Things you have to do, but can't because you are sterile (sneeze, itch, etc.)?

[Drogba]

Responding to the OP.

Fall asleep on the floor.

Man I was tired today, even though I'd only been up for ~24 hrs. I have no idea how you guys take 36 hr call while actually doing something important. Then again you guys seem to fall asleep at all the wrong times. Ever fallen asleep during a case (hopefully if yes you were only assisting)? The PRS I've surgically attached myself to for the last few months said he dozed off retracting once when he was a GS resident.

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[gasnewby]

I'm just getting sick of reading the same stuff over and over again. At this point, there are like five people who post in the Surgery forum.

dude...stop complaining like a little girl. you want more opinions? then post, don't whine about it

 

[gasnewby]

i don't know why, but as a med student i found it really hard to stay focused and alert on a busy call night. for whatever reason, as a resident, it still sucks, but it's not as bad. there might be that underlying level of stress, knowing you're 'the guy.' and you're the one getting the pages and answering them, not just watching your resident do that. try to stay as involved as possible with what your residents are doing- pull up the CT, check the labs, whatever...keep a list of what needs to be done, just like the intern does. this will help the transition to internship.

 

[Blade28]

Ever fallen asleep during a case (hopefully if yes you were only assisting)? The PRS I've surgically attached myself to for the last few months said he dozed off retracting once when he was a GS resident.

More often than I'd like.

Often while retracting or holding the laparoscopic camera.

there might be that underlying level of stress, knowing you're 'the guy.' and you're the one getting the pages and answering them, not just watching your resident do that. try to stay as involved as possible with what your residents are doing- pull up the CT, check the labs, whatever...keep a list of what needs to be done, just like the intern does. this will help the transition to internship.

Solid advice.

 

[st0w]

But I think there is an element of culture involved as well. Surgically-oriented students are less likely to ask stupid questions like "How many hours do I have to work?" or "Can I get into Surgery at Harvard with my 200 on Step 1?" I'd like to think that those on the surgery pathway are more likely to eek look stuff up before they start reflexively posting on SDN. And when it comes to other residency and practice-oriented issues, they may simply not have anything to say.

As someone starting medical school this coming fall (and a regular lurker around these parts), this pretty much hits the nail on the head for me and I imagine many others. I'm a non-traditional who's been drawn to surgery for quite some time. And I realize, especially with the ridiculous repetitiveness of Pre-Allo, that posting basic questions that can be answered with some simple Googling is a waste of everybody's time. Hearing all of your experiences is very valuable to me. I follow the threads regularly here, but without any experiences of my own to bring to the table, I've got nothing to add.

But I certainly enjoy the culture and the humor! Makes me feel right at home, even though I've got such a long way to go before I even get to close up..

 

[Cheisu]

Just to be safe I point it in the other direction after wrapping it around my right leg several times, so it doesn't shoot out at the OR table. I know, I know... It's got a mind of its own sometimes, but that's why it's wrapped around. To tame it -- 'cause it's a beast!

Just ask the scrub techs and circulators!

"'cause it's a beast!" <-- new SDN motto.

 

[Cheisu]

Unlike you men, we can appreciate the beauty of the same gender without being afraid it makes us homosexual.



Is that so? Bored housewife, comes across a Penthouse that the plumber leaves behind. Starts reading, get aroused, and lo, the doorbell rings and its the plumber returning for his "belongings". Much hilarity ensues...boom chicka..

You are going to get both of us banned for posting inappropriate material. Cheisu's Mom will start complaining to Lee!

LOLOLOLOL

As if my mom reads SDN LMAO.

 

[Cheisu]

The Hef said that?

Right...and his multiple girlfriends are actually in love with him. But not for his money/fame/power.



Not the pool boy helping the bored housewife "clean"?

Or the UPS man delivering a "package"?

Or the pizza delivery boy dropping off an "order"?

Or the boss asking his secretary to take some "oral dictation"?

Or the quarterback asking the cheerleader to show him her "spirit"?

Etc.

Or the patient asking the doctor to "operate" on them. xD

 

[Blade28]

Or the patient asking the doctor to "operate" on them. xD

Nah, that'd be the patient asking the nurse to "sponge bathe" him.

Or the patient asking her doctor to "examine" her.

Or the nurse asking the doctor for his "professional discount."

 

[pagemmapants]

To Castro:



Merry Christmas!

Love from PGP.

 

[Beau Geste]

How do pregnant residents/attendings handle long cases (thinking more about the bladder here)?

Wear Depends? Take breaks when the opportunity presents?

Just curious about that.

 

[DoctorMunchkin]

How do pregnant residents/attendings handle long cases (thinking more about the bladder here)?

Wear Depends? Take breaks when the opportunity presents?

Just curious about that.

Speaking from experience, you just ignore it. I can't ever remember having to pee that bad during the case. I guess you are distracted in other ways. At the end, though, when all is done, you waddle VERY quickly to the bathroom.

She did kick me in my spleen once, and I thought I was going to pass out! Otherwise, you just ignore the perfect little parasite and carry on.

 

[Beau Geste]

Speaking from experience, you just ignore it. I can't ever remember having to pee that bad during the case. I guess you are distracted in other ways. At the end, though, when all is done, you waddle VERY quickly to the bathroom.

She did kick me in my spleen once, and I thought I was going to pass out! Otherwise, you just ignore the perfect little parasite and carry on.

Awesome

I would never follow Tired's rx in this case so I'm glad you posted. Surgery is something I'm interested in (but I still have 4 years to change my mind ) and I know my husband and I will be wanting to start a family after med school.

