How to not look bad

[TallScrubs]

Hello EM residents and attendings, I have a question for you.

I'm just an OMS-I but definitely have an interest in EM. As part of my school's EM club, we can shadow at various EM residency programs in the region. I want to shadow at a hospital with a pretty well-known residency.

So, basically, what do I have to do, as an MS-I, to not make myself look bad in case I rotate here in the future or apply for residency here; granted, I know that is a ways off, but I do not want to make myself look like a complete tool.

Thanks,

Tallscrubs

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[Xerxes1729]

So long as you don't make a monumental ass of yourself, no one will remember you in several years when it comes time to rotate or interview. Nothing you could reasonably do or say will result in people remembering you in a good way. Don't worry about it.

 

[fiznat]

I'm also just a MS-1 but I was a paramedic for a while and spent a lot of time shadowing in the ED. I think the rules are pretty much the same as anywhere else- don't pretend you know more than you do (in our case, don't pretend you know anything at all!), be genuinely interested in what's going on, never say anything negative about anyone (patients or staff), and do your best stay out of the way when things get busy.

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

I'm also just a MS-1 but I was a paramedic for a while and spent a lot of time shadowing in the ED. I think the rules are pretty much the same as anywhere else- don't pretend you know more than you do (in our case, don't pretend you know anything at all!), be genuinely interested in what's going on, never say anything negative about anyone (patients or staff), and do your best stay out of the way when things get busy.

Nailed it.

Also, be careful about less than colorful jokes or political jokes. Just because the attending or even residents are joking about something, doesn't mean you should. You also never know what might hurt someones feelings.

I also agree that trying to 'do well' now is not very important. There will be near zero expectations from you as a first year.

I started shadowing in the ED during my first year of medical school. I am now sitting here working a shift as an attending at the same place.

 

[namethatsmell]

I'm a 3rd year student--so take this with a grain of salt--but here's what I found helpful when I was in your shoes....

1) Just relax and enjoy...you're a 1st year so they'll have virtually zero expectations.

2) You should view this experience like being in the audience at the Price Is Right...you're there to take it all in and enjoy...and if you're lucky/in the right place at the right time you'll get called down to play (ie help with/do procedures).

3) If anybody offers you the opportunity to see something unusual/get involved with a procedure, your automatic answer is "hells yeah thank you!" Be appreciative that folks are interested in teaching you. They'll almost certainly ask if you feel comfortable with said procedure and it's totally OK to say something like "I'm not super familiar with procedure X, but I'd love to assist or watch you perform it." The only time I ever turned something down was repairing a large facial lac--I had never sutured before and was sure as hell not gonna leave that dude looking like a Picasso.

4) DO NOT ASK THE DOC QUESTIONS WHEN HE'S TALKING WITH PATIENTS/ACTIVELY DOING A PROCEDURE. I can't believe I'm even writing this as it's seemingly common sense...but I've seen it done. Not cool. Questions are fine but try to save 'em for appropriate times.

5) Don't go nuts trying to prepare. Know the common conditions that can present as chest pain. Know a little bit about the ABCs and how a code is run (you can look up the ACLS algorithms online) since nobody will be explaining these things to you if/when they actually need to do them. If you know CPR, brush up on it as med students are often asked to do compressions (varies by hospital).

Remember to shadow in fields OTHER than EM and stay open-minded in your third year. There are many great/interesting fields of medicine. Even if you end up deciding on EM, giving other fields an honest shot will allow you to learn tons and will help reinforce the things you like about EM (as it has for me thus far).

Oh, and if the residency you're referring to is on the west side of the city I'd make sure you shadow at other places too. The folks there are terrific and nice, but it's not the most DO-friendly place when it comes to choosing EM residents.

There ya go. Hope this helps.

 

[StevieStud]

Be willing to do anything and everything.

You are the bottom of the totem pole. If the toliets need cleaning.....


Ok, there is staff for that. But there isn't staff for making the pizza run. Nor is there always staff for holding the leg while it is being put into a cast.

I was the offical leg holder for an entire shift. Wore me out. I also made friends with the Ortho attending because of my leg holding skills.

So be willing.


Oh, and one last thing. Get out of the way. Be respectful. Know your place. The attendings don't need you tagging along when they have to speak to the family about the bad things.

 

[Arcan57]

Agree with the above, especially about the joking. Going through med school and then residency is a dehumanizing experience and dark humor is a fantastic coping mechanism. The same level of cynicism and schadenfreude from an MS1 is out of place and somewhat disturbing. One of the benefits of working with trainees is seeing the enthusiasm and positive outlook they still have, while having a nihilist shadow you is just depressing.

Also (not usually an issue for the med students), if you are shadowing in the ED have a basic idea of the training structure. ED docs don't go on to become trauma surgeons, we're not overpaid triage nurses, the vast majority of us actively sought after and trained for the jobs we currently hold, etc.
A couple of minutes of wikipedia can save some embarrassment on the back end.

All of these blunders will make me think less favorably of you during your time shadowing. Short of molesting a patient or trying to do a procedure unsupervised I can't think of anything that would have a lasting negative impact.

 

[TallScrubs]

Thank you all very much for the replies.

I'm not saying this is possible, but I want your personal opinions. Have you ever had or could you imagine an instance where some med student comes in to shadow (again, i know this is unlikely for a multitude of reasons) and impresses you (again, probably not with knowledge but maybe personality, enthusiasm, etc) to the point where you would remember him/her in a way to have a positive influence on matching?

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

Thank you all very much for the replies.

I'm not saying this is possible, but I want your personal opinions. Have you ever had or could you imagine an instance where some med student comes in to shadow (again, i know this is unlikely for a multitude of reasons) and impresses you (again, probably not with knowledge but maybe personality, enthusiasm, etc) to the point where you would remember him/her in a way to have a positive influence on matching?

A fourth year that wants to do EM... yes, I remember them. Sometimes, maybe a third year that has show interest...

A first year that says they want to do EM... probably not gonna remember you, sorry. So many medical students (myself included) change their minds multiple times about what they want to do. Plus I think you must be careful in making such a big decision before rotating through everything else as a third year student. Knowing that background, I just cannot take a first year that serious...

I am sure occasionally a first year has stood out to someone somewhere. I think its rare and its more rare that its going to make a difference in that students career....

I know of people that were techs or EMS folks in town and they did stand out in the department from day one of medical school... but its because they were already well known to those who mattered.

 

[Xerxes1729]

Suppose you're giving tours to applicants to your medical school. Is there anything one of those applicants could do, not in terms of knowledge, but maybe personality or enthusiasm, that would make you remember them in a good way three to four years?

If the answer is yes, then you could try doing that.

If the answer is no, then don't worry about it.

 

[TallScrubs]

Suppose you're giving tours to applicants to your medical school. Is there anything one of those applicants could do, not in terms of knowledge, but maybe personality or enthusiasm, that would make you remember them in a good way three to four years?

If the answer is yes, then you could try doing that.

If the answer is no, then don't worry about it.

Well...when you put it like that hahah. Good way to view it. Thank you all.