i am a fourth year medical student who is about to begin an internship at a pretty tough medicine program. i was wondering what you guys thought was the best way to prepare for internship. it seems like so long since i've done any real work and i feel like i know NOTHING at all right now. i've heard of some people reading the first few sections of harrison's and some others doing resident-level MKSAP questions to prepare for internship. what do you guys/gals suggest? any help would be greatly appreciated.
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how do you prepare for internship?
Started by phillyfornia
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Sleep.
As much as possible. Preferably for at least 24 hours straight, several days out of a week.
You won't get the chance again.
As much as possible. Preferably for at least 24 hours straight, several days out of a week.
You won't get the chance again.
yeah, i've asked interns for this advice before, and all their answers involve sleeping and not reading because nothing will prepare you... i guess i should take their advice.
Don't do anything that involves reading or spending money on pocket manuals for internship. 😎
Regarding money for pocket manuals -- save the $30 to treat yourself to something.
Regarding money for pocket manuals -- save the $30 to treat yourself to something.
so without the pocket manual... what do you do at 3:30am on your first call night when you don't know anything and disaster strikes?!
Haha... I posted that a couple weeks ago. 😀 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=4876483#post4876483 But you just spend the first few nights asking your resident.
The key to doing well in residency...I'll give you an example of the same clinical scenario handled by different interns with the same pocket manual.
A patient with chest pain..
Good intern: Gets to the bedside, asks for vitals, EKG, labs..after quickly (just a few minutes) assessing the pt. and calls resident while this is ongoing. Ask for help b/c you shouldn't be alone early on.
Bad intern: Picks up the phone IMMEDIATELY without getting anything going and calls the resident panicky while thumbing through one of those manuals.
Great intern: does #1 but also asks the pt for cardiac history and gets cardiologist phone number.
A patient with chest pain..
Good intern: Gets to the bedside, asks for vitals, EKG, labs..after quickly (just a few minutes) assessing the pt. and calls resident while this is ongoing. Ask for help b/c you shouldn't be alone early on.
Bad intern: Picks up the phone IMMEDIATELY without getting anything going and calls the resident panicky while thumbing through one of those manuals.
Great intern: does #1 but also asks the pt for cardiac history and gets cardiologist phone number.
Badder intern: calls Chief from the call room without seeing patient or having any data other than what the nurse said over the phone. I made that mistake ONCE.
Badder intern: calls Chief from the call room without seeing patient or having any data other than what the nurse said over the phone. I made that mistake ONCE.
I'm sure that went over like a ton of bricks...
oopsie!
I think everyone makes at least one stupid mistake in their intern year. Heck, I probably make one a week... it's almost expected we will routinely have to remove our own foot from our mouth and our resident's foot from our a$$.
That's why it is called hell - I mean internship.
jd
