Question: How do you describe your work flow?

[Gryphes]

Hey guys,

I had a brief question about how a radiologist works. I am a formal business-background med student (M3). During my past career experience, I generally had no problems maintaining good relationships with co-workers and fitting into the team-work environment. However, I often felt that several things bothered me in "team-work" dynamic.

Most notably, while working on projects, I may not be in the charge of the task and I wouldn't be clear about what I should be doing. Even after inquiring on "what I could help with," the general responses/answers are lukewarm, I would often sit there doing nothing productive, while trying to appear that way. I confess I felt this way in few occasion during rotations as well, including in medicine.

I think while medical school experience has been generally a positive one, I sometime dread (yes, I strong word, but I use it with confidence) being trapped in same situation for the rest of my career, where I am "clocking" many hours of the day, not feeling immersed in my work, not knowing what I should be doing next, staying because I feel "I should," feeling productive with what I am doing. In other words, being knowledgeable and in clear charge of my work tasks would be very important for me.

I have actually been considering radiology for quite a long time, I never had this question soundly answered. I am wondering, if you, as resident/attending, ever felt that you were in similar situation after you were out there in the work force. I feel this is actually good field in this respect, since many times, you are constantly reading films/studies and dictating. I don't know if I have sufficiently elaborated about my question, but could you perhaps describe how you feel about your work-flow as a radiologist?

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[Lactic Folly]

In other words, being knowledgeable and in clear charge of my work tasks would be very important for me.

The average radiologist has a worklist that they are responsible for, and they use their knowledge to independently provide an interpretation for a study. I don't think that there are many situations in which residents/attendings are unclear about their tasks.

 

[Shifty B]

I think while medical school experience has been generally a positive one, I sometime dread (yes, I strong word, but I use it with confidence) being trapped in same situation for the rest of my career, where I am "clocking" many hours of the day, not feeling immersed in my work, not knowing what I should be doing next, staying because I feel "I should," feeling productive with what I am doing. In other words, being knowledgeable and in clear charge of my work tasks would be very important for me.

This is a feeling that is specific for medical students, as medical students on the wards often do not have a well defined role. You often may be standing around burning away the day just looking for something to do on some services.

In those situations, it can almost be better if you went home and read a book. You would learn more, plus the others on the service would have a better opinion of you. How's that, you may ask? If you're not there, they may think that you are off doing something important, like attending a lecture or seeing a patient. If you are standing around doing nothing, you remove all doubt!

This is not a problem as a resident or attending in any program. You have a role and you are there to complete it. You may occasionally have down time, but spending it is not a problem.

 

[Lactic Folly]

In those situations, it can almost be better if you went home and read a book. You would learn more, plus the others on the service would have a better opinion of you. How's that, you may ask? If you're not there, they may think that you are off doing something important, like attending a lecture or seeing a patient. If you are standing around doing nothing, you remove all doubt!

Agree if it is a service where students are ignored. If your presence is generally noted, they may just think you are goofing off when you are absent. Ask first if there is anything you can do to help, then stand around and read... that's what I'd do.

 

[Gryphes]

Thanks for all the replies. I was just having issues with what you two have mentioned, and I am very glad to hear it is just another step of being a med student. Hopefully, the day will come soon enough (but not so soon, I have plenty of learning to do...) so I can feel better about "my" work in that respect. Much appreciate the inputs.