Breaking arm/wrist in medical school?

[WashMe]

Just wondering...

What would happen if you were, say, skateboarding or something and broke your arm/wrist while in medical school? Would you fail to meet the physical standards while in a cast and be forced to take time off (at tremendous $ expense)?

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[thiems]

Just wondering...

What would happen if you were, say, skateboarding or something and broke your arm/wrist while in medical school? Would you fail to meet the physical standards while in a cast and be forced to take time off (at tremendous $ expense)?

If you were in the first two years then nothing would change. If you're in the last two years then not much would change. You would obviously have to tailor what you could do but you wouldn't be forced to take time off.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Just wondering...

What would happen if you were, say, skateboarding or something and broke your arm/wrist while in medical school? Would you fail to meet the physical standards while in a cast and be forced to take time off (at tremendous $ expense)?

No, you wouldn't be hampered - even in the clinical years. A broken wrist is usually only 6-8 weeks in a cast, plus some rehab time. I've known students with much worse who got by -torn ACL, microfracture surgery, having a kid (I'd say that hampers you a lot more than an arm)

I've actually even worked with a resident with a broken leg - they had to get around on crutches and then a cane for a while, but they managed (would be really hard, I'm sure).

The only thing I could see is that if you were scheduled to be on a surgery rotation and broke your arm, you would need to flip-flop your schedule to do something less procedural

 

[Blesbok]

Unless you were on your surgery rotation or possibly your OBGYN rotation, it really wouldn't make that much of a difference.

 

[Depakote]

If this were to happen during something like anatomy, usually your classmates will help pick up the slack as long as you're still making an effort to help-out (reading the atlas/dissector and navigating as much as possible). For clinical rotations, I'll defer to the above posters' experience.

The real problem is that an injury like this can have a major impact on your academics. Pain killers hurt your ability to study and if you spend any significant amount of time in rehab, that's a good chunk of time each week losing that you had for study (or just holding your life together). You'll really need to get a handle on time management if you're in that position.

 

[little pebble]

Just wondering...

What would happen if you were, say, skateboarding or something and broke your arm/wrist while in medical school? Would you fail to meet the physical standards while in a cast and be forced to take time off (at tremendous $ expense)?

Speaking as someone currently wearing a sling (YAY dislocated shoulder!) it doesn't really matter. I get around fine, and yeah, it sucks, but the deans aren't going to kick you out or make you take time off because of it. You learn to work around it, and the sling isn't permanent!

I've also heard stories about past students at my school who have go through really horrible accidents and have graduated to become fine doctors. So, no worries.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

Meh, i got through med school with significant nerve damage (and a hell of a lot of time spent in rehab/PT). Wasn't a huge deal, except when people forgot that my right hand won't always do what I tell it to.

I'm about to get my dominant wrist sliced open in a couple of weeks. 6 weeks in a cast. Will be hard to manage but still doable.

 

[175961]

they would immediately expel you and your future in medicine would be at an end

 

[Tiare208]

I actually knew a resident who broke his wrist doing martial arts. His peers all joked that his tiny wife beat him. He still managed to get through somehow. If a surgical resident can do it, then a medical student can.

 

[AlanAlanine]

i have a relative who had polio as a kid and has no use of his legs. He's an orthopedic surgeon and does surgery propped up on crutches.

 

[UofM527]

I would have to agree with most of the posts up there...if its only a broken arm or something relatively minor, you could probably find ways to get by easy enough

However, as mentioned by Depakote, you would probably find that too difficult if it was a more severe injury that required long term pain management, several appointments, and extensive rehab etc...I actually know a few students in my 1st year class who b/c of injuries early on in their first year (the year before) had to take a LOA and join my class

 

[kac714]

one of my friends broke his arm during 1st year. he was fine. just TRY not to do it

 

[Law2Doc]

Unless you were on your surgery rotation or possibly your OBGYN rotation, it really wouldn't make that much of a difference.

Yeah, I know someone who tore a muscle just prior to one of those hand intensive cores, and ended up having to rearrange a schedule to push some rotations back into 4th year. Still graduated on time, but burned up some vacation/board study months. Schools usually will work with you. But not every rotation will allow you to simply move through the rotation without having the opportunity to learn certain procedures, making rescheduling necessary if you are physically incapacitated.