Staring Medicine soon

[lisa13579]

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I've been done with step 1 for about 2 weeks and start orientation on Monday, rotations the week after. I know people will say "just relax", but I'm bored to tears. I've read books, caught up on email, mail, cleaning, packed to move, went to the pool, dinner with friends. My bf is so busy with residency we can't take a vacation or even hang out much.

Question is...should I do anything prior to starting my rotation? The only book I have so far is FA for medicine clerkship and I wondered if it would be helpful to start looking over stuff I don't know, like tx, etc. I remember path/pathophys well since I just studied it, but not sure what to focus on if I did start looking stuff over.

Thanks 🙂

 

[jojo14]

There's a lot to be said for not studying and enjoying your vacation. If you are really bored to tears though, start reading FA by all means. I think I did the same thing last year cause I was so nervous. Usually you aren't going to have time to read before a rotation starts though. FA really helped for the shelf. If you are taking the shelf, make sure to get MKSAP 2 also.

The hardest part of 3rd year in my opinion is learning how to diagnose and coming up with a treatment plan for someone. If you can try to remember that while you are reading, that might help. As you are reading about pancreatitis, for example, think about how one day an attending/resident is going to look at you after you finish your H & P and say "Okay, so what's your differential and what do you want to do?" (And I guarantee you'll get pimped on the causes of pancreatitis as this is happening too, at least I did, numerous time this year!)

Good luck, hope this helps

 

[Sammich81]

I would get Pocket Medicine. It's this small blue binder that you can fit in your pocket. The thing is amazing. At the beginning of my 3rd year I never used it, because when I was looking stuff up I was thinking about 2nd year stuff--histopathology and stains and crap that is fun pimping trivia but not nearly as clinically relevant. Pocket Medicine tells you what matters--the common presentation, the tests to order, treatment, and also valuable stuff that you'll get pimped on as well. For example, I had a patient with worsening hepatic encephalopathy and my attending asked, "what can exacerbate encephalopathy?" Straight out of pocket medicine.

Other than that, I'd say go work out a lot. Your fitness/pretty toned muscles take a beating 3rd year what with cafeteria French fries when on call, donuts/bagels on the weekends courtesy of your nice attendings.

My boyfriend is a resident too. Try to do something nice for him 😉 he's much worse off than you! You don't know how jealous his co-residents are when I bring him a homecooked, hot dinner to the hospital when he's on call (ok, so I've done this maybe twice all year, but whatever).

 

[lisa13579]

Thank you both for the advice 🙂 I'm trying to enjoy my last days of freedom. I know I'll be wishing for them very shortly.

Off to work out!