doing a GI elective during clerkship...

[spiritgirl]

hey there,

i'm in my 3rd year of med school, currently doing a GI elective during my clerkship at a community hospital.

for those of you who have done a GI elective in 3rd year med school, were you ever allowed to actually scope or do any part of the procedure? just curious!

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[gida]

If one of the attendings is laid back and trusts you...you may get to pull back from the stomach or pull back from the splenic flexure....keep the lumen in the middle! Never hurts to ask!

 

[spiritgirl]

If one of the attendings is laid back and trusts you...you may get to pull back from the stomach or pull back from the splenic flexure....keep the lumen in the middle! Never hurts to ask!

thanks for the advice! after i asked again today, one of the attendings today let me do some of the advancing of the scope and pulling back. it's actually harder than it looks, with the patient moving around and the bowels being relatively active! doing something is better than just watching, though.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

If one of the attendings is laid back and trusts you...you may get to pull back from the stomach or pull back from the splenic flexure....keep the lumen in the middle! Never hurts to ask!

I agree with this statement, I was assertive and asked my attending. I got to do some colonoscopies and EGDs under close supervision. If you played video games as a kid, it's not hard at all to move the scope around. The trick is keeping the lens clean and providing just the right amount of air. I agree, keep the lumen in the middle and don't forget to flip that scope at the end. Also, having a patient who actually completes their bowel prep as instructed helps alot too! Remember: Versed is your friend.

It is quite different than surgical skills though. I had to throw some fine stitches during a pyeloplasty and I admittedly had a rough time with it.