- Joined
- Jul 11, 2005
- Messages
- 49
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
i was wondering...
- Thread starter dochopefull
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2005
- Messages
- 49
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
actually...he is a 4th year...
You are only considered a doctor after you complete med school.
That said, the clinical med students (especially the 4th years) are in a kind of gray area. They are providing patient care and writing orders, although they do have to be co-signed. The 4th years are often doing sub-I's where they are first call for their patients. Because of that, people often will call them doctor because it's too much work on the part of the nursing and administrative staff to try to figure out who are the sub-I's and who are the interns, especially since they're doing almost the same jobs. So it's just easier to call anyone who is the first call for their patients doctor.
That said, the clinical med students (especially the 4th years) are in a kind of gray area. They are providing patient care and writing orders, although they do have to be co-signed. The 4th years are often doing sub-I's where they are first call for their patients. Because of that, people often will call them doctor because it's too much work on the part of the nursing and administrative staff to try to figure out who are the sub-I's and who are the interns, especially since they're doing almost the same jobs. So it's just easier to call anyone who is the first call for their patients doctor.
B
Blade28
Definitely not a doctor yet. No MD/DO title. All orders have to be co-signed (as do prescriptions).
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2001
- Messages
- 529
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Age
- 46
- Location
- Jacksonville, FL
- Website
- photos.yahoo.com
While you are not yet a doctor, you will find more and more attendings will introduce you as "Dr. _____", and the nurses start asking you for more orders and what to do. I'm a 4th year in the Medical ICU now, and the nurses commonly are asking me what I want to do on my patients and if they can have orders for something. I'm finding also, that my attending is leaving those decisions up to me more often. (Whether or not to give Lasix, whether to order certain tests, eg EKGs, labs, ultrasound, and also making me responsible for calling consultants ect)
Yes, as you advance more in your training, the less you get referred to as medical student, and more as doctor, but make no mistake, until your coat says M.D., you are not yet there.
Mossjoh
Yes, as you advance more in your training, the less you get referred to as medical student, and more as doctor, but make no mistake, until your coat says M.D., you are not yet there.
Mossjoh
