Students practicing on each other?

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Pritzzker202

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Maybe this is a dumb question, but current medical students, how much do you have to practice parts of physical exams on other students in your class? I was in pre-osteo reading the "Official "Oh Crap! I have to take shirt off in OMM lab in August" thread about people freaking out about practicing OMM on each other, and it made me wonder whether there's a lot of the same thing (obviously not OMM but palpating structures, etc, on your fellow students) in allo med schools, beyond just practicing taking histories.
Thanks!!
P
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Pritzzker202 said:
Maybe this is a dumb question, but current medical students, how much do you have to practice parts of physical exams on other students in your class? I was in pre-osteo reading the "Official "Oh Crap! I have to take shirt off in OMM lab in August" thread about people freaking out about practicing OMM on each other, and it made me wonder whether there's a lot of the same thing (obviously not OMM but palpating structures, etc, on your fellow students) in allo med schools, beyond just practicing taking histories.
Thanks!!
P
Click to expand...

I had my shirt off and several of my classmates and a few of my teachers "palpating" me.... but I volunteered since someone had to do it. Nobody was forced to do anything...
 
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Pritzzker202 said:
Maybe this is a dumb question, but current medical students, how much do you have to practice parts of physical exams on other students in your class? I was in pre-osteo reading the "Official "Oh Crap! I have to take shirt off in OMM lab in August" thread about people freaking out about practicing OMM on each other, and it made me wonder whether there's a lot of the same thing (obviously not OMM but palpating structures, etc, on your fellow students) in allo med schools, beyond just practicing taking histories.
Thanks!!
P
Click to expand...

Shirts off is nothing. Wait until the digital rectal exam day.:laugh:

Just kidding -- many places hire somebody for that one.
 
We apparently get to practice phlebotomy on one another. That should be an experience. . .
 
Hey, that physical exam isn't finished until I see some proof that you know how to test for occult blood.
 
Pritzzker202 said:
Maybe this is a dumb question, but current medical students, how much do you have to practice parts of physical exams on other students in your class? I was in pre-osteo reading the "Official "Oh Crap! I have to take shirt off in OMM lab in August" thread about people freaking out about practicing OMM on each other, and it made me wonder whether there's a lot of the same thing (obviously not OMM but palpating structures, etc, on your fellow students) in allo med schools, beyond just practicing taking histories.
Thanks!!
P
Click to expand...

I never "practiced taking histories" on a classmate, but all the physical stuff was done on each other.

Just hope you hit the lottery when it comes to pelvic exams.
 
Critical Mass said:
Hey, that physical exam isn't finished until I see some proof that you know how to test for occult blood.
Click to expand...

lol, i remember you saying why you have those pics as your user avatar (it decreases procasturbation time). there are some forms of yoga in which you can reach the mental relaxation of orgasm without sexual stimulation. i'm gonna try and learn this before starting medical school--imagine all the time and energy saved by doing this.
 
Tired said:
I never "practiced taking histories" on a classmate, but all the physical stuff was done on each other.

Just hope you hit the lottery when it comes to pelvic exams.
Click to expand...

seriously?
:wow:
 
*in Rodney Dangerfield voice* Draw my blood...please!
 
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sweat baby sweat!
you and me ain't nothing but mammals
so let's do it like they do on the discovery channel...

...stick your hands down my pants
and i'll bet you'll feel nuts.

:laugh: :laugh:
 
In the ER I volunteer in a couple nurses and a doc let me practice putting in an IV on them. Even though I'm only a volunteer they get me involved in a lot of stuff.
 
I giggled like a school girl when I read the topic.
 
Tired said:
I never "practiced taking histories" on a classmate, but all the physical stuff was done on each other.

Just hope you hit the lottery when it comes to pelvic exams.
Click to expand...

Whoa, thats kinda real :scared: Glad thats not the case at my school!

I've practiced phlebotomy on my classmates. I think they may have done the neuro exam at a lunchtime talk, but I'm not certain. I've exposed non-personal body parts before, but only by choice. If you are uncomfortable then no one will make you do it. All the pelvic and rectal exams, and pretty much the entire physical is learned on standardized patients 2nd yr.

Besides, pelvic exams on your classmates? Isn't that like a form of medcest or something?
 
We practice shirt-off physicals on each other using both male and female classmates. We also draw blood. We don't do rectals or physicals on each other. We have to hire very special people for that.
 
deuist said:
We practice shirt-off physicals on each other using both male and female classmates. We also draw blood. We don't do rectals or physicals on each other. We have to hire very special people for that.
Click to expand...

Where can I sign up?
 
We didn't touch eachother at all first year and I'm pretty sure we won't next year either. We have standardized patients for every clinical thing we have to learn.
 
lilnoelle said:
We didn't touch eachother at all first year and I'm pretty sure we won't next year either. We have standardized patients for every clinical thing we have to learn.
Click to expand...

Good thing that I signed up to be a standardized patient at your school then. Can't wait. I'll be the guy who refuses to cough until he is darn well good and ready.
 
There is a rumor at out med school that we have to practice NG tube placement on eachother. It is suppose to make us have empathy for our patients when we have to do it to them. BLAH....:eek:
 
inside_edition said:
sweat baby sweat!
you and me ain't nothing but mammals
so let's do it like they do on the discovery channel...

...stick your hands down my pants
and i'll bet you'll feel nuts.

:laugh: :laugh:
Click to expand...
Damn....beat me to it.
 
We drew blood from each other earlier this year, and this past week and next week we are practicing musculoskeletal exams on each other (palpating joints, muscles, checking range of motion (flexibility) etc). Guys get to wear shorts, girls get shorts and a sports bra. It's actually really fun.

