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what do i need to know?!? i was just wondering what advice you guys have gotten or have to offer after already being through that first day.
First day of 3rd year coming up...
- Thread starter Jzan
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I think there's pretty much an identical thread to this in the general residency forum.
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Read First Aid for the Wards. It gives you a good discussion of what to expect on the wards, and also of the different core clerkships you rotate through.
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I would also recommend reading something specific for the rotation that you are scheduled to begin. I.e. first aid for the wards is a good choice. I think that it would help to talk to fourth years who have done the rotation that you are set to begin. Before third year my understanding of paperwork, complexities of medicine, or job of dealing with patients did not change much after third year, (I already had alot volunteer/work in hospitals).
But what did change which sort of crushed my optimism was an unawareness of the lack of inclusion of the medical student on the care team, and the presence of attendings who become more of a problem, and occassionally a source of great distress. In many ways, becoming a medical student is a step-backwards, i.e. you will be more poorly treated by some residents and interns than you thought possible, and if you are unlucky enough, you may become a taret of abuse by attendings. This is only a WORSE case scenario, so don't let me freak you out, but I think that it is essential to have a plan B if the "working" situation becomes unbearable on he wards. I.e. have a good advisor with whom you can talk to about a volatile situation, if it something that is really distressing you. NEVER talk to anyone in your Dean's office, they are there to support the faculty regardless of their behavior, and are not helpful when it comes to a difficult situation.
When you are in a couple rotations your conversations with family or SO will change from I am stressed out about the biochem final, to "My chief resident really hates me and today . . . I can't wait for this rotation to end so I can get away from this person." It is sad, but patient care, and education takes a back-seat to the daily meaningless hassels that are *purposely* thrown in the path of medical students by "old school" attendings who like to stress students to the breaking point and beyond . . . There is nothing that gives a resident/attending greater pleasure than berrating a medical student. What they don't tell you at the open house for medical school two years ago is how you become more an indentured servant with no rights during third year.
But what did change which sort of crushed my optimism was an unawareness of the lack of inclusion of the medical student on the care team, and the presence of attendings who become more of a problem, and occassionally a source of great distress. In many ways, becoming a medical student is a step-backwards, i.e. you will be more poorly treated by some residents and interns than you thought possible, and if you are unlucky enough, you may become a taret of abuse by attendings. This is only a WORSE case scenario, so don't let me freak you out, but I think that it is essential to have a plan B if the "working" situation becomes unbearable on he wards. I.e. have a good advisor with whom you can talk to about a volatile situation, if it something that is really distressing you. NEVER talk to anyone in your Dean's office, they are there to support the faculty regardless of their behavior, and are not helpful when it comes to a difficult situation.
When you are in a couple rotations your conversations with family or SO will change from I am stressed out about the biochem final, to "My chief resident really hates me and today . . . I can't wait for this rotation to end so I can get away from this person." It is sad, but patient care, and education takes a back-seat to the daily meaningless hassels that are *purposely* thrown in the path of medical students by "old school" attendings who like to stress students to the breaking point and beyond . . . There is nothing that gives a resident/attending greater pleasure than berrating a medical student. What they don't tell you at the open house for medical school two years ago is how you become more an indentured servant with no rights during third year.
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Yeah, you will encounter plenty of abuse during your third year. In fact, not only residents and attendings, but even nurses will find ways to make your life miserable. But it gets better as you go on. By fourth year, the abuse will have significantly tapered off. Partly because you know more, and partly because you grow gradually more confident.
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Get a small moleskin notebook, or any little notebook, flip it out every now and then when an attending is talking about something and write stuff down. You actually remember the Pearls then and you look none too shabby.
Buy Maxwells. Find and write down the mnemonic for admit orders.
Read blueprints/first aid/whatever review book you like ahead of time.
Know that third year is often very subjective. You will be made to feel like an insignificant piece of dirt or worse. No it isn't fair, fun, or right but deal with it and ignore it.
Read House of God. Surprisingly apt~ if dark~ description of life on the wards. And heck, you can always through out a fatman quote when you don't know the answer to a pimp question. You'd be surprised how often that helps.
Realize that you know more than you think. It will be ok and remember to have fun as much as humanly possible.
Buy Maxwells. Find and write down the mnemonic for admit orders.
Read blueprints/first aid/whatever review book you like ahead of time.
Know that third year is often very subjective. You will be made to feel like an insignificant piece of dirt or worse. No it isn't fair, fun, or right but deal with it and ignore it.
Read House of God. Surprisingly apt~ if dark~ description of life on the wards. And heck, you can always through out a fatman quote when you don't know the answer to a pimp question. You'd be surprised how often that helps.
Realize that you know more than you think. It will be ok and remember to have fun as much as humanly possible.
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Yep pretty much. Honestly it's a whole lot easier to wake up and go to rotations when you stop caring about what people think. Not that you should be a slacker or that rotations become a cake walk but I found that worrying about the resident's/attending's perception of you is a big source of stress. Once you get past that rotations become more like an ordinary job. An incredibly horrible nonpaying job but a job none the less.
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