"Must Have" Readings To Survive Residency

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

NuMD97

Senior Member
10+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2002
Messages
539
Reaction score
3
I just saw a similar post by our surgery comrade-in-arms, and it occurred to me that basic topics in Medicine would serve both groups - medicine folk as well as surgeons-in-training. I suggest we compile a list of most important/"must know" topics with resources that answer well those subjects.

What do you guys think?

Members don't see this ad.
 
No takers here at all? :)
 
Well, I'm a taker, but being an incoming PGY-1, I'm not yet a giver, unforunately :rolleyes:
 
Members don't see this ad :)
The medical student's survival guide by Steven R. Polk, 4th edition. A must read for everyone.
 
The Last Angry Man by Gerald Green

White Coat, Clenched Fist: The Political Education of an American Physician, by Fitzhugh Mullan

Cheers
-a.
 
Rather than books, the following will get you far in the first few days of residency:

Know how to work the paging system - both sending and receiving

Know the hours of the cafeteria (if it isn't 24 hours)

If you aren't provided with one, carry a list of the phone extensions on each of your most frequently visited floors, radiology, lab and the pager numbers of your fellow residents

Know where radiological studies are placed after hours (ie, are they stored somewhere different than during the daytime?).

Know how to access the official reads on radiological studies

Know where the closest restrooms are on each floor

Keep a bag in the hospital (in the call rooms, a locker, etc.) containing some essentials: shaving materials, toothbrush and toothpaste, etc. An extra sweater will also be handy as sometimes the hospital gets cold.

Have a red pen to write down important information ie, stuff your attending tells you to do

Know how to get around the wards without actually walking THROUGH the wards. You'll be suprised at how much stuff will get solved without you being paged, however, if they (the nurses) see you, they'll often stop YOU to solve the problem. Be stealthy.
 
I will second oldandtired's recommendation of Dr. Polk's book. Well worth taking a look at.

Dr. Cox's advice is great. This stuff works for rotations as well.

I also took some time to put together some of my notes, lots of blank pages, a calander, and a few other things. Had this bound in 5 1/2" X 8 1/2" size with a spiral binding. Fits well in a jacket pocket and it goes everywhere with me. This is where I am writing down those pager numbers, locations for finding important stuff, etc. Organize it any way you want to. Along with my PDA, this is probably the most important thing I carry on a daily basis.

Others: Tarascon drug dosing guide (Also use Epocrates, haven't decided yet which is more useful), Sanford's Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy. Lots of other pocket guides out there, take a look and figure out which might suit you best. Or put together your own.
 
Originally posted by Kimberli Cox:

•••quote:••• If you aren't provided with one, carry a list of the phone extensions on each of your most frequently visited floors, radiology, lab and the pager numbers of your fellow residents ••••This is one of the first things I did as a first year: I pasted the phone sheet to my clipboard. Indispensible.

•••quote:••• Know where radiological studies are placed after hours (ie, are they stored somewhere different than during the daytime?). ••••Very good point. This was such a guessing game for the longest time, until the radiology department decided to revamp the system. But that was many months after the beginning of internship year.

Kim, you also reminded me: things to keep in the locker. One thing I'm sure most wouldn't think of, but if you have a latex allergy like yours truly, keeping an extra supply (like a box-worth) of non-latex gloves handy in the locker is essential. Oftentimes they were hard to come by on the floors. It was much easier to visit the locker in the morning and stuff the pockets at the beginning of every day.

But I still think topics and books count, too. The pharmacy had great cards on how to replete basic labs, that I thought was helpful, as well as dosing for much-used substances like heparin and how to adjust it, with less guesswork. It was more helpful than the resident explaining you get a "feel" for it.

Any other thoughts? :)
 
Top