So I'm going to be a PGY-1 resident. Any suggestions on what rotation is the best to do in July? I'm not sure I can even choose, but was curious to know, if some rotations made the transition from student to intern "easier". :D

Ha! My PD already told me I'm starting with ICU/CCU. :( He said he's throwing me right into the fire and that I'm going to get my butt kicked.

I think it is best to start on the wards. That is what I did. The folks who started in the unit just looked dazed and tried to survive. Those that started on elective just post-poned the pain. By the end of one ward month, you realize that this isn't going to be that bad and you can survive it. Of course, then you hit the ICU...

I think it is best to start on the wards. That is what I did. The folks who started in the unit just looked dazed and tried to survive. Those that started on elective just post-poned the pain. By the end of one ward month, you realize that this isn't going to be that bad and you can survive it. Of course, then you hit the ICU...


it's not a question of YOU surviving it ... will the PATIENT survive the night ;)



Seriously though I agree. Jump right in. Doing wards is a great warm up. If you get MICU/CICU first, then think of it this way ... everything else is easier (or at least less frightening).

Surprisingly I always felt better in the higher acuity wards, and even did a sub-I in MICU. plus the nurses a way sharper on the unit and they cover my ***** (because I'm nice to them) and tell me how to order the drips, etc. But I guess wards would be best, at least it would give me a few weeks to learn where the cafeteria and bathroom are!!! (And I'll need that bathroom my first week as intern!!!) GL to all! :D

This is similar to what order you should do your clinical rotations during 3rd year med school. Perhaps it makes a small difference but nothing really major. Regardless of the order all these statement will probably hold true:

You will be better at the end of the year than at the beginning.
Your team will know you are a new intern at the first rotation, even if it's the ICU.
You will have to do all the rotations at some point.

If you go in expecting to work hard then they could give you the absolute "worst" order and you will still be great.

Hands up everyone who will be watching the pilot episode of Scrubs the night before. :)

One hand up!

I'm getting the first season on DVD from amazon, so I can catch up on what everyone else talks about. I only saw 2 shows! sorry

Actually just watched the first episode of Season 1 last night, and I seriously started feeling sick to my stomach. I am scared despite knowing that I will eventually be fine and we (most of us) are all in the same boat together. I think this will only get worse as mid-June approaches. But to cope with these fears, I say bring on ICU first b/c I will likely be much better off a month later and beyond. :eek:

Ha! My PD already told me I'm starting with ICU/CCU. :( He said he's throwing me right into the fire and that I'm going to get my butt kicked.

I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am to hear that I am NOT the only one scared poo-pooless of doing the Unit months. I really thought I was the only one..... :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

still don't understand why med students have this need to maintain this image of all mighty and that nothing scares them..... :confused: :scared: The reason why I say this is because in talking to other med students, they were all like "yeah...no big deal...."

It is normal to be nervous about advancing to the next level of training. We will have many more responsibilities than previous years. However, I doubt any of us will be expected to run an ICU or make life-or-death calls in the unit by our lonesome. We'll be admitting patients under close supervision by our juniors and seniors (and sometimes fellows). I don't think it will be nearly as bad as your fears anticipate.

I'm not scared... excited to the point of being giddy if anything. I'm so freakin' sick of having to chase my team around to get "Give KCl 10 mEq PO x1" cosigned. There is much to be said for having a say in patient care too.

Wouldn't be surprised if I start in the (ahem) Unit. I did a MICU sub-I in October so I know what to expect at least a little bit.

I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am to hear that I am NOT the only one scared poo-pooless of doing the Unit months. I really thought I was the only one..... :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

still don't understand why med students have this need to maintain this image of all mighty and that nothing scares them..... :confused: :scared: The reason why I say this is because in talking to other med students, they were all like "yeah...no big deal...."
Yeah, I've been scared since the end of third year. My preceptors said it was good that I was scared and that should be normal. They would be worried if I wasn't scared. :)

Agreed with above! Right now I'm trying to concentrate on the fun of graduation, family, etc and avoiding all thoughts of how scared sh_tless I'll probably be come July 1st! But I think that most people in the hospital will expect some of that and the good thing about working with other doctors is that you can always gently remind them of their own experiences by asking if they felt that way too.

at my home program, they have an interesting way of scheduling things which i believe works out well. generally the interns who start in the ICU are the ones who went to med school here. i guess the rationale is that they have probably rotated through the unit as students and won't be as freaked out. i believe this is the norm for most other programs as well.

so if you matched at your home program, have fun!! :D

at my home program, they have an interesting way of scheduling things which i believe works out well. generally the interns who start in the ICU are the ones who went to med school here. i guess the rationale is that they have probably rotated through the unit as students and won't be as freaked out. i believe this is the norm for most other programs as well.

so if you matched at your home program, have fun!! :D
That's exactly the reasoning my PD gave me for starting with ICU. It's because I rotated through there (twice) and they said since I'm familiar and everything, it's better for me to start with ICU.

It is true that you will generally have lots of oversight and don't need to panic about not knowing everything. The fact is, you never will. When you are alone in the unit, just make sure you know how to get a hold of the person that can save your bacon. I think the things you need to be worried about as an intern are your attentiveness to detail even when you are tired. Nobodies gonna die cause you couldn't remember the PEA algorithm during a code, codes tend to run themselves with good ICU nurses and an attending shows up pretty quick once that overhead page goes off. My scariest moments (blessedly few) have been less dramatic affairs like when the pharmacist calls me to ask if I really want to give ceftriaxone to the lady with a hx of stevens-johnson from cephalosporins. Just be thorough and humble. Say thank you to the staff that save your license instead of focusing on the stupid pages and you will be fine.

Hands up everyone who will be watching the pilot episode of Scrubs the night before. :)

Hand up here!