Starting residency and concerned

[GCB80]

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This probably differs depending on your program, but I'm just wondering if off-service interns are required to do as many procedures as on-service interns on IM at your program. I'm horrible at procedures. Just horrible. During 3rd year, I couldn't even suture well. Fortunately, I fell in love with a non-procedure heavy specialty and that's what I will be doing. However, intern year requires rotations in IM, ICU, and ED. I have yet to intubate successfully (two attempts during 3rd year), haven't placed a central line although I've watched several, and have never done a chest tube or anything like that. I don't even trust that I can do stitches. I'm freaking out right now. Any advice?

 

[styphon]

This probably differs depending on your program, but I'm just wondering if off-service interns are required to do as many procedures as on-service interns on IM at your program. I'm horrible at procedures. Just horrible. During 3rd year, I couldn't even suture well. Fortunately, I fell in love with a non-procedure heavy specialty and that's what I will be doing. However, intern year requires rotations in IM, ICU, and ED. I have yet to intubate successfully (two attempts during 3rd year), haven't placed a central line although I've watched several, and have never done a chest tube or anything like that. I don't even trust that I can do stitches. I'm freaking out right now. Any advice?

When I was "part" of an internal medicine team as a family medicine resident - I had my own numbers, but others (derm, etc) had none. We were all competing for central lines, paracentesis, thoracentesis - so people who didn't want procedures had no problem. Intubation on the floor was done by anaethesia and ER residents. Also, we never did chest tubes - they were the domain of ER and General Surgery residents.

 

[nlax30]

Probably dependent on the culture of the program on if they allow off service residents to skip procedures. If a larger program with other residents/programs you can probably slide by.

What field are you going into though?

You mentioned a non-procedure heavy field but at some point I would imagine you may the senior resident on some sort of service with the responsibility for certain sorts of procedures.