Quick medical term Q

[Little Etoile]

What is the medical term for dabbing up blood, excess tissue, etc. during surgery?

Thanks in advance!

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[Blade28]

Extra blood? Suctioning? Wiping with a 4x4?

Excess tissue? Er...you just use your hand or an instrument and pluck it out of the surgical field!

 

[Little Etoile]

Extra blood? Suctioning? Wiping with a 4x4?

Excess tissue? Er...you just use your hand or an instrument and pluck it out of the surgical field!

Yeah, sorry, I meant with gauze. I'm filling out my AMCAS and trying to describe my participation in surgeries as a medical assistant. Maybe it doesn't even need to be specified, since perhaps it is general knowledge that I would be doing this. I just wanted to emphasize that I was getting my hands dirty, so to speak, rather than just observing from a distance.

So does that mean there isn't a general term for keeping the surgical field clean? The action of removing debris and excess fluid doesn't have a title?

 

[Blade28]

Yeah, sorry, I meant with gauze. I'm filling out my AMCAS and trying to describe my participation in surgeries as a medical assistant. Maybe it doesn't even need to be specified, since perhaps it is general knowledge that I would be doing this.

So does that mean there isn't a general term for keeping the surgical field clean? The action of removing debris and excess fluid doesn't have a title?

Well, more generally, what were you doing during these cases? What kind of surgeon were you working with? What kinds of operations?

Were you assisting? Watching?

 

[Little Etoile]

Well, more generally, what were you doing during these cases? What kind of surgeon were you working with? What kinds of operations?

Were you assisting? Watching?

Are you asking for clarification for yourself in order to give the correct term? Or are you suggesting that these are the more important points to touch on in the application? There are only so many characters allowed in the activity section.

To clarify, I was assisting with surgeries- usually biopsies or excisions- in a dermatology practice. My role was to get everything set up, assist during the surgery (keep the field clean, adjust the patient, cut sutures, grab extra equipment as needed, etc.), record the bx and send it to the lab, clean the wound post-surgery and provide education on wound care for the patient.

 

[Blade28]

Are you asking for clarification for yourself in order to give the correct term? Or are you suggesting that these are the more important points to touch on in the application? There are only so many characters allowed in the activity section.

To clarify, I was assisting with surgeries- usually biopsies or excisions- in a dermatology practice. My role was to get everything set up, assist during the surgery (keep the field clean, adjust the patient, cut sutures, grab extra equipment as needed, etc.), record the bx and send it to the lab, clean the wound post-surgery and provide education on wound care for the patient.

I was just trying to clarify what you were doing.

It sounds like you were first assistant to these procedures (done in an office setting), no? You were also scrubbed and sterile, right?

 

[Little Etoile]

I was just trying to clarify what you were doing.

It sounds like you were first assistant to these procedures (done in an office setting), no? You were also scrubbed and sterile, right?

Yeah. I was scrubbed and sterile and it was in a private practice.

So I should indicate that I was "first assistant" then? And leave out the specifics of what I was doing since that is implied by the position title?

 

[Blade28]

Yeah. I was scrubbed and sterile and it was in a private practice.

So I should indicate that I was "first assistant" then? And leave out the specifics of what I was doing since that is implied by the position title?

Well how much space do you have? How long were you at this job? And were you also working as a medical assistant in the office?

 

[Little Etoile]

Well how much space do you have? How long were you at this job? And were you also working as a medical assistant in the office?

I was working as a medical assistant there full-time for a year. Here's what I have for my description:

As medical assistant, I was responsible for assisting with all surgeries, including excisions, shaves, punch biopsies, and suture removal. This included pre-operative preparations, [insert term for keeping the field clear], collection and management of specimens and pathology results, post-operative wound care and patient education. I also created and maintained patient charts, managed prescription requests and refills, performed medical history interviews and prepped patients for the doctor. In addition, I was responsible for all medical sterilization procedures, safety compliance and record maintenance in order to meet OSHA standards. Finally, I ordered and stocked all medical supplies and coordinated patient, laboratory and physician correspondences.


