Asking to work only 1/2 day on Wed before Thanksgiving so I can travel home?

[han14tra]

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In order to get home for Thanksgiving, I need to be on the bus by 2:15pm, but I'm on my peds rotation and normally work until 5:30pm. So, I'll have to leave on Thanksgiving at 2:15pm and get home around 7pm, which stinks. Would it be frowned upon to ask for a 1/2 off so I can travel home?

 

[wannabedocta]

might not be so bad for pads. it's worth a shot.

 

[thepoopologist]

You can ask. I'd say it's less frowned upon if the rotation doesn't depend on you for notes and rounding.

I mean, if your peds rotations is anything like my peds rotations, then it shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[KnuxNole]

That's what we are doing for our rotation. I mean, if they really need a THIRD YEAR medical student for something urgent, then there is something wrong with them to begin with! It would actually hurt them more as opposed to them using a real doctor 😛

 

[MilkmanAl]

I wouldn't ask; I'd tell. You have travel plans and need to be somewhere at a given time. Just let your team know when you'll be leaving, and split.

 

[WiseGuy1]

I wouldn't ask; I'd tell. You have travel plans and need to be somewhere at a given time. Just let your team know when you'll be leaving, and split.

This. If there is a strict hierarchal system or there are strict rules, then the answer may be different. Other wise, you're an adult, you have **** to do. People understand that. Just make sure you have completed all of your work that morning. It would certainly look bad if you took off and shoved your work on to someone else.

 

[TheLesPaul]

This. If there is a strict hierarchal system or there are strict rules, then the answer may be different. Other wise, you're an adult, you have **** to do. People understand that. Just make sure you have completed all of your work that morning. It would certainly look bad if you took off and shoved your work on to someone else.

What "work" does an MS3 have really that isn't replicated by a resident already?

 

[45408]

What "work" does an MS3 have really that isn't replicated by a resident already?

Well, I'm on an ICU rotation, and if the med student writes a really long note in the computer system, I don't have to duplicate it. It does save me a little time, but I had to go over the plan with them in advance anyway.

I guess I'd go to the attending and say "I've got plans on Thanksgiving, but in order to make it, I need to catch the bus by 2pm. Do you mind if I leave by then?" If you're otherwise doing well on the rotation, it shouldn't matter, but if you're always bouncing out early, it'll probably show up on your eval.

 

[macgyver22]

As an attending I can tell you that most of us would be happy to let you go. We know the time will be coming soon when you wont have that option and you will have to make sacrifices. With that said, if you word it the way Prowler did you will be looked upon as a mature student who realizes he/she has responsibilities and has asked in an appropriate way. If you approach the attending the way Milkman suggests you will not be considered in a very positive light when it comes time to write an evaluation.

 

[gman33]

The problem is, you never know how this will go over.
Some attendings won't care and will be glad to let you go.
Others will think you need to learn how to be "responsible" now and will hold this request against you.

If you really need to leave early, I'd explain and ask nicely.
They might hold it against you, but in the grand scheme of things one eval probably doesn't matter (unless you plan on going into peds).

 

[TheLesPaul]

Well, I'm on an ICU rotation, and if the med student writes a really long note in the computer system, I don't have to duplicate it. It does save me a little time, but I had to go over the plan with them in advance anyway.

I guess I'd go to the attending and say "I've got plans on Thanksgiving, but in order to make it, I need to catch the bus by 2pm. Do you mind if I leave by then?" If you're otherwise doing well on the rotation, it shouldn't matter, but if you're always bouncing out early, it'll probably show up on your eval.

I see, at our school they residents can't co-sign our notes, they have to write their own from scratch for billing purposes. Not to say that co-signing doesn't happen on occasion, but generally everything we do is redundant (which is good).

 

[han14tra]

Thanks for the replies. They said I could leave early to go home, which was nice of them. 😍. The Attending was actually taking Wednesday off as a vacation day so they were pretty understanding. Now, I won't miss Thanksgiving dinner!! Turkey and pumpkin pie, here I come