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I always hear about the bad evals, but it seems you don't usually hear about the good ones. I just got back my first evals and was pleasantly surprised since I didn't feel like I did that well since this was my first month on the wards. Things that they seemed to like:
1) Read about your patient's conditions, medications etc
I read up on my patients and presented a couple times a week or so during rounds (nothing fancy, like 5-10 mins on managing hypoglycemia, for instance). My evals mentioned that and said I was very knowledgeable about my patients (even though I really didn't know much most of the time).
2) Help out as much as possible, even if it's something you'd rather not do don't show it.
I helped out with pretty much anything anyone asked without, even when it wasn't my patient. For instance, as gross as this is I sort of became the stool guiac go to person (at the time I thought they hated me because it seems like whenever the needed one they would page me to go do it, most of the times it wasn't even my patient).
Also, if you get done early and your intern has a ton of stuff going on, offer to help. I read on SDN that it's scut to go get food for your intern, but when you're on long call and your intern is swamped and the cafeteria closes at 6, I think it's just a nice thing to do.
Anyway, it paid off because a lot of my comments said I was a team player, dependable and always willing to help out.
3) Check in with your patients when you have a few minutes during the day, if it's even to say hello. Many times I was able to find out things from either the patient or the nurse and call my intern to update her. For instance, I called her about one of my patients starting to get delirious, or my other patient wanting a bath because they had family visiting etc. Also, sometimes patients would have questions about a procedure etc, and since I usually had time on my hands I could sit with them and explain things, or sometimes I printed out patient info from the nih website for them and their families.
For one, most patients really liked getting visitors, and two, my interns were always appreciative.
By the end of the rotation you start to really know everything going on with your patient and feel like you're in charge of them with the intern as your supervisor.
Anyway, I was really surprised but my attending said I was functioning at the level of a sub-I 😱, and apparently my patients told him all this wonderful stuff about me that also made it in my evals.
Anyway, just wanted to say even when you don't know much about patient care/ management, just being nice and helpful can go a long way!
1) Read about your patient's conditions, medications etc
I read up on my patients and presented a couple times a week or so during rounds (nothing fancy, like 5-10 mins on managing hypoglycemia, for instance). My evals mentioned that and said I was very knowledgeable about my patients (even though I really didn't know much most of the time).
2) Help out as much as possible, even if it's something you'd rather not do don't show it.
I helped out with pretty much anything anyone asked without, even when it wasn't my patient. For instance, as gross as this is I sort of became the stool guiac go to person (at the time I thought they hated me because it seems like whenever the needed one they would page me to go do it, most of the times it wasn't even my patient).
Also, if you get done early and your intern has a ton of stuff going on, offer to help. I read on SDN that it's scut to go get food for your intern, but when you're on long call and your intern is swamped and the cafeteria closes at 6, I think it's just a nice thing to do.
Anyway, it paid off because a lot of my comments said I was a team player, dependable and always willing to help out.
3) Check in with your patients when you have a few minutes during the day, if it's even to say hello. Many times I was able to find out things from either the patient or the nurse and call my intern to update her. For instance, I called her about one of my patients starting to get delirious, or my other patient wanting a bath because they had family visiting etc. Also, sometimes patients would have questions about a procedure etc, and since I usually had time on my hands I could sit with them and explain things, or sometimes I printed out patient info from the nih website for them and their families.
For one, most patients really liked getting visitors, and two, my interns were always appreciative.
By the end of the rotation you start to really know everything going on with your patient and feel like you're in charge of them with the intern as your supervisor.
Anyway, I was really surprised but my attending said I was functioning at the level of a sub-I 😱, and apparently my patients told him all this wonderful stuff about me that also made it in my evals.
Anyway, just wanted to say even when you don't know much about patient care/ management, just being nice and helpful can go a long way!
. Certainly not boasting as there's always LOTS to improve on.. but I like the change of pace.
