becoming a House Officer might mean joining a new team with an existing culture. This might feel as nerve-wracking as during internship, or perhaps a bit more natural; you've grown a lot during those years. Still, it's worth taking time to understand the flow and how you fit in. Medicine is not a solo sport — collaboration makes everything work better.
I was fortunate to have mentors who guided me through high-pressure moments while still letting me find my own rhythm. Their support and guidance made all the difference — and reminded me that being teachable is just as important now as it was on Day 1 of internship. Even if you are not working alongside a mentor, you may encounter more senior teammates who can serve that role as well. Remain teachable.
Ask yourself: What’s next?
Oftentimes during this period, I was confronted with that question. I trust that by now you have begun to figure out who you are and what kind of contribution you would like to make in medicine. If not, that is okay too. Evolve into the best version of yourself on your own terms.
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