I have room for a few more sentences, I think. Any suggestions?

(And thank you so much for your help! )

 

[Blade28]

As medical assistant, I was responsible for assisting with all surgeries, including excisions, shaves, punch biopsies, and suture removal. This included pre-operative preparations, [insert term for keeping the field clear], collection and management of specimens and pathology results, post-operative wound care and patient education. I also created and maintained patient charts, managed prescription requests and refills, performed medical history interviews and prepped patients for the doctor. In addition, I was responsible for all medical sterilization procedures, safety compliance and record maintenance in order to meet OSHA standards. Finally, I ordered and stocked all medical supplies and coordinated patient, laboratory and physician correspondences.

Sounds pretty good!

Just a few suggestions:

(1) I'd probably use the term "procedures" if you're going to lump suture removal in there.
(2) Should be "preparation" (singular). You're talking about prepping the patient for the office procedure, right?
(3) So which "prepping" is this? Before the procedure? Before talking to the doctor?
(4) Should be "correspondence" (singular), I believe.

 

[Little Etoile]

Sounds pretty good!

Just a few suggestions:

(1) I'd probably use the term "procedures" if you're going to lump suture removal in there.
(2) Should be "preparation" (singular). You're talking about prepping the patient for the office procedure, right?
(3) So which "prepping" is this? Before the procedure? Before talking to the doctor?
(4) Should be "correspondence" (singular), I believe.

1. I didn't assist with *all* procedures, which is why I elected to specify surgeries. And to be more specific, I removed the sutures myself, so technically it's misleading being lumped in there regardless. I definitely see your point though and I will probably change it to procedures. Thanks!

2. I meant setting up in general, both the patient and the equipment.

3. This time I was referring specifically to prepping the patient before procedures.

So yeah, hmmm... I can see how 2 and 3 could be confusing.

4. Oh, yeah! I think you're right! Good catch. Thanks!

So does this mean there isn't a phrase I should use for keeping the field clean during surgery? I'm still not sure how I should specify this.

 

[Blade28]

So does this mean there isn't a phrase I should use for keeping the field clean during surgery? I'm still not sure how I should specify this.

I confess I don't really understand your fixation on this. No, there's no term for "keeping the field clean" other than "keeping the field clean." Is it because you think this is close to actively participating in the case?

Most people (especially physicians) will understand that "assisting" in a procedure means doing whatever it takes to help the doctor, including retracting, suctioning, wiping, dabbing, etc.

 

[Little Etoile]

I confess I don't really understand your fixation on this. No, there's no term for "keeping the field clean" other than "keeping the field clean." Is it because you think this is close to actively participating in the case?

Most people (especially physicians) will understand that "assisting" in a procedure means doing whatever it takes to help the doctor, including retracting, suctioning, wiping, dabbing, etc.

Gotcha. Thanks.

And yeah, I just wanted to emphasize that I was active in the surgery, as you said. There was a *huge* debate on here earlier about my position as a medical assistant. There was confusion around what a medical assistant does, with many members mistaking it for receptionist work and insisting that that is the conception in the medical field. I wanted to be sure to make it clear that that's *not* what I was doing and that I was very involved with the patients and procedures.

 

[pincheeric]

Maybe this is just a technicality in your eyes, but I don't think you should be labeling what you participated in as surgeries. Surgery is done in an operating room. Shave biopsies, punch biopsies, and suture removal are not done in an operating room, and are hence not surgeries. These are office procedures. There is a big difference between surgery and procedure. Plus, dermatologists (unless they have had further training) are not surgeons. It would be unfortunate on your application to make yourself look like you don't know what you're talking about when you clearly spent a lot of time working there! Don't devalue what you do, it's vital work, but don't try to make it look overly glamorous either. The adcom is made up of physicians, they know what assistants do and don't do.