2 fold Question: EM rot. 3rd yr

[BMW19]

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Is it unusual to have your required EM rotation in 3rd yr? My school has this. In fact I am doing it as my 3rd rotation!! I will have FM under my belt but that is it! Will I feel lost. Any suggestions?

Second part of my Q:

Is there a new edition of the book "Pocket Emergency Medicine" by Zane coming out anytime soon? I was going to order it but every time I order a book they come out with a brand new edition right after (murphy's law). Especially since the last ed. of this book was 2003.

Thanks,

BMW-

 

[vtucci]

I have mine in 3rd year too.

I have the pocket EM guide (2003). It is an interesting read. I also just picked up a couple of the classic textbooks. I figured I would need to read them for away rotations in 4th year anyway.

 

[membsr-8890]

I bought the pocket EM guide for my rotation. I don't know if there's a new version, but I have to tell you that I didn't care for the book at all. No matter what piece of information I was looking for, I never found it in pocket EM. I would highly suggest the Secrets book... less portable, but much better info for the clerkship. Good luck!

 

[Dr.Evil1]

There are benefits and disadvantages to having your rotation in the 3rd year.

Benefits: You will be able to know FOR-SURE that EM is for you.
You will be able to secure a SLOR early in the game
You will have time to do a second "audition" rotation and get another SLOR early in 4th year
You will be able to easily establish yourself as interested in EM and perhaps get involved in projects that people in your ED are doing as a medical student
You will have taken EM prior to step 2 (very helpful)

Disadvantages:
You might not have the most clinical experience and will probably not be too confident with your skills.

You have to overcome the disadvantages by applying yourself and be willing to push your comfort level with your relative clinical inexperience. Overall there are a bunch of advantages to it. Just go for it, it doesn't look like you have a choice in the manner.

 

[SolidGold]

I was in the first class at USF that had the required EM rotation 3rd year. Fun times.

 

[Dr. Will]

My school has had a required 3rd year clerkship in EM for years. It is always one of the more popular rotations, whether or not you want to go into EM or not.

 

[psychbender]

EM is one of our 3rd year (core) rotations at VCOM. I like the idea; gets me in to the ED faster to see if this really is what I want to do.

 

[deleted109597]

Wait, how do you only have it third, unless you are talking about next year, in which case, how do you already know your school's rotations for next year?

 

[deleted77919]

Wait, how do you only have it third, unless you are talking about next year, in which case, how do you already know your school's rotations for next year?

Also, how do you have EM 3rd and have only FM under your belt. There is a missing rotation here. (I suppose it could be a research elective).

 

[BMW19]

We only have 1 required EM rotation, and it is in 3rd year. 4th year I plan to do several electives in EM as that is what I want to do.

Sorry, should have mentioned that I have my 3rd year elective (we only get one) as my second rotation. I was thinking of doing this in EM so I don't look like a fool in my required, but I have had mixed reviews to this plan.

Thanks for all of your responses! I will buff up on my reading before the rotation.

 

[tkim]

These are some good books:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071437959/104-9883721-6433545

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521542596/104-9883721-6433545

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0702026670/104-9883721-6433545

If you have to get only one book, I'd suggest the Case Files book. Easy read, digestible chunks.

 

[Spunky Monkey]

My medical school didn't have a required 3rd year rotation, but we could do a "selective" in an "ambulatory" subspecialty including EM (which is what most students select).

I loved my third year rotation, learned a ton, and cemented my interest in EM. Fourth year rotation was more of the audition month for me...

For what it is worth: faculty know that you what year you are, and what month of the year it is...and have expectations that match...A third year in August is very different than a third year in March....

 

[BeerIsGood2Me]

In regards to books, I used the Case Files for Emergency Medicine and also First Aid for the Emergency Medicine Clerkship. The First Aid is a solid review book and Case Files is an awesome series for USMLE Step 2.

In regards to the rotation on Emergency Medicine, I would read First Aid and read over the ACLS/PALS algorithims. I can't tell you how much it helped by knowing those algorithims.

Furthermore, be the nurse's best friend. They can teach you just as much as the attendings/residents. Many of the nurses that I worked with in the ED were former ICU nurses or former paramedics/emt. Remember, they have the ability to save or sink you.

Good luck.

 

[BMW19]

Thanks for the advice. I don't believe I will have even had ALS at that point! Should I review it on my own?

Thanks-

In regards to books, I used the Case Files for Emergency Medicine and also First Aid for the Emergency Medicine Clerkship. The First Aid is a solid review book and Case Files is an awesome series for USMLE Step 2.

In regards to the rotation on Emergency Medicine, I would read First Aid and read over the ACLS/PALS algorithims. I can't tell you how much it helped by knowing those algorithims.

Furthermore, be the nurse's best friend. They can teach you just as much as the attendings/residents. Many of the nurses that I worked with in the ED were former ICU nurses or former paramedics/emt. Remember, they have the ability to save or sink you.

Good luck.

 

[beyond all hope]

I think having an 3rd year ED rotation is a good idea. However, from an attending perspective, having a 3rd year in the ED can be painful.

I'm an attending who likes to teach, so I often tell my senior to run the ED while I'm teaching the 3rd year, but you can't do that all the time. I just had a third year who was on her first rotation in the ED. We had to review everything.

Teaching the very first time is the most important, because you want to instill good habits early. It's just tough to take a hour or two out of my shift to review everything in detail.

I never understood this as a med student, but attendings don't get paid/promoted/recognized for teaching, only seeing patients. Do your attending a favor: when they teach you something, read about it and learn it well for the next time. That's the best way to thank us for our time.

 

[vtucci]

For the attendings out there, how do you judge a third year in an EM rotation?

I know that there are probably differences based on the time of year (what rotation) they have EM. However, at my school, it is entirely possible to have EM mid-way through the year and to have had only psych/neuro and ambulatory/out-patient clinic before it.

I would think that if a student had internal med and/or surgery they might be a bit better on their EM rotation. Do you guys find that to be the case?

What advice would you give those of us EM bound to shine in 3rd year?

Thanks!!

 

[shortbread9]

I did my first em rotation 3rd year and thought it was great. Its difficult at first b/c you need learn how to complete your H and P's pretty quickly and know when to grab a resident or attending if hte patient is not looking good. Just use your best judgement and you will do fine. If you pick up a cardiac patient its best to do it with the resident at first but if you have just your everyday back pain, abdominal pain, headache (such as in a young patient) you can be on your own without a problem. EM is great b/c you are going to learn how to suture, splint, get abg's. by the time your done will you be so much more confident in your skills than if you just did an IM rotation. If you think EM is for you than you should have a blast. Good luck!

 

[beyond all hope]

No surprises here.

We judge work ethic, knowledge base, willingness and ability to learn. Enjoy yourself, read on every patient you see.

When you present a patient, try to stick to the salient points. EM docs eyes glaze over when you go into lots of detail about social, sexual, family history, etc.

A good well-worded chief complaint is very helpful. 55 yo male with history of Coronary artery disease presents with 3 hours of crushing chest pain - I already know the diagnosis.

Don't try to pick up too many patients. No one expects a 3rd year to see any more than 1, maybe 2 patients at one time.

Make sure you follow up on little details. A med student who is bright and learns but drops the ball on checking on the CXR or labs will not get good evals because it makes me work harder. Someone who always knows the status of his patient and what's resulted and what's pending helps me tremendously.