What are people doing for their last rotation of 4th year?

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I am in the last four weeks of med school and my current rotation has been an absolute killer. I am currently on an visiting elective rotation and the site where I am put me on the same eighty to ninety hour week that the third years are on. It took me about a day to get drawn out of the shock induced coma I was in after I was handed my schedule during orientation. Just curious how uncommon this is?

MICU- 9 days to go (if I live that long...)

I did a cardiology rotation on which we were done rounding by around 10:30, then the rest of the day was spent either reading or very rarely seeing consults. I would go back to the housing I was staying in (it was across the street from the hospital) and watch TV...it was a beautiful way to end the year.

PM&R

radiology...done by lunchtime every day. 7 days left.

Originally Posted by Plinko

I am in the last four weeks of med school and my current rotation has been an absolute killer. I am currently on an visiting elective rotation and the site where I am put me on the same eighty to ninety hour week that the third years are on. It took me about a day to get drawn out of the shock induced coma I was in after I was handed my schedule during orientation. Just curious how uncommon this is?

2 months of required community hospital. Yes, it will be time consuming, but I'll be mentally ready for the beginning of internship.

Originally Posted by Plinko

I am in the last four weeks of med school and my current rotation has been an absolute killer. I am currently on an visiting elective rotation and the site where I am put me on the same eighty to ninety hour week that the third years are on. It took me about a day to get drawn out of the shock induced coma I was in after I was handed my schedule during orientation. Just curious how uncommon this is?

My last rotation was anesthesia which I finished a couple of weeks ago. It was 0700-1500, but pretty laid back. Was able to get lots of procedures (ie intubations). Sorry you're getting hammered...remember only 4 more weeks, the time for some R&R.


Wook

Originally Posted by JaneDough

MICU- 9 days to go (if I live that long...)

Playing in the unit, too, but we get both sicu and micu...

Also in the MICU.

I was signed up to do endocrine in May, but it turned out I was signed up for too many credits (!) and now I'm spending my final month doing a rotation in the sleeping til noon and packing up my apartment department

Originally Posted by Koko

Playing in the unit, too, but we get both sicu and micu...

HaHa- playing in the unit. That's good. The joke around here is "i'm going to go check my unit for discharges"

Alternatively, when you are on the floors and you have private (non-staff) pts, the joke is "I'm going to go check for private discharges"

8 days, 1 1/2 calls to go.

I think I can, I think I can...

Originally Posted by DrMom

radiology...done by lunchtime every day. 7 days left.

Me too, except we have daily lectures from 1:30-2:30, so I'm around a little later. I spend most of the day in the library though.

Originally Posted by sacrament

Me too, except we have daily lectures from 1:30-2:30, so I'm around a little later. I spend most of the day in the library though.

There are 2 hrs of lectures for the residents each day, but they told me that there was no reason for me to attend. I've spent some time in the library reading as well, but I'm down to my last 4 days & my level of internal motivation is waning.

finishing my med school career in er, which is what i am gonna do, so it isnt bad at all. i must admit i did attempt to set up a rads rotation where i would work 2-3 hours a day, but it didnt pan out. oh well, graduation here I come.

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

2 months of required community hospital. Yes, it will be time consuming, but I'll be mentally ready for the beginning of internship.

News Flash: YOU ARE A SECOND YEAR!!!! You know nothing about rotations. Why do you feel the need to constantly comment on things you know absolutely nothing about???

Originally Posted by bobg504

News Flash: YOU ARE A SECOND YEAR!!!! You know nothing about rotations. Why do you feel the need to constantly comment on things you know absolutely nothing about???

I'm not sure why you need to make such an inflammatory post against me.

My last rotation of my 4th year is already scheduled.

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

I'm not sure why you need to make such an inflammatory post against me.

My last rotation of my 4th year is already scheduled.

Two years in advance?! Why? I hope to christ, for your sake, that it isn't set in stone. We can change our 4th year schedule up to 30 days before the beginning of a rotation, and I've made five (5) changes this year. I would have been twelve kinds of miserable if I'd been stuck with everything I originally picked.

Originally Posted by sacrament

Two years in advance?! Why? I hope to christ, for your sake, that it isn't set in stone. We can change our 4th year schedule up to 30 days before the beginning of a rotation, and I've made five (5) changes this year. I would have been twelve kinds of miserable if I'd been stuck with everything I originally picked.

