Today I had my first day of 3rd year rotation at an opthalmologist's office..its mostly outpatient except the few surgeries he does. I was literally shadowing the whole time. I did not get to do anything at all. Is this whole rotation going to be like this? It's so miserable, just standing there the whole day and literally being the doctor's shadow...with the patients exchanging jokes with the doctor and you just standing there and laughing at their inside jokes so that you wouldn't look awkward. Is all of 3rd year going to be so much embarassment and standing around? He doesn't even explain to me what he's doing..where is my tuition money going?
Is all of outpatient 3rd year rotations just shadowing? sooo bored
- Thread starter alisepeep
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It was the first day, so he probably wanted you to feel comfortable. No, 3rd year is usually not about shadowing, inpatient and outpatient. If you continue to shadow, ask if it's possible to see a few patients and present to him afterwards. He might want to do the eye exams himself, but at least it'd be nice to get involved. Ophthalmology isn't one of the typical 3rd year rotations...I'm not sure if you are starting out with an elective or if it's part of your surgery core.
If your attending doesn't explain anything, you have to be proactive. For ex: after seeing a patient together, once the patient leaves, you can ask questions about the case you saw.
If your attending doesn't explain anything, you have to be proactive. For ex: after seeing a patient together, once the patient leaves, you can ask questions about the case you saw.
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Outpt depends, sometimes u shadow, sometimes u do everything, sometimes u get interrupted halfway through ur interview by a resident. Ophtho is boring as hell IMO, and third year sucks, so no it won't all be like this but it doesn't mean ur gunna be dr. house roaming the wards diagnosing fancy diseases.
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For something like optho, I would imagine it will be 99% shadowing. What can the attending expect you to do? Ask the patient "Right or Left?" "This one or that one"? But just ask questions about management of whatever conditions you guys are seeing or how he diagnosed it.
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By just shadowing, you would likely learn very quickly the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist.
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Yes, you'll do much more than ask question to see what lens are best for their glasses 😀
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Lol if you think Optho is boring just wait till you start FM.
That is unless you love watching well child check ups, physicals, and adjusting doses of HTN meds.
I can see why many people think ophtho is boring (and I'm even going into ophtho!), but beware- ALL outpatient medicine is extremely boring after the first 2 days. You'll soon learn that all your classmates loathe clinic rotations. Even residents don't enjoy them; the only reason residents get excited for clinic rotations is because it means a 9-5 schedule with weekends, nothing more. I don't think people really appreciate outpatient med until they're out of residency and practicing.
when I did ophtho elective (in my 4th year) they showed us slides of eye pathology. When we were with the resident and he was using the indirect ophthalmoscope he used a teaching mirror so we could see what he was seeing. If the doctor is examining a diabetic pt ask if he could teach you to use the direct ophthalmoscope and see what diabetic retinopathy looks like or macula edema- this can be helpful later in your career esp if you do internal med or FP
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