Doctor-Patient Cold Feet

[moonwake]

So medical school is starting this summer and the more I think about it the more nervous I get. Not because of the amount of work it's going to be but more like the stress of being responsible for the health of someone else- being able to come across as a competent doctor. Do you feel like your medical school program gives you enough exposure/preparation before rotations to help break the ice or do you feel like you basically are completely in the dark until your 3rd year. I'm not backing out of medical school but it's almost like an anxiety attack the last few days.

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[mcmed315]

I am most likely, the least qualified person to answer this post =) HOWEVER, I'm sure that what you're feeling is not uncommon. And if the students that graduated were incompetent or poorly prepared, I highly doubt they would have matched into residencies and over time, the school would have failed and its reputation shot. The school is still standing and you should be proud! If you were incompetent, you wouldn't have come this far. =)

 

[yanks26dmb]

These thoughts worry me too. There are days I seriously contemplate backing out and following another passion of starting a food truck business.

I find it most helpful to block the worries and just tell myself everything is going to be wonderful.

 

[moonwake]

I am most likely, the least qualified person to answer this post =) HOWEVER, I'm sure that what you're feeling is not uncommon. And if the students that graduated were incompetent or poorly prepared, I highly doubt they would have matched into residencies and over time, the school would have failed and its reputation shot. The school is still standing and you should be proud! If you were incompetent, you wouldn't have come this far. =)

These thoughts worry me too. There are days I seriously contemplate backing out and following another passion of starting a food truck business.

I find it most helpful to block the worries and just tell myself everything is going to be wonderful.

Well it's just like- I have found so many other careers in healthcare that aren't so demanding. I know I want to be a doctor for a million reasons but the freaking out about it part really makes you reconsider if it's the right thing to do. Glad I'm not alone!

 

[mcmed315]

Well, maybe it's a like wedding. People have cold feet all the time and most of the times, it's because it's a completely new journey. You're making a huge decision and of course it's scary but that doesn't mean it isn't the right one. For some, that may be the case but it sounds like you have the drive and are genuinely excited about medicine. I may be wrong but only you can answer that.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

As they say, "fake it till you make it." I have full faith that that is how it goes with medical school as well.

 

[AM508]

It sounds perfectly reasonable to be nervous about things, as it is a big undertaking. I think most folks are a little nervous about many different aspects of starting school (whether they will admit it or not🙄), it is after all, a great big unknown. Honestly, for me the most nerve-wracking part of things is knowing that I will be moving half-way across the country alone where I know precisely no one and thus have no support network, be on a shoestring budget, and then beginning the most rigorous curriculum I have experienced yet in life. I am ready for the challenge but still a bit nervous. I was saying to someone earlier in the week that I am very excited to be starting soon, but also am a little nervous. So, we all have our concerns, but, if a few months we will be too busy to be worried about them anymore😉.

 

[medickdb]

Let me just say this. I'm glad you're nervous. I would much rather you feel nervous than feel overconfident. Always keep in the back of your mind that even though you may have come up with a diagnosis and treatment, that the answer could always change. It's an uncomfortable feeling to have, I know.

Be comforted in the fact that you'll think to yourself afterwards, "Did I do right by this patient?," for this is a good thing. It will make your care that much better in the long run for that particular patient and the patients who will come to you in the future seeking help. So, don't be afraid to be nervous rather consider it to be one of your greatest assets. Internalize it, and use it to your advantage.

 

[igor_raptor]

So medical school is starting this summer and the more I think about it the more nervous I get. Not because of the amount of work it's going to be but more like the stress of being responsible for the health of someone else- being able to come across as a competent doctor. Do you feel like your medical school program gives you enough exposure/preparation before rotations to help break the ice or do you feel like you basically are completely in the dark until your 3rd year. I'm not backing out of medical school but it's almost like an anxiety attack the last few days.

You'll be fine. It would be weirder if you weren't nervous.

 

[moonwake]

Well, maybe it's a like wedding. People have cold feet all the time and most of the times, it's because it's a completely new journey. You're making a huge decision and of course it's scary but that doesn't mean it isn't the right one. For some, that may be the case but it sounds like you have the drive and are genuinely excited about medicine. I may be wrong but only you can answer that.

That's all you can really bring to the table I guess =s

As they say, "fake it till you make it." I have full faith that that is how it goes with medical school as well.

lol yeah I totally agree but the phrase "fake it" as a physician is scary when you think about it xD

It sounds perfectly reasonable to be nervous about things, as it is a big undertaking. I think most folks are a little nervous about many different aspects of starting school (whether they will admit it or not🙄), it is after all, a great big unknown. Honestly, for me the most nerve-wracking part of things is knowing that I will be moving half-way across the country alone where I know precisely no one and thus have no support network, be on a shoestring budget, and then beginning the most rigorous curriculum I have experienced yet in life. I am ready for the challenge but still a bit nervous. I was saying to someone earlier in the week that I am very excited to be starting soon, but also am a little nervous. So, we all have our concerns, but, if a few months we will be too busy to be worried about them anymore😉.

Yeah- I think that is a huge unknown. At the same time you don't have any distractions (a blessing in disguise) Luckily I have a wife and kids to keep me company but I often have to manage all my schooling and stuff around them which might get in the way sometimes. I totally agree that we will be too busy to even realize our emotional state haha.

Let me just say this. I'm glad you're nervous. I would much rather you feel nervous than feel overconfident. Always keep in the back of your mind that even though you may have come up with a diagnosis and treatment, that the answer could always change. It's an uncomfortable feeling to have, I know.

