Getting beat in first week of 3rd year

[keepsmiling10]

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I just started my Ob/Gyn rotation, which is the first one of my 3rd year and I feel like I am a hopeless idiot! I always seem to forget something I was supposed to do, always have to ask before doing anything, don't really know how to do anything at all (including dumb stuff like page someone, or scrub in). I get so down on myself, way more than other people scolding me and I'm trying to figure out how to prevent that. I always did well in school and I've always done well in hands-on jobs and socializing so it's not that I'm a bookworm at all...it's just that I get so nervous because I don't want to screw up! I know my biggest thing is that I need to "believe in myself," which albeit being super cheesy is kinda what it comes down to. I seem to have a problem with authority in that if I know someone is judging or evaluating me or knows more than me and is just waiting for me to screw up, I kinda freak out and just do dumb things. I've never had this problem to this extent before! It's honestly kinda getting depressing.
Plus the hours and lack of sleep suck! It's harder to feel refreshed and ready to take on the world when I have to get up at 4 in the morning (I don't want to sound like I'm complaining...just not used to it!) and not done until 5:30 at least. And the overnight call is exhausting.
Ok, enough of the whining. Now for the progression. Did anyone else experience this during their 3rd year? Any tips to get around it? Any advice at all?

 

[Law2Doc]

Almost everyone $ucks as a third year at the beginning. The trick is to get better as fast as possible, and ideally not to $uck as bad as the other third years at that same stage did. Try to stay organized. Get a small pocket pad to jot down things you are supposed to do and look up. Organize patients on the medfools forms or something similar. And try to be smiling and bright eyed even if you are forcing yourself not to yawn in people's faces. You get a bit better at stomaching the hours with time.

 

[Dedikated2liftn]

I just started my Ob/Gyn rotation, which is the first one of my 3rd year and I feel like I am a hopeless idiot! I always seem to forget something I was supposed to do, always have to ask before doing anything, don't really know how to do anything at all (including dumb stuff like page someone, or scrub in). I get so down on myself, way more than other people scolding me and I'm trying to figure out how to prevent that. I always did well in school and I've always done well in hands-on jobs and socializing so it's not that I'm a bookworm at all...it's just that I get so nervous because I don't want to screw up! I know my biggest thing is that I need to "believe in myself," which albeit being super cheesy is kinda what it comes down to. I seem to have a problem with authority in that if I know someone is judging or evaluating me or knows more than me and is just waiting for me to screw up, I kinda freak out and just do dumb things. I've never had this problem to this extent before! It's honestly kinda getting depressing.
Plus the hours and lack of sleep suck! It's harder to feel refreshed and ready to take on the world when I have to get up at 4 in the morning (I don't want to sound like I'm complaining...just not used to it!) and not done until 5:30 at least. And the overnight call is exhausting.
Ok, enough of the whining. Now for the progression. Did anyone else experience this during their 3rd year? Any tips to get around it? Any advice at all?

I know I'm in no position to make this comment but....welcome to medicine! But seriously, as with everything in life, it takes practice; you'll adapt and get into the groove of things soon enough.

 

[lord_jeebus]

I also started on OB/Gyn and was absolutely miserable. I worried it would be the worst year of my life.

Then that rotation ended and things became a lot more reasonable, rational, and managable.

Just do what it takes to pass, so you don't have to repeat OB/Gyn

 

[pincheeric]

1. When your resident or attending runs the list and gives you some tasks to complete ALWAYS write them down. It is unforgivable to forget to do something they have told you to do. Most residents won't be upset with you if you mess something up you're trying to do for the first time, but they will get mad if you just don't do something they ask.

2. If you don't know how to do something, ASK! At some point even your attending was doing his/her first ABG. If you don't know how to do it, they will show you. Then they will expect you to do the next one. See one, do one, teach one.

3. PAY ATTENTION to what your residents/attendings do. Watch what they do when they scrub. Pay attention to the details. Which way do they turn to secure the back of the gown (it's counter-clockwise)? Listen carefully to how they present patients and try to do the same (but don't cut things out like they do, you haven't earned that yet). Watch how they suture. Watch how they pull drains. Don't just see them do it, but go over it in your head. Cut suture at skin, release vacuum on the bulb, cover skin site with gauze, tell patient to take a deep breath (or breath out) and hold it, pull out drain at correct speed, hold gauze at site, put new 4x4 down and paper tape it to skin. Then you know how to do it.