I have no clue about next year, but since we're just starting to learn physicals now and so far have been doing everything on each other, I'm guessing we'll practice most of the non-invasive stuff on each other next year, too.
 
Law2Doc said:
Shirts off is nothing. Wait until the digital rectal exam day.:laugh:

Just kidding -- many places hire somebody for that one.
Click to expand...

When we did this, the guy complimented me on what a good job I did, and how it wasn't uncomfortable at all.

I didn't know how to take that.
 
Law2Doc said:
Shirts off is nothing. Wait until the digital rectal exam day.:laugh:

Just kidding -- many places hire somebody for that one.
Click to expand...


Paid my way through undergrad...... :D
 
We practice physical exams on each other, but nobody is forced to do anything they don't want to do. We certainly don't do pelvic, rectal, or testicular exams on one another either.

However, we have all stabbed each other with needles during an injection clinic. We also learn to insert central lines, start IVs, place ET tubes, but we do it on cadavers.
 
SeaBreeze12 said:
There is a rumor at out med school that we have to practice NG tube placement on eachother. It is suppose to make us have empathy for our patients when we have to do it to them. BLAH....:eek:
Click to expand...

If you've ever had an NG tube, you would have a ton of empathy. It hurts like an SOB. Like the worst case of brain freeze ever.
 
From what I've heard, med schools really tend to baby their students. When I was in paramedic school, we practiced IVs on each other at least once a week. Sure, we looked like junkies, but by the time we started our clinical and field rotations, at least we had good basic IV skills.
 
Sophie said:
We drew blood from each other earlier this year, and this past week and next week we are practicing musculoskeletal exams on each other (palpating joints, muscles, checking range of motion (flexibility) etc). Guys get to wear shorts, girls get shorts and a sports bra. It's actually really fun.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, what about the people who really don't look good at all when that's all they're wearing? I've had a few shirts-off moments already in med school, but I can think of a few people that wouldn't be taking off their clothes...
 
Pritzzker202 said:
Maybe this is a dumb question, but current medical students, how much do you have to practice parts of physical exams on other students in your class? I was in pre-osteo reading the "Official "Oh Crap! I have to take shirt off in OMM lab in August" thread about people freaking out about practicing OMM on each other, and it made me wonder whether there's a lot of the same thing (obviously not OMM but palpating structures, etc, on your fellow students) in allo med schools, beyond just practicing taking histories.
Thanks!!
P
Click to expand...

We had plenty of patients, standardized and hospitilized, to practice history-taking and physical examination skills. We did practice things like opthalmoscopic examination of the retina on each other but no use of classmates for these tasks. We did not even do medical histories on each other.
 
TheProwler said:
Hmmm, what about the people who really don't look good at all when that's all they're wearing? I've had a few shirts-off moments already in med school, but I can think of a few people that wouldn't be taking off their clothes...
Click to expand...

If they're really uncomfortable with taking off their clothes they aren't forced to. It's strongly encouraged, though, since you really can't see the muscles if someone leaves their shirt on.
 
Sophie said:
If they're really uncomfortable with taking off their clothes they aren't forced to. It's strongly encouraged, though, since you really can't see the muscles if someone leaves their shirt on.
Click to expand...
most of my classmates changed into their anatomy lab scrubs right in the hallways - girls included. I even saw a thong a few times.
 
TheProwler said:
most of my classmates changed into their anatomy lab scrubs right in the hallways - girls included. I even saw a thong a few times.
Click to expand...

There shouldn't be many problems then. :laugh:
 
I thought the whole "practicing on fellow students" thing was primarily an osteopathic school "phenomenon." I guess not?!
 
TheProwler said:
most of my classmates changed into their anatomy lab scrubs right in the hallways - girls included. I even saw a thong a few times.
Click to expand...

wow. I've heard of this type of thing happening but have never been to a environment where people are that comfortable with themselves. I could see myself doing that if everyone else did - but only if I lose 30 pounds. (go back in time before having kids)
 
TheProwler said:
most of my classmates changed into their anatomy lab scrubs right in the hallways - girls included. I even saw a thong a few times.
Click to expand...
Things got to be a little like that at the end of anatomy at my school too. We were all too burned out to care at that point.
 
inside_edition said:
there are some forms of yoga in which you can reach the mental relaxation of orgasm without sexual stimulation. i'm gonna try and learn this before starting medical school--imagine all the time and energy saved by doing this.
Click to expand...

Please tell me what seat you are going to sit in in lecture so I can make sure never to sit in that chair after you.
 
the negative 1 said:
Things got to be a little like that at the end of anatomy at my school too. We were all too burned out to care at that point.
Click to expand...
It happened by the second or third week. Unfortunately, I was in the aisle of lockers where most of the girls changed in the bathroom, but almost all the girls in the next aisle did change. Apparently the first half of the alphabet is a bit more modest.
 
Flopotomist said:
Please tell me what seat you are going to sit in in lecture so I can make sure never to sit in that chair after you.
Click to expand...

maybe i wasn't clear. this mental state can be brought about without a boner.
 
Yeah, we practice lots of stuff on each other, it's no big deal. History taking, full physical (except the aformentioned pelvic, rectal, and breast exams), and venipuncture, etc. I have yet to see anyone who is opposed to doing this. hmm...maybe because we don't really have any fat people in our class...everyone seems to be in at least average shape. I guess if there were a big boy with man-boobs he might be uncomfortable, I suppose. Oh well.

And no, this is not a strictly osteopathic phenomenon. Lots of allo schools do this.
 
I am so excited that my question has been answered by the SDNer that I am so in love with, I created this second username just to admit my crush on him. :love: :love: :love:

Yes, alcohol had something to do with this confession.

Thanks everyone for answering my question! More people should comment, especially since it seems like there is a lot of variation across different schools.
 
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