It is a required rotation. We are required to do 2 months of community hospital at some point during the 4th year. I was originally assigned for the fall, but I moved it so I can do audition rotations at that time.

It would be extremely difficult to get it moved again at this point, since we are past the deadlines for swapping with other students.

My last rotation was Private Gyn. I finished that yesterday! Hours were not bad 9:30-16:00 some days I was done by 14:00 other days did not start until 11:00 am. Who cares now I am unoffically finished ! 8 weeks off before the Hell begins !

Originally Posted by DrMom

radiology...done by lunchtime every day. 7 days left.

that. is. awesome.

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

It would be extremely difficult to get it moved again at this point, since we are past the deadlines for swapping with other students.

FYI: I, and many others, made tons of changes to our required rotations throughout 3rd & 4th year. Despite what clinical ed tries to portray, it isn't a problem at all...I even changed the order of my core rotations after I'd begun core.

Originally Posted by Arsenic

that. is. awesome.

I'm down to 2 now

Hi there,
My last rotation block was VACATION! I used the time to check out housing and get packed for my move. After the MATCH, all I had to do fourth year was show up and get my diploma. I took all my "required" electives (if they are elective why are they required?) early in the year and took only things that were relaxing (Gastroenterology and VACATION) after the MATCH.
njbmd

.

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

2 months of required community hospital. Yes, it will be time consuming, but I'll be mentally ready for the beginning of internship.

I'm sorry that that's required of you, but I want to clarify something.

Literally every resident I know/former 4th years now suffering the shackles of intern year told me the same thing:

Nothing you can do fourth year can prepare you to be an intern. It's like the summer before med school. Relax, recharge, and live as much as possible. Do you know the origin of the word intern and resident? It's because the housestaff used to literally live at the hospital...and intern = interrment = burial! (I have a Greek attending who likes pimping on this stuff.)

My last rotation of my fourth year is...vacation. And the rotation before that..."independent study." So my fourth year wraps up in March, and I'll be kickin' it in the sun waiting for my diploma....

In fact, after November, I only have two months where I even have to show up to the hospital on an anything close to what resembles a daily basis - vacation in December and January as well. Who wants to be in Columbus in the dead of winter? Ugh.

Originally Posted by Sammich81

I'm sorry that that's required of you, but I want to clarify something.

Literally every resident I know/former 4th years now suffering the shackles of intern year told me the same thing:

Nothing you can do fourth year can prepare you to be an intern. It's like the summer before med school. Relax, recharge, and live as much as possible. Do you know the origin of the word intern and resident? It's because the housestaff used to literally live at the hospital...and intern = interrment = burial! (I have a Greek attending who likes pimping on this stuff.)

That's actually kinda why I said it would prepare me. I will literally be living at the hospital for 2 months. It is several hours away from where I live.

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

That's actually kinda why I said it would prepare me. I will literally be living at the hospital for 2 months. It is several hours away from where I live.

Dude, you are a second year. How 'bout you kinda take the word of someone who has been there instead of your own conjectures? "Living" at the hospital as a 4th year does not equal being an intern.

It's fine if you schedule your year that way, but the previous poster was speaking from experience.

Originally Posted by sophiejane

Dude, you are a second year. How 'bout you kinda take the word of someone who has been there instead of your own conjectures? "Living" at the hospital as a 4th year does not equal being an intern.

It's fine if you schedule your year that way, but the previous poster was speaking from experience.

What's your point? I'll be a few months away from being one. I really doubt there is a sudden change in my personality when I recieve my diploma.

My point was that before I started rotations, I thought I had it all figured out, too. But working with residents and interns over the next year, you realize that what you thought you had all figured out is not necessarily how things are.

Just keep an open mind. It's not as much about the schedule as it is going into your third year as a sponge for knowledge and experience, and not a know-it-all.

Okay I never thought I would defend OSUdoc, but here goes. If and thats a big if, he is doing community medicine at a site like the one I had then it is a good prequel to Internship, as it was an understaffed rural hospital. I was completely nuts. But, I will agree OSU is known to speak out of turn once in a while, thus the venom not wholely unwarranted.

First of all students had 24/7 pager call, excluding every other weekend when one student took all the teams (two teams and ER backup) for both students. That is basically 2 months minus 8 days with totally no sleep. Secondly students wrote orders just like an intern, if I wrote "give 40meQ bolus of KCL intracardiac STAT", guess what, the nurses would happily do it. So you better look it up and pray if you are not sure.

