No idea what to expect on rotations

[bushmaster]

So I've been out of the country for the last 8 months doing absolutely nothing medicine related. I have no frickin idea what to expect. My first rotation is psych, which I start soon. Haven't really had a chance to talk to friends about rotations yet.

I'm thinking of running through FA (for step 1) psych section really quick and brush up on my psych knowledge. It's been so long. I ordered some books as well for shelf preparation.

So what's the best way to excel on a psych rotation (or any rotation in general) and start off M3 on the right foot? I couldn't find this in the stickies but any awesome resources on writing SOAP notes well/how to do psych interviews... etc?

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[pianoman511]

FA for the Psych clerkship is a really good quick and dirty review book that covered most of what you need to know for the shelf and also has some good practical info for the rotation. Whether its an inpt or outpt rotation the most important thing is to communicate with your patient and listen to what they have to say (obvious...I know). Prepare yourself for seeing pathology that you may have never encountered and always keep your own safety in mind. Good luck !

 

[CardiacIntensivist]

Just go with it. Clinical rotations always seem daunting but like any job there are clear set rules of daily to-dos. If you successfully completed the first two years of medical school you are ready to be a student clerk. The hardest part of learning to do a good H&P is complete (and will be an ongoing process anyway). Now, your toughest issues will be learning the nuances of your hospital. Being a good student clerk means helping your team get sh-t done. i.e. who do you have to call to get a study done faster? How do you put a rush on labs? How do you get an interpreter when needed? How do you set up follow up appointments for discharged patients?

Take every opportunity as a learning opportunity and you'll be a superstar.

Specifically for psych, you may want to brush up on the MSE and MMSE. Don't pre-read anything, just learn as you go with patients. During your actual clerkship I recommend referring back to you Step I book and reading up on the psych diseases they have listed. You will need to recognize personality disorders and their various treatments. When do you use cognitive behavioral therapy, when do you use a medication, when do you need to approach treatment with caution etc etc. NEVER allow the patient to come between you and the door.