4. Use down-time to read. Your residents/attendings don't necessarily expect you to know how to throw knots yet, but they will expect you to know the relationship between the uterine artery and ureter (water under the bridge).

5. RELAX, it's your first rotation. You'll make mistakes. You'll make mistakes in your last rotation of medical school too.

6. Make friends with the nurse. So the resident asked you to do a a dressing change on JR's C-section incision and you don't know what to do. The nurse does. S/he will know what supplies you need and how to do it. Ask and most will help you out.

 

[persia]

Dear Keep,

You sound like a thoughtful, intelligent person with good social skills and a reasonable amount of sensitivity - which is an essential quality in life.

Consider if you did not have these qualities, what kind of person would you be? Maybe, a general surgeon, something like that? 😉 No, seriously, people who do not feel these feelings are probably not feeling alot of other crucial things and what kind of personality is that.

Do some searches on past threads about the agony that is the clinical years. Some people seem immune to the shards of emotional **** that one can encounter in these settings as a student. This is a setting like no other - remember that!

Somehow, find a way to learn as much as you can and also survive emotionally as well as you can in this unnatural environment. I would always look for that friendly person and try and seek out 'normal' people like receptionists and librarians or nurses. Also, I learned how to smile when someone was tearing me down or insulting me, and not to take anything personally. You will find what works for you - but don't be upset that you have thoughtful, sensitive feelings. These are good things to have!

As for the part about 'believing in yourself, etc.,' don't buy that bull****. You sound like a female and there are real gender issues here. If someone ever says to you: you lack confidence and need to believe in yourself, blah, blah, blah what they are saying is: act like a man. Stand tall, say it once, don't apologize, be forceful - whatever. Being thoughtful, taking a minute to think about something instead of just blindly shouting about an answer - these can be perceived as weak or 'female.' Whatever, you have good qualities that got you this far - don't let anyone tell you they are 'bad.'

 

[SexySurgeon]

Hey...nuthin' wrong with being a strong, tall, proud female 😉

 

[ineedsleep]

I just started my Ob/Gyn rotation, which is the first one of my 3rd year and I feel like I am a hopeless idiot! I always seem to forget something I was supposed to do, always have to ask before doing anything, don't really know how to do anything at all (including dumb stuff like page someone, or scrub in). I get so down on myself, way more than other people scolding me and I'm trying to figure out how to prevent that. I always did well in school and I've always done well in hands-on jobs and socializing so it's not that I'm a bookworm at all...it's just that I get so nervous because I don't want to screw up! I know my biggest thing is that I need to "believe in myself," which albeit being super cheesy is kinda what it comes down to. I seem to have a problem with authority in that if I know someone is judging or evaluating me or knows more than me and is just waiting for me to screw up, I kinda freak out and just do dumb things. I've never had this problem to this extent before! It's honestly kinda getting depressing.
Plus the hours and lack of sleep suck! It's harder to feel refreshed and ready to take on the world when I have to get up at 4 in the morning (I don't want to sound like I'm complaining...just not used to it!) and not done until 5:30 at least. And the overnight call is exhausting.
Ok, enough of the whining. Now for the progression. Did anyone else experience this during their 3rd year? Any tips to get around it? Any advice at all?

Welcome to third year.😀 I think that was the year of the most highs and lows in medical school for me. I'd feel like and intelligent human being and the a *****. And back again. Actually some times there was a long time in between feeling like an intelligent human being. It gets better. It gets worse. And then you are done. The best advice I have is as said before a.)stay organized b.) if you don't know, ask. c.) realize that pretty much everyone seems to go through this too. Good luck.

 

[vtucci]

Just remember- this too shall pass.

Third year is indoctrination by fire. OB is not known for its fluffy bunny atmosphere but try to make the best of it. You will make mistakes. It is expected. If you knew everything already, you would not need to be a student. There is a deer in the headlights phenomenon in third year particularly when getting pimped It is how you deal with those mistakes that separate you from your peers. Keep your cool and try to behave professionally at all times.