Also, nurses would call at 3 AM for stupid stuff like "Dr. you ordered toradol prn for pain or fever, but toradol is just a pain med can mrs. X have something for her fever....just give her the toradol...but its for pain.....I will give you a five minute lecture tomorrow how it works, just give her the toradol, goodnight." Call at 4AM, "Dr. I just wanted to tell you I gave mrs. x her toradol and her fever went away....I know, I'll tell you how it works tomorrow, goodnight." Never slept a whole night for two months, and I got along fine with the nurses.

I did all admits, called all consults, arranged hospital transfers, ordered radiology, intubated, ran codes, and managed vent patients (thank God for the Respiratory techs!)
And one particular attending was never available when he was covering a weekend. His attitude was "you can handle it by now." I remember one Saturday when I had a septic patient (whom the attending wouldn't call me back about) I was transfering to the ICU after having to call the nurse director to override the ICU nurses who "didn't have any more beds" ummm right there is one...completely empty..... when another ICU pt coded....call the intern....there is no intern on saturday (I thought that was weird, what a cush internship)....what do you want "doctor".....call anesthesia...none in house......okay I am running this code I guess...... (pt lived, just by blind dumb luck).
So I would have to say that I feel a little more confident about my floor months during intern year now (except I'm starting on OB/GYN not sure about that, and dreading it a little)
My 0.02

Best Wishes

The Mish

Originally Posted by Dr.MISHKA,D.O.

Okay I never thought I would defend OSUdoc, but here goes. If and thats a big if, he is doing community medicine at a site like the one I had then it is a good prequel to Internship, as it was an understaffed rural hospital. I was completely nuts. But, I will agree OSU is known to speak out of turn once in a while, thus the venom not wholely unwarranted.

First of all students had 24/7 pager call, excluding every other weekend when one student took all the teams (two teams and ER backup) for both students. That is basically 2 months minus 8 days with totally no sleep. Secondly students wrote orders just like an intern, if I wrote "give 40meQ bolus of KCL intracardiac STAT", guess what, the nurses would happily do it. So you better look it up and pray if you are not sure.

Also, nurses would call at 3 AM for stupid stuff like "Dr. you ordered toradol prn for pain or fever, but toradol is just a pain med can mrs. X have something for her fever....just give her the toradol...but its for pain.....I will give you a five minute lecture tomorrow how it works, just give her the toradol, goodnight." Call at 4AM, "Dr. I just wanted to tell you I gave mrs. x her toradol and her fever went away....I know, I'll tell you how it works tomorrow, goodnight." Never slept a whole night for two months, and I got along fine with the nurses.

I did all admits, called all consults, arranged hospital transfers, ordered radiology, intubated, ran codes, and managed vent patients (thank God for the Respiratory techs!)
And one particular attending was never available when he was covering a weekend. His attitude was "you can handle it by now." I remember one Saturday when I had a septic patient (whom the attending wouldn't call me back about) I was transfering to the ICU after having to call the nurse director to override the ICU nurses who "didn't have any more beds" ummm right there is one...completely empty..... when another ICU pt coded....call the intern....there is no intern on saturday (I thought that was weird, what a cush internship)....what do you want "doctor".....call anesthesia...none in house......okay I am running this code I guess...... (pt lived, just by blind dumb luck).
So I would have to say that I feel a little more confident about my floor months during intern year now (except I'm starting on OB/GYN not sure about that, and dreading it a little)
My 0.02

Best Wishes

The Mish

Thanks for sharing your experience, Mish. Where did you do your community hospital?

I did mine at Durant and it was completely nuts. I intubated and coded a lady the first 15 minutes I was there as our intern was giving us the tour...."and this is the second floor GMF....Code blue, Code blue.....running.....standing in the room staring....are you gonna tube them Dr. Intern.....umm go ahead mishka...Is she a DNR......NO.....damn......I need a 7.5 ETT and 3 Mac....Internal Pacer spikes on monitor, no capture....someone throw some epi down the tube and get an IV....someone read me the chart and tell her medical problems..... no pulse....and start CPR....I need an I-Stat on this ABG.....Renal Failure....I need an Amp of HCO3.......oh and someone please clean up the puddle of urine Dr. Intern made in the Corner (not really, but close )"

Completely NUTS!

