do medical students practice procedures on each other?
Started by errrca930
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Yes, we practice procedures on each other.
Ones that immediately spring to mind include placing IVs and catheters - this lab was optional. We also performed elements of the physical exam (e.g. abdominal exam, heart and lung exam, HEENT exam, neuro exam) on each other - this was not really optional. But you COULD select who you wanted to work with (a friend, a classmate of the same sex, etc.) We also did an ophthalmic exam lab where we each had the option to dilate 1 eye and take turns looking in each other's eyes in the dark. We also practiced PE skills on each other a lot during our ICM course, just for fun, with our preceptor looking on.
My eyes, for one reason or another, make for a relatively easy fundoscopic exam - thus I was usually the guinea pig for the eye exam. Another one of my classmates had amazingly brisk reflexes, and thus she got hit a lot with the hammer. You should practice these things on each other, as they are really helpful to have down by the beginning of 3rd year. You may discover someone with an interesting finding or a "textbook" example of something you are learning.
We don't practie giving each other injections (we learn this on an unfortunate orange) or ABGs/other more invasive procedures - these are done on fake arms with fake blood that pumps out. We don't do pelvic/breast/rectal/male GU exams on one another, either. These are done on standardized patients that teach you as you go along.
Ones that immediately spring to mind include placing IVs and catheters - this lab was optional. We also performed elements of the physical exam (e.g. abdominal exam, heart and lung exam, HEENT exam, neuro exam) on each other - this was not really optional. But you COULD select who you wanted to work with (a friend, a classmate of the same sex, etc.) We also did an ophthalmic exam lab where we each had the option to dilate 1 eye and take turns looking in each other's eyes in the dark. We also practiced PE skills on each other a lot during our ICM course, just for fun, with our preceptor looking on.
My eyes, for one reason or another, make for a relatively easy fundoscopic exam - thus I was usually the guinea pig for the eye exam. Another one of my classmates had amazingly brisk reflexes, and thus she got hit a lot with the hammer. You should practice these things on each other, as they are really helpful to have down by the beginning of 3rd year. You may discover someone with an interesting finding or a "textbook" example of something you are learning.
We don't practie giving each other injections (we learn this on an unfortunate orange) or ABGs/other more invasive procedures - these are done on fake arms with fake blood that pumps out. We don't do pelvic/breast/rectal/male GU exams on one another, either. These are done on standardized patients that teach you as you go along.
Urinary catheters?
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2nd year they practice IVs on each other. I only heard of one person not doing it, but that is because they passed out before the IV got to them. And when we practice physical exam, we do it on each other all the time, but it is volunteer. ("Hey, let me do the abdominal exam on you for practice!")
We have a lot of Sim people that we do more ummmm uncomfortable things on.
We practiced a lot of the physical exams on each other (I had to do a full physical and writeup on a fellow student in the end of 1st year). We also practiced giving shots and I believe we learn how to do IVs on classmates as well. I'm sure most of it is optional if you really don't want to participate thouygh
What we practiced with each other:
- Physical exam, with the exception of pelvic and digital rectal exams
- Phlebotomy during an optional phlebotomy clinic sponsored by a student group
What we practiced onstandardized patients:
- History and physical
- Pelvic and digital rectal exams
What we practiced using dummies:
- Lumbar punctures
- NG tube placement
- IV placement and phlebotomy
- Foley catheter placement
- CPR (during certification class)
- Physical exam, with the exception of pelvic and digital rectal exams
- Phlebotomy during an optional phlebotomy clinic sponsored by a student group
What we practiced onstandardized patients:
- History and physical
- Pelvic and digital rectal exams
What we practiced using dummies:
- Lumbar punctures
- NG tube placement
- IV placement and phlebotomy
- Foley catheter placement
- CPR (during certification class)
LOL
Now that's either dedication or your school gives a great "professionalism" lecture whenever people don't want to participate. 😉
Guess it would have to be a pretty, um, tight (or not), class to practice foleys with. I'll draw the line at DREs.
Wow... I imagine they're paid well.
This is pretty much what everyone told me to expect. Nothing too invasive or private, but everyday things we may practice on each other.
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They are. Same for the breast exam patients.
Nothing to invasive or private, no, but people will still complain. UGH.
I get to do all the booby exams on the hot chicks!
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I just googled to find out how much the pay is for standardized patients that the students perform genital exams on. About $50 an hour. Cheaper than hookers, unfortunatly. (the joke is that there are certain jobs hookers are cheaper for...pm me if you want details)
At one time one of the NY schools did, in fact, hire prostitutes to practice pelvic exams on on (there was an article in the Times about such standardized patients a while back which described this). That practice became somewhat frowned upon and professionally trained standardized patients emerged.
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I just ran into my standardized pelvic exam patient in public yesterday....
We practiced the entire physcial exam on standardized patients, from head to toe. We were never required or even asked to do anything on each other. Granted, those who wanted to practice on their own teamed up, but by no means was this required or even supervised. As for GU/GYN patients, they were a special group of standardized patients that served as our teachers and patients. They were very professional and great teachers.
What exams do you have to take your shirt off for by other students? I've been working out and I want them to see my buff bod without seeming conceited!
You should go to a DO school for that.
When teaching cardio and pulmonary exams, the instructors often asked for a volunteer and it was always some dude who had been working out who would leap up on the table to volunteer for the class to auscultate. You can be that dude. But that dude is the one who never learns how to do the exam.
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while I try to go to the gym regularly, I wouldn't call myself buff, and I ended up volunteering for a lot of the shirtless stuff. I really don't care if other people are listening/palpating, and I hated the long pauses while they looked for volunteers. And I got picked several times without volunteering.
Good point. I guess learning it is better than being objectified anyways.One problem for you guys. How do you inhibit your natural embarassment from doing the rectal, genital, breast exam when it comes to your turn. I am afraid when it is my turn I will turn bright red and start to giggle (like a little school girl....I am a guy btw).
The pay is MUCH better than this where I am for patients who are trained to TEACH medical students the invasive (breast/pelvic, testicular, rectal) exams. Somewhere between $150 and $200/hr.
What are you working on now HeadInTheClouds, your 5th ban in a month? Isn't there some way to block this troll's IP address before he starts insulting the handicapped and generally annoying the **** out of everyone again?
Damn, I wonder if you can do this as a med student. One 8 hour day would pay for more than a month of spending money/food. 😳
Expecting more clinically relevant findings perhaps?
"And here we see the THIRD standard patient with gonorrhea...and wait, what is this...herpes too! Bonus!"
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Wow, get my junk played with and get paid...****in' HS career counselor .
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