The evaluation process can be difficult to be sure. Just work hard, go in with a good attitude. Sometimes it is best to set goals for yourself (and this may not be to get an honors in every rotation) regarding your skill set and knowledgebase.

Good luck.

 

[BozoSparky]

oh god, i had the same experience...ob/gyn was so hard my first 6 weeks of 3rd year. waking up was the worst. you'll be ok, it just doesn't seem that way...try to work with residents/attendings who are not toxic, if possible. i remember having a friend who said he hid in the bathroom when he could 🙂

 

[Tiger26]

I've got Ob/Gyn right now too as my first rotation--hours suck but just remember that we're halfway done (with this rotation) and that you've just gotta keep on keepin' on.

 

[cfdavid]

I just started my Ob/Gyn rotation, which is the first one of my 3rd year and I feel like I am a hopeless idiot! I always seem to forget something I was supposed to do, always have to ask before doing anything, don't really know how to do anything at all (including dumb stuff like page someone, or scrub in). I get so down on myself, way more than other people scolding me and I'm trying to figure out how to prevent that. I always did well in school and I've always done well in hands-on jobs and socializing so it's not that I'm a bookworm at all...it's just that I get so nervous because I don't want to screw up! I know my biggest thing is that I need to "believe in myself," which albeit being super cheesy is kinda what it comes down to. I seem to have a problem with authority in that if I know someone is judging or evaluating me or knows more than me and is just waiting for me to screw up, I kinda freak out and just do dumb things. I've never had this problem to this extent before! It's honestly kinda getting depressing.
Plus the hours and lack of sleep suck! It's harder to feel refreshed and ready to take on the world when I have to get up at 4 in the morning (I don't want to sound like I'm complaining...just not used to it!) and not done until 5:30 at least. And the overnight call is exhausting.
Ok, enough of the whining. Now for the progression. Did anyone else experience this during their 3rd year? Any tips to get around it? Any advice at all?

I'm also doing OB/GYN as my first rotation of MSIII. Granted, I'm on GYN, which by the sounds of my colleagues that are on OB, is a lot more forgiving (we don't work as many hours and have some downtime to read etc.).

*****The key to 3rd year, IMO is to KNOW that it's natural to feel clueless. You DO need to believe in yourself. You need to KNOW intrinsically that you won't know how many things work/operate. This is natural. So, you can't measure yourself against knowing/not knowing the system right off the bat.

Most upperclassmen/women will tell you that they finally figured things out the last 2 weeks of their rotation.

Also, try not to put too much pressure on yourself. As in, "I need to make everyone happy and like me". This is unnecessary. Just be yourself. You're a hard worker that has the knowledge base of a newly minted MSIII. This base will grow, but it doesn't happen overnight.

 

[Tired]

Most everyone gets beat on in 3rd year. Even those who are extremely successful, honor every rotation, and are generally hot-**** students will get beat on. In most (but not all) instances, there is no particular animosity or disrespect intended, it's more a rite of passage kind of thing.

Think of it as an initiation.

 

[rachmoninov3]

I'm still a year away from my OB clerkship, but my school has us doing a two month rural rotation, and mine is heavy on OB (I haven't even had this subject formally taught, so I'm living and breathing LANGE OB/GYN).
The first few days I felt so worthless, then after scrubing in a few time, the surgeon let me "deliver" aka take the feet and pull out a breech during a section. Then I go from feeling worthless to only feeling a little worthless and saying "give me more!"
That's the thing with these rotations, the learning curve is so steep, but it's also very addictive!
The good will come...eventually.

 

[mikedc813]

Don't feel bad if you're struggling during the beginning of 3rd year. It's an entirely normal thing, but the key is to keep plugging away. It will come to you in time. Success during 3rd year really is all about your attitude and helping out your residents and attendings, which will help you learn at the same time. I didn't realize this when I was a student, but your attendings and residents don't really expect you to know a whole lot especially during the beginning of your 3rd year. The key is to have a good attitude and be interested. Nothing bothers me more than a student who doesn't try hiding the fact that he/she would rather be at home.