Page 104 of Love Sick

1) No pressure allowed.

2) Follow her cues.

3) Don’t ask for more.

The lecture ends, and Ling begins the usual program announcements. I pay less attention to them than I did the lecture.

Until she says, “We have a scheduling issue we need to talk about.”

All eyes turn to Ling, and silence falls.

The schedule.

The scourge.

The bane of our existence.

As the scheduling chief, Ling owns the unfortunate task of assigning residents to each service line—L&D, surgery, weekend call, etc. She chooses what we do each month and which hospital we cover on the weekends. It’s a piteous, thankless job.

We all hate her for it.

She makes us do the shit we don’t want to do.

All services must be covered, and all residentsshouldreceive equal call.Shouldis a loose term, though. Hierarchy plays a large role in the schedule. As the most newly licensed physicians, the five of us second-years have it worst.

Ling’s unfriendly face stares around the room. “One of the second-years has decided to take an extended leave this year.”

Beside me, Raven shrinks in her seat. By law, she’s allowed twelve weeks maternity leave. It’s unpaid, but it’s law. When she broached the subject with Dr. Levine, he told her residents only take four weeks. She argued and was shut down.

She elevated the argument to GME. They confirmed twelve weeks is indeed allowed for parental leave.

Levine laughed at that, and spat, “You’re going to regret this.”

Now, all stares bore into Raven as Ling continues. “One month of L&D shifts, six weekend calls and a month of oncology need to be covered. Does anyone have an idea how we can manage this?”

My jaw clenches. “You could rearrange the schedule.”

Ling’s cold stare lands on me. “I’ve reworked this schedule four times. I’m not messing with it again.”

“Maybe you could use the float person the way they’re meant to be used.” Kai shoots Ling a death glare. “Forcoverage.”

As she’s the float person for one of those months, Ling’s eye twitches. “I have an idea.” Her tone is flat. “Since it’s a second-year who’s taking off, maybe the second-years should cover the slack.”

The five of us exchange glances.

Alesha glares at Ling. “That’syour solution? There are fourteen available residents, and you’re going to split the work amongst four of us?”

Ling blinks twice at Alesha, then turns to Raven. “Since your fellow second-years will be covering for you, it would behoove you to ingratiate yourself to them now.” She stands. “I’ll be sending the revised schedule out in the next few days.”

* * *

Group Therapy that week is expectedly heated. We’ve gathered at Grace’s apartment, crammed together on her sectional. Linkin Park plays through her sound bar.

Linkin Park is Grace’s I’m-angry music.

Unicorn Blood in hand, Kai growls. “I’ve had pathologic fantasies about drowning that bitch. I’m serious.”

Alesha eyes him. “You need a therapist.”

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