I have been struggling during third year. I get very nervous during presentations and end up stumbling over things. Does anyone have any advice how to get better at this? I have done Peds, Ob/gyn, and now am on ED. I continue to struggle with my clinical rotations with presentations. I normally do well on the tests (get HP) but then struggle in presentations. I have passed my rotations but haven't been able to get an honors or HP thus far. 🙁 I am feeling really discouraged and wondering if I should just drop out now... because I am really trying but keep falling short. Any advice would be great.
Need advice for third year
- Thread starter jadealer
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You're not failing anything. Don't drop out. Nervousness is likely because you are a MS3 and have some aspect of anxiety when presenting to people who you know will be judging you. Can you present patients to classmates or to a mirror? Some residents/attendings are intimidating to present to because you don't know exactly what or how much they want. Practice your presentations in the mirror or practice with a friend/fellow MS3. Are you able to present to them? If so it may just be anxiety and not a deficit, which I would consider getting looked into if it's truly debilitating you so much.
If you are nervous presenting to anyone (including your friends), then try presenting in front of a mirror. If you can get through everything in front of a mirror, you may have a case of social phobia, which should definitely be looked into.
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Presenting properly is an art that takes time to master even once you are a resident/intern. It will likely become even harder when you go from carrying only one or two patients at a time on medicine to carrying upwards of 7-10 as a resident. You don't always know what is or isn't relevant as a med student and it certainly becomes more clear. As a general rule ask your residents what is expected in a presentation prior to the start of the month depending on the attending and more often than not they will be helpful and willing to give you a hand. Also err on the side of more info instead of less when presenting since nobody will fault you for giving too much info but may fault you for not giving enough.
It is also worth reminding that as a med student you cannot really truly mess up. You're always going to be backed up by a resident and your job there is to learn, learn, learn.
So don't fret and certainly don't drop out! Just relax, practice, and try your best. And ask for help!
It is also worth reminding that as a med student you cannot really truly mess up. You're always going to be backed up by a resident and your job there is to learn, learn, learn.
So don't fret and certainly don't drop out! Just relax, practice, and try your best. And ask for help!
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Agree with above, as an emergency physician, I'll add that the ED is a tough place to present - especially as an M3. We typically want focused H&P's, but until you've mastered the full H&P, it's tough to know what belongs in a focused, complaint-centered presentation. Plus, we're all time-pressed, so if you're going down a road that isn't needed from our perspective, we'll jump around and get the info we do need.
In other words, I don't need to know the geneological cancer history if a patient is here for a sprained ankle. d=)
Don't get discouraged, this is a skill that takes time and practice. You've had 3 rough rotations for giving a good history. You'll get better on medicine - especially when you have the same patient for days and can really get a feel for them, their problems, and how to communicate that.
Cheers!
-d
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