Other Side Med Newsletter

Hey everyone! We’re Chris, Hannah, and Emmett Herring. If you’re new to our newsletter, welcome. Once a month, you’ll catch Hannah giving a quick highlight/encouragement from life inside the hospital and me (Chris) sharing thoughts about life outside the hospital. Ideally, you’ll find both relevant and worth the read.

By no means have we mastered the best ways to navigate residency…we’ve had plenty of hiccups of our own…but we’ve learned a few things we hope can give you a new perspective on your journey and offer support, community, and friendship in while we all navigate life in medicine.

On Deck

• Finding Margin - Chris Herring

• The Winter Slump - Dr. Hannah Thompson, DO, MS

• Community Spotlight - Bryan Frias

• Influent’s Impact on Medicine

• 25 Questions for Couples in 2025

Finding Margin in Medicine - Chris Herring

There’s a silent disease devouring every single one of us. It’s the lack of margin in our lives. Simply put, the conditions of modern day living are killing what little margin we think we have. Think about it this way - if you’re homeless, we recommend you go to a shelter. If you’re penniless, the government gives you food stamps. If you’re breathless, doctors give you oxygen. If you’re marginless, well…we give you more and more things to accomplish in a day.

Honestly, when was the last time you actually felt like you had margin in your life? As we come out of the holiday season, one that is supposed to be filled with joy, family, love, and rest…was it? Or was it stressful, restless, and an emotional rollercoaster?

This marginless lifestyle eats away at us - and no one is immune. Truly. I’m thinking about this from my own occupation. Having spent the last decade in SaaS (Software as a Service), every new piece of tech is supposed to save us time, money, or resources…and yet we need constantly need more of each. So what little savings come from each new tool, seems to create problems of margin elsewhere. This isn’t just true in tech. Progress and innovation has created unprecedented affluence, education, entertainment, and convenience for all of us. Amazon’s 1-click “buy now” shopping experience is just one example of how we can get pretty much anything, anytime. So why then do we feel like air traffic controllers flailing out of control at any given moment? These advancements should help us create greater margin instead of the opposite, right?

I’m not going to pretend like I have an answer or a “1-click” solution - this is just something I’ve thought a lot about the last few months of residency. Where is there margin in my life and where I am creating and protecting that margin? Between working fulltime, being a good father, a loving husband, keeping the house functioning and meals prepped and on the table, etc… by the time I put my head to bed, where was/is there margin for my own wellbeing?

In many ways, this is just life and the reality we all live. It’s adulthood. It’s complex. And there’s no easy answer. In other ways, there is a time and place where we need to take a step back, breath, and evaluate areas in our lives we can actually create greater margin. Going into 2025, I’m committed to figuring out what some of these areas are for myself.

In next months newsletter, I’ll share what are those areas are and what I’m doing to actually apply those boundaries to experience that margin. Maybe you can too. 🙂 

Winter Slump - Dr. Hannah Thompson, DO, MS

October through February - the worst months of residency. These are the months where sunshine feels like a distant memory, and the shifts seem longer than any other time of the year. Especially during the holidays. Between the brutal holiday calls and longer work hours, it’s easy for tempers to flare and peers to be a bit more “on edge”.

Whether you’re a fellow resident or someone who loves one, there are ways to make this season a little bit brighter. Here’s what works for me and what I’d suggest:

For Partners, Families, and Friends:

1. Quick 5-Minute Check-In Calls: Keep it Short
Time is tight, but a short phone call means the world to me. Something like: “Hey, I know you don’t have a lot of time, but I just wanted to check in, remind you how awesome you are, and send some love your way.” Five minutes, max. Trust me, it sticks with me all day.

2. Surprise Coffee Gift Cards
Starbucks gift cards? Yes, please. I don’t say this selfishly… but the early mornings and late nights weigh on us in healthcare (this is true for everyone in healthcare, not just residents). So send your loved one a gift with a note like, “I know you’re running on caffeine and sheer willpower. Here’s a little boost to keep you going. You’ve got this!” Simple, thoughtful, and guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

3. Care Packages = Instant Joy
Care packages are also an instant win. I love it when my family sends one or Chris puts together a little package of my favorite snacks, cozy socks, a heartfelt note, or anything that says, “I see you, and you matter.” It’s a tangible reminder that this tough season won’t last forever.

4. Grace on Grace on Grace
Partners and spouses, I know this time is hard on you as well - and we don’t take your support for granted. If your medical partner is anything like me, they likely feel like they’re running on fumes. So if they need extra sleep or can’t help as much around the house, please offer some grace and understanding. I know it’s easier said than done - but offering that type of support helps me in this time and I know it’ll help your loved one as well.