Oh she died by the way....later the attending was pissed at intern when he found out the whole story. But, after getting the tube and coding the pt until the ER doc finally came upstairs and gave another amp HCO3 and then called it he said "....good try Dr. Intern, nothing more you could of done...actually -says nurse - Dr. Intern wet himself in corner, and the student coded her....ummmm......good....job...student." Never had anything but good relationship with nursing after that.

Best Wishes

The Mish

I thought in 2 years of rotations I had prepared myself for internship too. But after a MICU rotation and a month of q4 call I decided that another year in school was in order.

Can anyone say "thank you reseach faculty!"

Originally Posted by Dr.MISHKA,D.O.

I did mine at Durant and it was completely nuts. I intubated and coded a lady the first 15 minutes I was there as our intern was giving us the tour...."and this is the second floor GMF....Code blue, Code blue.....running.....standing in the room staring....are you gonna tube them Dr. Intern.....umm go ahead mishka...Is she a DNR......NO.....damn......I need a 7.5 ETT and 3 Mac....Internal Pacer spikes on monitor, no capture....someone throw some epi down the tube and get an IV....someone read me the chart and tell her medical problems..... no pulse....and start CPR....I need an I-Stat on this ABG.....Renal Failure....I need an Amp of HCO3.......oh and someone please clean up the puddle of urine Dr. Intern made in the Corner (not really, but close )"

Completely NUTS!

Oh she died by the way....later the attending was pissed at intern when he found out the whole story. But, after getting the tube and coding the pt until the ER doc finally came upstairs and gave another amp HCO3 and then called it he said "....good try Dr. Intern, nothing more you could of done...actually -says nurse - Dr. Intern wet himself in corner, and the student coded her....ummmm......good....job...student." Never had anything but good relationship with nursing after that.

Best Wishes

The Mish

Nice.....That's where I'm assigned.

My last month as a 4th year was a required ER rotation, which really sucked. That was back in early March. I don't even remember what the inside of a hospital looks like.

Originally Posted by CANES2006

My last month as a 4th year was a required ER rotation, which really sucked. That was back in early March. I don't even remember what the inside of a hospital looks like.

ha, now that is awesome.

Originally Posted by Dr.MISHKA,D.O.

I did mine at Durant and it was completely nuts. I intubated and coded a lady the first 15 minutes I was there as our intern was giving us the tour...."and this is the second floor GMF....Code blue, Code blue.....running.....standing in the room staring....are you gonna tube them Dr. Intern.....umm go ahead mishka...Is she a DNR......NO.....damn......I need a 7.5 ETT and 3 Mac....Internal Pacer spikes on monitor, no capture....someone throw some epi down the tube and get an IV....someone read me the chart and tell her medical problems..... no pulse....and start CPR....I need an I-Stat on this ABG.....Renal Failure....I need an Amp of HCO3.......oh and someone please clean up the puddle of urine Dr. Intern made in the Corner (not really, but close )"

Sweet lord where do you people train? I'm coming up on my fourth year and never get to do anything in the few codes I've been in. My intubations have solely been in nice, controlled OR settings where I've already bagged them and sats stay at 100 forever. I think I've been sheltered.

As for nurses listening, hell I'm amazed they listen when I ask them to put in an OG or a rectal tube much less acutal med orders.

Originally Posted by Sammich81

Sweet lord where do you people train? I'm coming up on my fourth year and never get to do anything in the few codes I've been in. My intubations have solely been in nice, controlled OR settings where I've already bagged them and sats stay at 100 forever. I think I've been sheltered.

As for nurses listening, hell I'm amazed they listen when I ask them to put in an OG or a rectal tube much less acutal med orders.

DO schools (especially state DO schools) often require plenty of time in rural areas.

You certainly could have done elective rotations in these areas if you wanted to.

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

DO schools (especially state DO schools) often require plenty of time in rural areas.

You certainly could have done elective rotations in these areas if you wanted to.

Um not so much as all of my third year is dictated by the schedule given to me. We get sent away to rural areas but only for outpatient rotations. It wasn't for lack of initiative; big academic centers just have more residents so the med students don't get to take as much of a role.

Originally Posted by Sammich81

Um not so much as all of my third year is dictated by the schedule given to me. We get sent away to rural areas but only for outpatient rotations. It wasn't for lack of initiative; big academic centers just have more residents so the med students don't get to take as much of a role.

Surely you get electives during your 4th year to rotate at such a location, right?

Haven't started fourth year yet.