Official MCW Class of 2009 Thread

[akpete]

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I actually kinda hope I'll be at Froedtert for OB so I don't have to learn another hospital. 🙄

Outpatient peds sucks monkey butt. Yeah, the hours are great, but I hate life. I am only at my general peds clinic 6 hours a week, but I count down from the minute I get there. I do like my rheumatology clinic though. Not only do I not like general peds, but 99% of the people are hispanic, so some of them only speak spanish. I do not. My preceptor told me to watch Dora the Explorer to pick up some of the language.

I've realized that if I didn't do surgery for some reason, and I had to do a medical field, it would have to be critical care.

 

[45408]

99% of the people are hispanic, so some of them only speak spanish. I do not. My preceptor told me to watch Dora the Explorer to pick up some of the language.

Is Dora the Explorer in Spanish? My Spanish is good enough to work my way through an EMS call, but it's a riot when you have a Hmong patient who doesn't speak any English or understand it, and their language is completely foreign to me.

is the clinic in the Cesar Chavez/Mitchell neighborhood?

 

[akpete]

I'm at 27th and Cleveland, not too far from St. Lukes.

Apparently Dora is bilingual. Never seen the show though.

I hear hmong is tough to learn. I dunno.

 

[Gimlet]

I actually kinda hope I'll be at Froedtert for OB so I don't have to learn another hospital. 🙄

Danger! This train of logic is the kind of thing that will lead to you being completely miserable for 6 weeks, rather than only slightly miserable at another hospital (sorry Xandie 😛). Besides, the computer system at St. Joe's is pretty user-friendly.

 

[Ashers]

Besides, the computer system at St. Joe's is pretty user-friendly.

Or St. Mary's where you only go on the computer to look up labs. All paper charts! And you can sometimes leave by 1130am (if there's nothing else going on).

 

[Ashers]

I WANT MY OB/GYN GRADE! It's already been like 9 weeks since I finished that rotation. 😡

Let's see if I get my family med one before the ob/gyn one.

 

[akpete]

I actually listed St Joes last cuz I really don't want anything to do with OB. I put St Mary's first for least work, and Froedtert second cuz I hear more surgery there. Wish me luck...

Just got the email today that surgery grades are in. I'm terrified.

 

[45408]

Just got the email today that surgery grades are in. I'm terrified.

Good luck!

 

[akpete]

Thanks. Now I just have to get the balls to go get it from the registrar. Maybe later this week.

 

[Xandie]

If you get the email, it means there wasn't anything too negative (i.e. you passed). If you get the email AND it gets mailed to your house, there were negative comments but you passed. If just the email... then you're fine. Stop freaking. 🙂

And Andy, you're forgiven. This time.

 

[akpete]

If you get the email, it means there wasn't anything too negative (i.e. you passed). If you get the email AND it gets mailed to your house, there were negative comments but you passed. If just the email... then you're fine. Stop freaking. 🙂

And Andy, you're forgiven. This time.

the only reason i'm freaking is cuz i wanna do ortho so i really need to have honored surgery of all the rotations.

i'm a little worried the test might've brought me down. lots more transplant questions than i was expecting. and the test is 40% of your grade.

but thanks for the reassurance xandie! you're the best. how are the interviews going?

 

[Gimlet]

Are you gonna be back at the Fam. Medicine HQ doing research still this month, Xandie? I'm thinking yes, since you didn't clean out your desk!

 

[Gimlet]

I almost got a chance to test out my new ATLS skills today when a semi cut off the person in front of me on 894. She swerved into the left shoulder, then lost control and swerved back into the lane, overcorrected and wound up skidding sideways and then smashed into the concrete barrier median, losing her front bumper. THEN her car jumped up onto the barriers and skidded along that for a bit (I swear she had 4 tires off the ground for a second or two), then fell off the barriers and careened across three lanes of traffic and ran 20 ft up an embankment.

This all happened less than 20 feet away from me, and I was thisclose to being a major part of the accident. I stopped to help, but she was fine. Fortunately there was a cop with a speeder pulled over only 50 or so feet up the road (I actually think his presence was the impetus for the semi to change lanes and cause the accident), so there wasn't much for me to do except give a statement.

 

[Agent Splat]

I almost got a chance to test out my new ATLS skills today when a semi cut off the person in front of me on 894. She swerved into the left shoulder, then lost control and swerved back into the lane, overcorrected and wound up skidding sideways and then smashed into the concrete barrier median, losing her front bumper. THEN her car jumped up onto the barriers and skidded along that for a bit (I swear she had 4 tires off the ground for a second or two), then fell off the barriers and careened across three lanes of traffic and ran 20 ft up an embankment.