For Fellow Resident Physicians:

1. Create (and Stick to) a Home Routine
Even the smallest rituals can ground you. For me, whether it’s a quick Peloton workout, a coffee date with Chris after putting Emmett to bed or spending an extra five minutes in the bathtub to breathe, finding what works and making it a priority keeps me sane.

2. Stay Connected
As tempting as it is to retreat into a shell, I make time for friends and family. Even a short chat or shared laugh recharges my spirit. Prioritizing these relationships is entirely undervalued.

3. Don’t Forget the Little Things
Exercise. Rest. Intimacy. Faith. These are the anchors that keep me afloat. I find ways to fit them in, no matter how chaotic life gets.

The winter slump is no joke, but with a little intentionality and support, I’ve learned how to get through it—and you can too. Remember, it’s just a season, and brighter days (literally) are ahead. You’ve got this!

Community Spotlight - Bryan Frias

If you haven’t read Bryan’s full story yet, you can read it here.

We started getting to know Bryan via Instagram in early 2024, and when he shared his story with us, we knew would resonate with so many of you (whether you’re a husband, wife, mom, dad, partner, medical or non-medical).  

His story his powerful. From being a working spouse and parent in medicine, to being a full-time stay at home dad and taking care of 3 kids while his wife goes through residency. He shares in detail the highs and lows of their journey in medicine. You’ll want to give it a read.

Shout out to Influent for keeping this newsletter free. Influent is a healthcare media agency we’ve partnered with that’s helping the next generation of medical professionals thrive personally and professionally.

Their community contains over 50,000 medical experts — from med students to seasoned attendings, and their podcasts and resources are sparking vital conversations that redefine work in medicine.

One of the resources we recommend to every medical professional in our community is the Influent Newsletter. It’s full of practical tips related to health, finances, relationships, and medicine. Highly recommend subscribing if you haven’t already.

3 podcasts Influent produces we think you would love:

• White Coat Warriors: #1: U.S.: Medicine, #8: U.S.: Health & Fitness, #106: U.S.: All Podcasts

• Promising Young Surgeon: #4: U.S.: Science

• Meet the Toberts: #7: U.S.: Education

25 Questions Every Couple in Medicine Should Ask in

We shared these via Instagram earlier this week - but resharing here in case you missed them. Disclaimer - we have no idea where these questions originated from, so yes, we’re stealing them…but Hannah and I spent time talking purposefully about the year in review and the year ahead and it sparked great conversation. Thought you all would benefit from them as well.

1. When did you feel the most loved by me this year?

2. What’s one thing we’ve learned to appreciate about each other in 2024?

3. How did we support each others goals in 2024?

4. What’s one thing you’d like to see more of in our relationship this year?

5. Is there something you feel like we handled really well as parents last year?

6. What was the most challenging part of parenting last year?

7. How can I better support you as a parent this year?

8. What was the most rewarding part of your work/career last year?

9. What boundaries do you want to set next year specific to work this year?

10. How can I better support you in your work and career goals this year?

11. Overall, how did you feel about your physical and mental health last year?

12. Are there positive health habits you’re proud of from last year?

13. What’s one thing you could do better this year that would make you healthier?

14. What health habit are you excited about starting this year that I can hold you accountable with?

15. How did you faith grow last year?

16. What moments last year felt the most meaningful?

17. Where did you see a prayer answered last year?

18. How can we grow spiritually together this year?

19. What’s your favorite memory we created last year?

20. If you could relive one day from lsat year, what would it be?

21. What’s something surprising you learned about yourself last year?

22. What’s one adventure you really want to go on this year?

23. Is there anything in our relationship we need to stop doing this year that would make us stronger?

24. What’s something we did last year that brought others joy?

25. How did we make a lasting impact in our community last year and what can we to expand that impact this year?

What’s Coming in January

If you’re not already following us on Instagram, we’d love to see you there.

This month (January) we’re hitting on topics like finances and financial planning in residency, pregnancy in residency, advocating for yourself and your needs as a pregnant physician, and lastly, Hannah will be sharing her personal story with RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) and her journey from being paralyzed to being pain free, walking, and fully mobile. You won’t want to miss it.

Thanks for reading.

As always, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you want to say hey, share your story and have it highlighted in our community spotlight, meet us personally over a zoom call, collaborate with Other Side Med, or anything else you can think of…shoot us a message.

See you in February,

Hannah, Chris, Emmett and Ollie (baby #2 due June 2025)