Scheduling PGY-1 IM year rotations

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Magree:
<strong>Hi:

I'm scheduling my electives etc. for my Im internship. Can some current residents comment on the value/experience in the ICU - is it better to do 2 months of it instead of one? I'd heard it was tough but that you learned a lot of medicine. Any other comments on the flow of work load - what to take earlier in the year vs. later would be appreciated. Thanx.

M-</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">One warning: Some programs, including mine, only allow a maximum of one ICU month per year. You should touch bases with your program director on this.

 

Don't do more ICU than you have to.

 

ICU was fine, and like others have said was a very valuable learning experience. The flip side of that coin, is that it is tiring and carries with it a tough call schedule. If you have to do 2 ICU months, attempt to separate them as much as possible.

 

In our PGY-1 year, three unit months were required: CCU or ICU. I landed two CCU's and one ICU. I would have personally preferred the two ICU months, probably because in our hospital there was a greater learning opportunity for the ICU as opposed to the CCU month. But ICU is exhausting and a daunting challenge. The Marino text would have helped prior to the rotation, which seems to be the ICU "Bible". Just a thought. Good luck.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Magree:
<strong>Hi SEvo:

Wow - I wasn't aware of that. Just checked the paperwork and it says 1-2 months - not sure what dictates the exact amount. Why does your program limit it to just 1 month?

M-</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Scheduling difficulties, popularity of the rotation, et al. I will be in all three of our units next year - MICU, CCU, and SICU - but again, just one MICU month.

As others here have alluded to, MICU can be pretty intense. As the acronym suggests -- these patients require intensive supervision and you will be drained not only by call, but also the day-to-day management of your patients. On the flip side, you will be doing quite a few procedures (namely lines, intubations, et al) and you will finish your month with a basic handle on how to handle septic and ventilator-dependent patients. Furthermore, if your month went the way mine did as a student, no GI bleeds will never, ever, stop you in your tracks again.