This all happened less than 20 feet away from me, and I was thisclose to being a major part of the accident. I stopped to help, but she was fine. Fortunately there was a cop with a speeder pulled over only 50 or so feet up the road (I actually think his presence was the impetus for the semi to change lanes and cause the accident), so there wasn't much for me to do except give a statement.

in a situation like that, ATLS ain't gonna save you!!!! you need a member of the Civil Air Patrol to show up like happened to me when I Good Samaritan'd a car accident on Hwy 41 at 1am a few years ago.

 

[akpete]

I gotta say, I was pretty disappointed when I found out we learn all this ACLS/ATLS stuff, but don't actually get the certification.

 

[45408]

BSI, is the scene safe?

Airway, breathing, then circulation. Check c-spine.


Way too many people got the ABC question wrong in phys. "A man comes in on a stretcher with blood gushing from his arm. What do you do first?" 1. Check airway, 2. Stop the bleeding, 3. Check his HbA1c

 

[Xandie]

I am the best! Okay, maybe the second best, next to Don. But I'm willing to bet that he's never had an evaluation mailed to his house. Me... well... moving on.

Yes, I'll back at my desk. Mock not my organizational skills. I'm a champ. I'm in and out over the course of the month, but I should be there almost all of next week (Wednesday aside). So yes, you can stop by and use my computer, should you want to check your email, or some such.

 

[45408]

Yes, I'll back at my desk. Mock not my organizational skills. I'm a champ.

😕

 

[Gimlet]

😕

She was responding to this:

Are you gonna be back at the Fam. Medicine HQ doing research still this month, Xandie? I'm thinking yes, since you didn't clean out your desk!

 

[45408]

Ah, that makes a lot more sense.

 

[akpete]

Well, once again I feel like I have to reevaluate my career choice. No honors in surgery. Yes, the exam brought me down (more than I was expecting). But the comments weren't as good as I hoped for either. For example "at times she was not prepared for cases" by my chief resident. Based on ONLY one case at the end of the 2 months when I hadn't had a chance to review, and couldn't name all the arteries off the celiac. 🙁 I feel like I've been blackballed because everyone knew I wanted to do orthopedics and that I'm just not up to par.

It's very frustrating to do better in a rotation in which you hated life, and well, in all honesty didn't try that hard, then in a rotation which you loved and want do actually do.

 

[45408]

Well, once again I feel like I have to reevaluate my career choice. No honors in surgery.

Ouch, that hurts. Do you have any interest in sports med? If you still shoot for ortho, hopefully it won't be as big of an impact as you think.

 

[akpete]

Ouch, that hurts. Do you have any interest in sports med? If you still shoot for ortho, hopefully it won't be as big of an impact as you think.

Well, I wanna do sports med in ortho. There's no way I'm doing family med. Might as well stayed an athletic trainer in that case. Salary is a lot less, but I wouldn't have any debt and it just sports. But thanks. 😳

 

[Agent Splat]

i think overall after being almost done with the big three i'm gonna stick with the whole "hate medical school" and "regret" decision.

 

[akpete]

i think overall after being almost done with the big three i'm gonna stick with the whole "hate medical school" and "regret" decision.

at this moment i am right there with ya. i start to think it was a good decision, and then BLAMMY, i'm not so sure anymore.

 

[Ashers]

i think overall after being almost done with the big three i'm gonna stick with the whole "hate medical school" and "regret" decision.

I don't want to start the big 3.

I got peds surg and gen surg 2 at the dert. I was trying to avoid all kids except for peds, but I guess this is what I get for complaining that I can't do CT surg.

I'll save your seat splat, if I'm at the HRC before you.

 

[akpete]

I don't want to start the big 3.

I got peds surg and gen surg 2 at the dert. I was trying to avoid all kids except for peds, but I guess this is what I get for complaining that I can't do CT surg.

I'll save your seat splat, if I'm at the HRC before you.

Ooo, you got the special peds surg that's not paired with menomonee falls and we'll let you know what you're so lucky to get option. You guys have a lot of people on those tracks?

 

[Agent Splat]

i love how you get peds surg but don't really want to do it, whereas tons of people WANT it but can't get it.

 

[Ashers]

i love how you get peds surg but don't really want to do it, whereas tons of people WANT it but can't get it.

I got peds because I got switched to it after I reminded Amy Leisten that I have raynaud's and she said I wouldn't have to do CT. Apparently, the ORs are warmer in peds. I wanted vascular.

It being so highly sought is one reason I feel really bad that I got switched to it when I really don't want it.

 

[akpete]

i love how you get peds surg but don't really want to do it, whereas tons of people WANT it but can't get it.

exactly. that's kinda weird.

 

[Agent Splat]

you should have asked for St. Joe's/Transplant. that's some good stuff. at least, at St. Joe's. Transplant is going to have to work a little harder to impress me.

