Needs to Read More-Ya RIGHT

[einey]

How common is this written on evals? It really sucks when you're anwering
most of the attending questions and working hard doing all thats requested and volunteering to help out.

Or the rotation is so darn busy 12 hrs a day 5 to 6 days a week it's hard to read more that small amounts.

Any thoughts? Yeah I 3 and 4 th year is tough, I just wondered about other students experiences.

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[BigNavyPedsGuy]

The closer I get to starting my internship (5 months) the more I realize that I do in fact need to read more, because I don't think I'd be great at keeping all of my patients from dying right now.

 

[einey]

Everyone in medicine needs to read, it's more that a student is working and you're not getting correct feedback. This isn't a someone needs to compliment the student. Its getting good feedback on where you stand, what you're doing right and on track and where you need to strenghten things
Needs to read more doesn't give an accurate assessment, cause you walk away feeling like you're not doing any of the rotation right.


Is this a common statement? Some of my friends have said they have received it too and it kind of burns. Just wondered how many times others have seen it.

 

[Tired]

Is this a common statement? Some of my friends have said they have received it too and it kind of burns. Just wondered how many times others have seen it.

I think there are certain stock phrases that evaluators use because they either don't want to take the time to put down an original eval, or because they are uncomfortable writing what they really want to say.

Stock Negative Phrases:
- "Needs to read more"
- "Doesn't show interest in . . . "
- "Doesn't work well with classmates"
- "Fails to take initiative"

Stock Positive Phrases:
- "Motivated to learn"
- "Valuable contributor to the team"
- "Excellent knowledge base"
- "Always eager to help"

You get the idea. Don't take it personally, or even particularly seriously. They weren't impressed with your performance. Oh well, unless you want to do their specialty, who cares?

 

[BigNavyPedsGuy]

One time recently, I went to a resident for feedback and he gave a bunch of good feedback. Then I asked what I needed to work on and he said that he could cop out and say that I needed to read more, but we all need to read more.

Basically, it was just something to fill in the needs improvement box. And it's a pretty benign thing -as far as criticisms go.

 

[deleted109597]

I love it when I get the "needs to read more" on my evals, then I get the highest shelf score.
They need to adapt it to "needs to kiss more ass on service so we write good things about him." Because that's what it actually means.

 

[andros]

I've had the "needs to read more" comment on an evaluation. I tend to agree with some of the others that it's a bit of a cop out. I didn't care about it because everyone needs to read more -- and it wasn't said as a knock on my knowledge base because I did well on that rotation. I guess how negative it is depends on what other comments you get... if that's the only comment (ie: no positives) then maybe that's a bad sign, but I wouldn't worry about it.

How common is this written on evals? It really sucks when you're anwering
most of the attending questions and working hard doing all thats requested and volunteering to help out.

Or the rotation is so darn busy 12 hrs a day 5 to 6 days a week it's hard to read more that small amounts.

Any thoughts? Yeah I 3 and 4 th year is tough, I just wondered about other students experiences.

 

[DW]

I think there are certain stock phrases that evaluators use because they either don't want to take the time to put down an original eval, or because they are uncomfortable writing what they really want to say.

Stock Negative Phrases:
- "Needs to read more"
- "Doesn't show interest in . . . "
- "Doesn't work well with classmates"
- "Fails to take initiative"

Stock Positive Phrases:
- "Motivated to learn"
- "Valuable contributor to the team"
- "Excellent knowledge base"
- "Always eager to help"

You get the idea. Don't take it personally, or even particularly seriously. They weren't impressed with your performance. Oh well, unless you want to do their specialty, who cares?

you forgot the ultimate stock evaluation phrase

"Excellent House Officer potential"

Easily my favorite back handed compliment a classmate of mine got during 3rd year: "Inappropriately confident". Ouch

 

[chicamedica]

yeah i've gotten that comment before. And yes it's a cop out. Everyone needs to read more, no matter how much you know. They say it when they have nothing else to say. Usually it's when the evaluator didn't bother getting to know the student well enough. If your knowledge base was actually weak, they would have specifically said so.

 

[QuinnB]

our stock phrase is "keep reading"; I don't even think twice about it...lame

 

[DOtobe]

Wait until you are in residency and start taking your in-service exams...then you will see HOW MUCH you need to read more!

When I did med student's evaluations, I would put "keep reading" instead of "needs to read more." That way I'm acknowledging that they have been reading and seem to know their stuff.

Edit: looks like Quinn B and I are on the same wavelength. I didn't even see his/her response when I typed mine!