I am an IMG and did a pediatrics rotation at a outpatient site which takes students from a DO school. I didn't know how to chart notes initially but I learnt pretty quickly. The attending also used to ask me some questions, most of which i could answer from step 1 and my previous knowledge. At the end of my rotation the attending refused to write me a letter of recommendation, and told she was not comfortable writing one for me. So i just wanted to know that is it because I am not clinically competent. Do students chart treatments for the patients and the attendings just review or just the H&P? Because I didnt chart the treatment and after she would discuss with patient, I would chart. I also could not answer some common antibiotics which are used for ear infection,etc. So us students know all these things. And i did not like the attending from start and she maybe knew. Could that be the reason? Now i have my urogyn rotation with two DO students and they are kind of hostile and competitive. So is this normal among medical students here? I feel very depressed because of all this. If anyone could reply it will be highly appreciated.
Mentally tired
- Thread starter oblove
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Why on earth would you ask for a LOR from an attending you didn't like and who you think may not have liked you? That just sounds like you're setting yourself up for failure. Move on and just work hard to do better. If you're legitimately depressed go see someone. Medicine is not easy and can be malignant in plenty of situations, but everything described above sounds pretty normal imo.
I thought I will have an extra lor, because i wont be doing much rotations in us(4-5 maybe). So I initially planned to have an lor from every attending I work with.
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Im an MS3 and my written notes all include an assessment and plan, to answer that question.
And my one preceptor told me one big thing when asking for LORs: to ask if they could write me a strong letter. Clearly something was off between you and your preceptive and she could have turned you down for a variety of reasons, and yes, incompetence could be one.
And common antibiotics for AOM and Strep you should know if you’re on peds.
And my one preceptor told me one big thing when asking for LORs: to ask if they could write me a strong letter. Clearly something was off between you and your preceptive and she could have turned you down for a variety of reasons, and yes, incompetence could be one.
And common antibiotics for AOM and Strep you should know if you’re on peds.
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Better that she refused to write you one versus her writing you a poor one. That is good on her part to tell you upfront she wasn't comfortable writing you a recommendation letter. Just learn from the experience and keep trying to get better. Impossible for us to say if it was your knowledge that was lacking or maybe something else. It might have been how you interacted with patients or staff. Maybe you were awkward? Idk. Every rotation and attending is different and they all have different expectations. But if you didn't like the attending and don't think you performed exceptionally well then don't ask for a letter. Maybe the attending felt they didn't know you well enough to write you a good one.
I'm sure it is difficult getting used to a different system here. U.S. students certainly have a leg up having 2 years of clinical rotations in the U.S. environment and know how to work in the system. That will take time.
As for being on rotation with 2 other medical students that are hostile and competitive- that can happen. Every student has different personalities and they don't know you and are not your friends from school. Likely they just want to look as good as possible if they are auditioning there. Certainly it is not that unusual for hostility to develop when 3 different medical students who don't know each other get thrown together to impress doctors at a site. It's unfortunate but it is just the way it goes sometimes.