 

[Xandie]

April, I'm sure Don will pipe in on this issue, although since he honors everything, we should ignore him. Or kill him and assume his identity. You know, whatever.

My two cents, which have been pretty valuable lately, is that sometimes that happens! The only rotation I had negative comments from was OB/GYN, I HP'ed the rotation (and just barely), and I got 24 interview invites. None of that stuff matters as much as you think. I got a great letter from the chair (so I've been told by program directors at other places that have read it), and his comment on my grade was: "Was well prepared for discussions. Submitted a very poor H&P. Attitude a bit brassy."

Take a deep breath. My OB/GYN grade was mailed to my house because of the negative comments, which I really don't need to detail here. I was upset, to say the least. Stuff happens, I'm happy now... sometimes people don't like you. It happens. Deep breath and move on.

 

[Agent Splat]

I got peds because I got switched to it after I reminded Amy Leisten that I have raynaud's and she said I wouldn't have to do CT. Apparently, the ORs are warmer in peds. I wanted vascular.

It being so highly sought is one reason I feel really bad that I got switched to it when I really don't want it.

So what exactly is this mysterious "cold stuff" on CT that makes it sucky?

 

[45408]

So what exactly is this mysterious "cold stuff" on CT that makes it sucky?

thanks for asking - I was wondering if this was something I should know all about, but I haven't a clue 😛

 

[Xandie]

They pour ice on the heart to keep the metabolic rate down while bloodflow is interrupted (i.e. while the patient is on the bypass machine). The JMS' job, in addition to closing, is to hold the heart while the arteries are sewed together. That occasionally involves ice being poured on both the heart and your hand.

 

[Agent Splat]

They pour ice on the heart to keep the metabolic rate down while bloodflow is interrupted (i.e. while the patient is on the bypass machine). The JMS' job, in addition to closing, is to hold the heart while the arteries are sewed together. That occasionally involves ice being poured on both the heart and your hand.

ouch. okay. yeah, that + raynaud's = teh suck

 

[Agent Splat]

thanks for asking - I was wondering if this was something I should know all about, but I haven't a clue 😛

you realize one of these days i'll be an SMS when you're a JMS on some rotation and things are gonna be really awkward between us? the tension could finally cause an explosion... the results of which could start a chain reaction that would unravel the very fabric of the space time continuum, and destroy the entire universe! Granted, that's a worse case scenario. The destruction might in fact be very localized, limited to our own galaxy.

 

[akpete]

April, I'm sure Don will pipe in on this issue, although since he honors everything, we should ignore him. Or kill him and assume his identity. You know, whatever.

My two cents, which have been pretty valuable lately, is that sometimes that happens! The only rotation I had negative comments from was OB/GYN, I HP'ed the rotation (and just barely), and I got 24 interview invites. None of that stuff matters as much as you think. I got a great letter from the chair (so I've been told by program directors at other places that have read it), and his comment on my grade was: "Was well prepared for discussions. Submitted a very poor H&P. Attitude a bit brassy."

Take a deep breath. My OB/GYN grade was mailed to my house because of the negative comments, which I really don't need to detail here. I was upset, to say the least. Stuff happens, I'm happy now... sometimes people don't like you. It happens. Deep breath and move on.

Thanks so much Xandie. That makes me feel a ton better. Although I can't imagine anyone being anything but thrilled with you! 😍 I would've never guessed. You're such a great person. And 24 interviews!! Holy cow.

I had a good cry on the drive home. I feel better now. Still disappointed, but better. And bitching on SDN made me feel better too. 😳

Xandie, you're two cents are always valuable.

 

[akpete]

you realize one of these days i'll be an SMS when you're a JMS on some rotation and things are gonna be really awkward between us? the tension could finally cause an explosion... the results of which could start a chain reaction that would unravel the very fabric of the space time continuum, and destroy the entire universe! Granted, that's a worse case scenario. The destruction might in fact be very localized, limited to our own galaxy.

Warn me beforehand so I can adequately prepare for the end of the world.

 

[Agent Splat]

Warn me beforehand so I can adequately prepare for the end of the world.

On the day the world ends
A bee circles a clover,
A fisherman mends a glimmering net.
Happy porpoises jump in the sea,
By the rainspout young sparrows are playing
And the snake is gold-skinned as it should always be.

On the day the world ends
Women walk through the fields under their umbrellas,
A drunkard grows sleepy at the edge of a lawn,
Vegetable peddlers shout in the street
And a yellow-sailed boat comes nearer the island,
The voice of a violin lasts in the air
And leads into a starry night.

And those who expected lightning and thunder
Are disappointed.
And those who expected signs and archangels' trumps
Do not believe it is happening now.
As long as the sun and the moon are above,
As long as the bumblebee visits a rose,
As long as rosy infants are born
No one believes it is happening now.

