Should I stay or go?

[HopelessMS]

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Thus far, private site attending hasn't allowed the MS to have access to EMR to chart check the patients, see patients (new or old) individually beforehand, take history, do a PE, present, nor write a HPI. Long hours consisting of being a shadow i.e. follow attending into exam room, stand in corner quietly until occasional pimp question is asked whereby more likely than not a wrong answer is given, being kicked out of the room when it's time to do a prostate or pelvic exam even if patient is okay with MS being in the room, etc.

Need a LoR out of this rotation, but feel like a glorified short white coat wearing shadow. No doctoring skills or soon to be physician skills are being practiced. Considering whether to email director to explain and asking for a different site or just bite the bullet, not rock the boat and finish out the rotation. Advice please.

 

[LunaOri]

What rotation is it? Why do you need a letter? Have you spoken with the attending and asked to be allowed to do more? If you’re stuck there, focus on discussing cases with the attending during breaks or before/after office hours, so he can see that you are interested. While you are in a room with a patient, try to come up with one good question to ask outside the room. Also ask the doc what you should read up on. If he pimps you with a question and you get it wrong, read about it!

I’m assuming you are 3rd year; if you are 4th year you could talk to the director about switching sites if this is your future specialty.

 

[ACSurgeon]

It doesn’t hurt to bring the issue up to the clerkship director.

If you’re just shadowing, you shouldn’t get a letter

With the increase in number of students, schools are desperate for preceptors and rotations. Plenty of crappy rotations out there with doctors just trying to do their job and not get slowed down by the student. Not ideal, and probably a violation of some rules, but it is reality that I’m sure medical schools know about but can’t fix.