Anyone else frustrated by sub-i scutwork?

[chanjurban]

So maybe "scutwork" isn't the right word, but I'm referring to all the non-diagnostic/treatment related stuff that is involved in patient care - filling out the appropriate order forms, making all the phone calls, tracking down social services, etc.
I'm not saying that it's not important or that I don't want to do it. As a sub-i, I'm expected to function as an intern, and that's what interns do and I want to learn it now so that when I'm an MD, I feel capable. It's just that there's so many darn things to try to keep track of. It feels like I'm spending more time trying to learn how to navigate the system than I am learning how to take care of a patient medically.

I imagine this will get less frustrating once I've gotten oriented - which I figured would take about 1 week. But I'm about halfway through a 3 week sub-i and I still feel like I'm just moving too slowly because I've got to ask for guidance so often during work rounds. Not to mention that everything I do has to be co-signed, thus eating up more time.

Anyone else feel like this?

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[juiceman311]

What are you whining about?

 

[45408]

What are you whining about?

Scutwork, it would seem.

OP: Yes, been there, done that. My surgery sub-I was excellent, but my medicine sub-I was at the VA, so I ended up doing tons of social work. There were many times that I had to call lots of different departments to practically beg them to do their job, sometimes on critically important things, and sometimes just to make sure a patient didn't end up staying there all weekend just because his home oxygen wasn't going to be ready unless I called a dozen people late on a Friday afternoon to make sure it got there.

 

[chanjurban]

Scutwork, it would seem.

OP: Yes, been there, done that. My surgery sub-I was excellent, but my medicine sub-I was at the VA, so I ended up doing tons of social work. There were many times that I had to call lots of different departments to practically beg them to do their job, sometimes on critically important things, and sometimes just to make sure a patient didn't end up staying there all weekend just because his home oxygen wasn't going to be ready unless I called a dozen people late on a Friday afternoon to make sure it got there.

Thank you prowler. based on the lack of constructive responses, I was starting to thing that I was alone in this experience. So any suggestions on how to better handle it as a medical student? I will be doing one more sub-i at a different hospital (one that I'm hoping to match into) and I'd like to make the transition a little better. What worked well for you on your surgery sub-i?