Only a white-haired old man, who would be a prophet
Yet is not a prophet, for he's much too busy,
Repeats while he binds his tomatoes:
There will be no other end of the world,
There will be no other end of the world.

Czeslaw Milosz

 

[akpete]

well, in that case...

 

[Agent Splat]

well, in that case...

beer?

 

[Gimlet]

Sorry to hear about your disappointment April, but I agree with Xandie that you shouldn't let it get you down too much. I'm pretty sure they don't put bad comments in our dean's letters anyway, correct? Besides, you are gonna blow away the Orthopods on your elective/sub-I, thus negating anything surgery could have done to your chances. Booyah.


I got General/VA and Vascular/Froedtert for surgery.

 

[akpete]

beer?

Yes.

 

[akpete]

Sorry to hear about your disappointment April, but I agree with Xandie that you shouldn't let it get you down too much. I'm pretty sure they don't put bad comments in our dean's letters anyway, correct? Besides, you are gonna blow away the Orthopods on your elective/sub-I, thus negating anything surgery could have done to your chances. Booyah.


I got General/VA and Vascular/Froedtert for surgery.

Have fun on surgery! In spite of everything, still definitely my favorite months so far.

I'm actually kinda embarrassed for my post now. Thanks for the encouragement. I should learn not to react so quickly. Ah, the stress of wanting a competitive field.

Are you on CPR now? Or was that last month? I don't remember.

 

[Xandie]

And on another happy note... I passed step 2 cs. Now the only thing standing between me and graduation is five months and a sub-I.

Even though I was super sure I was going to pass, it's still nice to see those four letters! Yay me.

 

[Gimlet]

And on another happy note... I passed step 2 cs. Now the only thing standing between me and graduation is five months and a sub-I.

Even though I was super sure I was going to pass, it's still nice to see those four letters! Yay me.

Way to go Xandie!!!

Are you on CPR now? Or was that last month? I don't remember.

CPR was last month...not sure how the grade in that will turn out. I never got a super great vibe off my attending, although the residents I worked with said it seemed like she liked me a lot. As usual, the test could go either way.

I'm in Racine this month for family practice. Everyone seems nice so far, and we get one less PBL this month because of the holidays! It would be a lot better if I weren't dealing with my wife's car (to save gas money) which has a slow leak in one of the rear tires that I have to refill daily (I'm too stubborn to put on the spare) or it goes totally flat. Hopefully I'll have time to take it in tomorrow.

Ashleigh, where are you for anesthesia? Who's your attending?

 

[Ashers]

And on another happy note... I passed step 2 cs. Now the only thing standing between me and graduation is five months and a sub-I.

Even though I was super sure I was going to pass, it's still nice to see those four letters! Yay me.

Congrats Xandie!

I'm in Racine this month for family practice. Everyone seems nice so far, and we get one less PBL this month because of the holidays! It would be a lot better if I weren't dealing with my wife's car (to save gas money) which has a slow leak in one of the rear tires that I have to refill daily (I'm too stubborn to put on the spare) or it goes totally flat. Hopefully I'll have time to take it in tomorrow.

Ashleigh, where are you for anesthesia? Who's your attending?

Racine = awesome. Maybe you can even remove a toe nail. Ask to play with splinting stuff too. Dr. Hulbert will set you free in the supply closet.

Dr. Henry Liu is my attending. I think I saw him around Froedtert East last month. Not sure which OR I'll be at most, or is it basically follow the attending. They just said "Froedtert." How do we even find them the first day without knowing the OR?

 

[Gimlet]

Dr. Henry Liu is my attending. I think I saw him around Froedtert East last month. Not sure which OR I'll be at most, or is it basically follow the attending. They just said "Froedtert." How do we even find them the first day without knowing the OR?

Yeah, he was often the anesthesiologist in charge of the East OR. Seemed like a really nice guy (and doesn't have a horrendous accent like S. Liu). I'm not sure if he ever works over on the west side. On the first day you're technically just supposed to find the anesthesiologist in charge and have him direct you to your attending, but you can just pick up a surgery schedule and find your attending's name on it and figure out where they are. They keep both east and west side schedules in each OR area.

 

[Ashers]

Yeah, he was often the anesthesiologist in charge of the East OR. Seemed like a really nice guy (and doesn't have a horrendous accent like S. Liu). I'm not sure if he ever works over on the west side. On the first day you're technically just supposed to find the anesthesiologist in charge and have him direct you to your attending, but you can just pick up a surgery schedule and find your attending's name on it and figure out where they are. They keep both east and west side schedules in each OR area.

Thanks. It's nice of the CPR course to have explained that to us. 🙄 Especially since they're so anal about returning books.