Good luck new F1's!

It will be tough, it will be terrifying, but in the end it will be fine.

There is a lot of good advice out there - seek it, and take it on board. And, be kind to yourself. You have gone through at least 5 years of university, with countless assessments. You are worthy of this role. But you are also worthy of life itself, and it's joys. Much of this year you will struggle with this balance, it may take you a few years, but find that balance, and don't lose yourself in the process.

You will see sadness. You will see death. You will see grief. You will see the darker side of life.
You may not know how to respond now, but in time you will learn.
You will observe those more experienced than you handle these situations. You will consciously and unconsciously evaluate their ways, and in time find your own path.

General tips, in no particular order -

1- Get organised. Have a little bag with the basics for ward cover (items that you are likely to need, but may take too long to find on unfamiliar wards), and the oxford handbook of the foundation programme for clinical advice and information before calling for more help.

2- Keep the list updated. You won't need to make a diagnosis at this stage, but you should know the patients and be up to date with their management.

3 - Ask for help. Early. No decent person will fault you for asking. Ever.

4 - Look after yourself. Eat food. Drink non-alcoholic drinks. Sleep. Rest. Stay in touch with those who care about you.

5 - Take a break. To eat/drink/pee/decompress as necessary. Not only is it allowed, it is mandatory.

6 - Recognise the ill patient. Always look at the obs. Check the capillary refill/peripheries. Then promptly seek help, so the rescue party will be enroute as you get the basic initial management and investigation sorted.

7 - Ask your SHO/registrar to help you prioritise jobs. The SHO should be helping you with them.

8- Be respectful to the nurses. They will support you in more ways than you will know.

9 - The only bleep that can't wait for you to eat/drink/pee is the crash bleep.

10 - You are not, and never will be alone. Be kind to yourself.

... oh, and enjoy this!

https://www.medicalcareers.nhs.uk/medical_students/you_will_survive__guide_for_n.aspx

http://doc2doc.bmj.com/assets/secure/youwillsurvive.pdf?cb=8215000367

http://www.askdoctorclarke.com/content/c276.pdf

http://www.medicalprotection.org/uk/newdoctors

http://acutemed.co.uk/v/Thirty+Top+Tips

http://medicaleducator.co.uk/top-tips-for-f1s-foundation-year-1.html

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Tackling-Foundation-Years-(Housejobs).htm

http://bma.org.uk/developing-your-career/foundation-training/what-to-expect-fy1