So why do they call them "Teaching Hospitals"?

[FatKid]

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when there is very little "teaching" going on.

Med students are just kind of "there." Many attendings have no desire to teach, give the generic "need to read more" and high pass to every student and expect us to be at beckon call when they decide to rotate (which is different time every day).

Seems like kind of a sick joke if you ask me.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Sounds like you are at a crappy hospital.

 

[Law2Doc]

Sounds like you are at a crappy hospital.

Agreed. Most teaching hospitals have attendings and house staff that take their academic role seriously, and try to instill the same in the team under them (and in many places the grades will have a very definite range, and their evaluations will contain more significant criticism, some constructive, some not). But bear in mind that most of the teaching in any teaching hospital is going to be directed toward residents anyhow because those are the folks actually in training for a particular field, and sticking around for a reasonable duration. Med students are basically doing a whirlwind survey of all the core specialties, and it's hard for attendings to get excited to invest too much effort in someone they may only see for a couple of weeks, and who most often has no longterm interest in this field, when instead they can spend time teaching a resident who may be their protege for the next three or more years and is actually excited about X specialty. But while many folks have some complaints about third year, I think the ones you (OP) raise are not that common.

 

[QofQuimica]

Even if you're not interested in going into their specialty, my experience has been that a lot of residents and attendings are willing to teach you if you're assertive and seem interested in learning. Today was a slowish day, and my attending was going through practice Step 2 questions with me. I definitely don't plan to go into her field, but she was still willing to help me reason the answers out and discuss why my thought process was off for the ones I got wrong.

OP, don't wait for your teams to invite you to be taught something or to participate. Tell them you want to discuss X or Y topic with them and that you want to help with Z procedure. Also, stick with your intern, because they're the ones doing a lot of the admits and procedures. If you're on an inpatient rotation that doesn't require call, you might want to take one or two calls voluntarily, at least for a few hours. A lot of times when the residents have more autonomy at night, they are more likely to give you more autonomy too. Best of luck, and hope your rotations get better.

 

[Cerberus]

I've never had this problem. Most of my attendings have had a strong interest in teaching. There have certainly been exceptions but for the most part the people I've worked with have been good teachers.

 

[45408]

I love beckon call.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Fat Kid Rules The World

 

[NonTradMed]

I think while there are always a few rotten apples in any barral, for the most part, I think physicians at teaching hospitals are receptive to interested medical students. The one thing I've found useful is to always show interest in whatever rotations you're on. Maybe the OP had bad experience, but I think there are far more doctors that appreciates teaching than not. To the OP, don't let a few bad apples spoil your clinical years. There are good teachers out there and they will really make your rotation worthwhile.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

give the generic "need to read more" and high pass to every student

I don't really care if they teach, as long as they give good evals.

 

[FatKid]

Fat Kid Rules The World

I just say it how it is.

 

[colbgw02]

I love beckon call.

For all intensive purposes, I could care less about beckon call.

 

[KeyzerSoze]

For all intensive purposes, I could care less about beckon call.

There's no time to teach students, it's a doggy dog world out there.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

For all intensive purposes, I could care less about beckon call.

The point is mute anyway, let's just move on.

 

[PenguinHead]

The point is mute anyway, let's just move on.

before this thread comes to knot.

 

[FatKid]

There's no time to teach students, it's a doggy dog world out there.

Teaching doesn't generate $$$ for the hospital, so nobody cares about teaching.

That's how it works.

I just wish people would call a spade a spade and stop pretending.

 

[Doctor Bob]

I just wish people would call a spade a spade...

What else would we call it? A shovel?

 

[KeyzerSoze]

Teaching doesn't generate $$$ for the hospital, so nobody cares about teaching.

That's how it works.

I just wish people would call a spade a spade and stop pretending.

Sure... I was just continuing the mispronounced idiom theme. I don't actually have an opinion either way.

 

[45408]

before this thread comes to knot.

You minus well give up now.

 

[FatKid]

You minus well give up now.

Why u bein' such a hater? 😀

 

[PenguinHead]

Why u bein' such a hater? 😀

It's in his nature. Just take everything he says with a grain assault.