Be comforted in the fact that you'll think to yourself afterwards, "Did I do right by this patient?," for this is a good thing. It will make your care that much better in the long run for that particular patient and the patients who will come to you in the future seeking your help. So, don't be afraid to be nervous rather consider it to be one of your greatest assets. Internalize it, and use it to your advantage.

Yeah true. I mean you kind of have to fake till you make it in a way so your patients/preceptors don't think you're an idiot. But I'm pretty sure I'm going to treat each patient encounter like a hostage situation (mentally). I assume you have many over-confident classmates that don't fit that description?

 

[medickdb]

That's all you can really bring to the table I guess =s



lol yeah I totally agree but the phrase "fake it" as a physician is scary when you think about it xD



Yeah- I think that is a huge unknown. At the same time you don't have any distractions (a blessing in disguise) Luckily I have a wife and kids to keep me company but I often have to manage all my schooling and stuff around them which might get in the way sometimes. I totally agree that we will be too busy to even realize our emotional state haha.



Yeah true. I mean you kind of have to fake till you make it in a way so your patients/preceptors don't think you're an idiot. But I'm pretty sure I'm going to treat each patient encounter like a hostage situation (mentally). I assume you have many over-confident classmates that don't fit that description?

Medicine's full of overconfident people.

 

[moonwake]

Medicine's full of overconfident people.

Well I was hoping medical school would bring them to terms of how insignificant they were. I guess I misjudge.

 

[j4pac]

I would be more concerned if you didn't have the fear...because that would mean that you would be haphazardly killing people. Your confidence will increase at you go along, but you should be afraid when you enter. You don't even know what you don't know at this point.

 

[SLC]

It's normal to be stressed. But guess what, it gets better as you learn and gain experience doing things. There's a reason you'll be in training for 7 years minimum.

I'm about to graduate and I don't really feel that worried about whether or not I'll be competent. I've learned a lot in medical school and I'll learn a heck of a lot more in residency. I've put in the effort, and I will continue to do so.

What concerns me is that I'll be able to perform in residency to the level that's expected of me right from the get go. I have read some terrifying stories about people being dropped from their programs with little notice. Faculty on Sub-I's assured me that I am at or above the expected level of an intern, but I don't know what exactly that means, because I'm not sure what an intern is supposed to know, or where in the intern year my skills supposedly match.

But I trust that it will become much more clear in the near future.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I am going to be graduating from medical school in about a month and I feel the same exact way....

Thousands of people have gotten through it before, OP. Odds are you are one of the thousands who will do the same.

 

[UTsksk]

I think the key is that you try to get any exposure however you can during medical school. I have had very limited exposure to real patients, but I'm slowly feeling better being around people that are actually sick and not the actors you see every other week. I've gotten my experience by being involved with soft tissue clinics and volunteering at free clinics. FYI, it's kinda interesting seeing OMM work on people who actually need it. It's also a bonus if your school has a student free clinic because you get to see real patients while still being monitored by physicians.

 

[DubVille]

It's normal to be stressed. But guess what, it gets better as you learn and gain experience doing things. There's a reason you'll be in training for 7 years minimum.

I'm about to graduate and I don't really feel that worried about whether or not I'll be competent. I've learned a lot in medical school and I'll learn a heck of a lot more in residency. I've put in the effort, and I will continue to do so.

What concerns me is that I'll be able to perform in residency to the level that's expected of me right from the get go. I have read some terrifying stories about people being dropped from their programs with little notice. Faculty on Sub-I's assured me that I am at or above the expected level of an intern, but I don't know what exactly that means, because I'm not sure what an intern is supposed to know, or where in the intern year my skills supposedly match.

But I trust that it will become much more clear in the near future.

I remember reading through those threads 2 years ago and feeling the same way. You will be fine, don't lie and be nice to people. Firing residents isn't really that easy, and in all but the rarest of cases is fully justified,when they are. It's funny after intern year, i didn't have those same fears when moving on to my advanced residency spot. My first few overnight calls by myself were a bit scary to truly make my own decisions without bouncing it off a senior resident shortly afterwards.

Every huge step you take will freak you out, but 99% of students move to the next round. Starting med school to clinicals to intern year, etc. I'm sure I will have a small freak out when I'm an attending.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I am going to be graduating from medical school in about a month and I feel the same exact way....

Thousands of people have gotten through it before, OP. Odds are you are one of the thousands who will do the same.

Yes, it is natural to feel that way. I remember ,first night on call having a break down in the bathroom thinking, "what the hell did I get myself into?" Then you pull it together and go do your job. It happens to all of us. I worry about those who think they know everything, they are dangerous and kill patients.

 

[j4pac]

I remember reading through those threads 2 years ago and feeling the same way. You will be fine, don't lie and be nice to people. Firing residents isn't really that easy, and in all but the rarest of cases is fully justified,when they are. It's funny after intern year, i didn't have those same fears when moving on to my advanced residency spot. My first few overnight calls by myself were a bit scary to truly make my own decisions without bouncing it off a senior resident shortly afterwards.

Every huge step you take will freak you out, but 99% of students move to the next round. Starting med school to clinicals to intern year, etc. I'm sure I will have a small freak out when I'm an attending.

Let me add...that if a student/resident is going to be a liability at least be a kind/hardworking liability. Those are the types of liabilities who get second changes.

I'm not the biggest fan of "Scrubs", but I have to say that the first season is something that every medical professional should watch. The fears of the hospital are brilliantly portrayed in those episodes.