Just wonder how you ladies that have been through surgery residencies have handled the pregnancy details. Or, for you guys, how you've seen your pregnant co-residents deal.

 

[Playmakur42]

These threads may be worth reading.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=476503

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=427311

 

[Winged Scapula]

Female residents who take time off during a surgical residency almost always do it during protected time in a research lab, usually between the 2nd and 3rd year of residency. This means you are not in a situation in which your need to urinate is curtailed.

Obviously, in programs without active research labs or with a resident who doesn't want to do research, the problem is more complicated. It may be easier said than done but you want to try and plan your pregnancy - in many places the 3rd year is easier - fewer hours, more flexible schedule, etc. Then again, many would recommend your second year because you are generally in the OR less.

Once you know your due date, it should be fairly easy to rearrange the rotation schedule so that you are on non-operative rotations (ie, SICU), electives or less surgically intense rotations while you are in your 3rd trimester. The last thing you want is to be doing Surg Onc or Vascular while the baby is pressing on your bladder. Better to be doing gen surg or trauma and have shorter (or fewer) cases.

A fairly real concern in the last trimester is being close enough to the table. If you've got long arms, I suppose its not a problem but I recall one of my former Chiefs complaining about this (when she was called out of the lab to cover an unxpected absence).

 

[BlackSails]

That said, I am open to thoughts on how we can attract more students to the Surgery forum, although I am not sure how to fix the problem that every thread is dominated by the "same 5 people" - if only me, Blade, Castro and you are active here, I don't see how we can fix that unless we just ignore the threads and let them go unanswered.

I read the surgery forum, but since I am just a sophomore college student, I usually do not have very much to contribute.

 

[Southpaw]

I read the surgery forum, but since I am just a sophomore college student, I usually do not have very much to contribute.

I'm also a devoted reader of the forum, but as an MSIII I don't feel I'm able to contribute very much (this is a familar feeling as a med student, btw). Hopefully as a resident I'll be able to give more input.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Don't you guys have any questions? Or are we so good that we've answered them all?!

 

[BlackSails]

Don't you guys have any questions? Or are we so good that we've answered them all?!

I realize that by the point I do anything surgical, it is very likely many things will be different, and I can always ask questions in 4 or 5 years.

 

[Anka]

Don't you guys have any questions? Or are we so good that we've answered them all?!

I usually ask the residents at my school; if it's a high level thing I am lucky enough to have some pretty incredible faculty mentors. I like reading, though. I learn stuff I didn't know I didn't know.

Anka

 

[Anka]

Nevermind. I came up with a question. What happened to Cheisu?

 

[Castro Viejo]

Nevermind. I came up with a question. What happened to Cheisu?

Well one day someone spilled a bottle of Poland Spring on him and he melted.

Next question?

 

[Winged Scapula]

He probably got a Wii for Christmas and is practicing his licks on Guitar Hero!

 

[Southpaw]

He probably got a Wii for Christmas and is practicing his licks on Guitar Hero!

Hmm...playing Guitar Hero on Wii is ALL I've wanted to do since I played at my friend's house over Christmas. I'm emotionally Chiesu's age huh?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Hmm...playing Guitar Hero on Wii is ALL I've wanted to do since I played at my friend's house over Christmas. I'm emotionally Chiesu's age huh?

I know...I got one for my nephew and I've been a bit jealous (thinking I should have bought one for me).

Rock star, surgeon....sort of the same thing, right?

 

[Southpaw]

Rock star, surgeon....sort of the same thing, right?

That's what I'm hoping!

 

[Blade28]

He probably got a Wii for Christmas and is practicing his licks on Guitar Hero!

Hey! I'm much older than he is but I wish I had an Xbox 360 and Guitar Hero III!

 

[Winged Scapula]

Hey! I'm much older than he is but I wish I had an Xbox 360 and Guitar Hero III!

Aww...poor Bladey.

Why don't you spend some of that big bucks you're earning while moonlighting and get one?

 

[Blade28]

Aww...poor Bladey.

Why don't you spend some of that big bucks you're earning while moonlighting and get one?

Yeah I probably should huh?

My last 2-week paycheck for 2007 was over $3000, post-tax.

 

[Castro Viejo]

Yeah I probably should huh?

My last 2-week paycheck for 2007 was over $3000, post-tax.

$3,000? That's it for two weeks? Some of the Rads punks I know are making $800 a night (9 hours overnight).

 

[Winged Scapula]

$3,000? That's it for two weeks? Some of the Rads punks I know are making $800 a night (9 hours overnight).

General surgery moonlighting tends to pay about $50-$100 per hr for non-holiday pay. So your Rads punks friends are making the same amount.

I don't think Bladey was working EVERY night for two weeks (at least not at moonlighting) for that $3000.

 

[Blade28]

General surgery moonlighting tends to pay about $50-$100 per hr for non-holiday pay. So your Rads punks friends are making the same amount.

I don't think Bladey was working EVERY night for two weeks (at least not at moonlighting) for that $3000.

$42-50 per hour, plus 1.5x or even 2.0x pay for certain shifts (holidays, etc.).

So $3000 wasn't for 14 days' worth of work, CV! Around 5-6 shifts. And that's AFTER tax.

And you're right, I was still transplanting lungs into rats and doing funky PCR stuff with human macrophages.

 

[RajMahal]

no moonlighting allowed at our program

:-(

 

[Blade28]

no moonlighting allowed at our program

:-(

None allowed here either (during the clinical years). I'm in the lab.

 

[Castro Viejo]

no moonlighting allowed at our program

That's the usual case in most General Surgery residencies. Seriously, though, unless you're a pipetting monkey like Blade, I don't see how you can moonlight and STILL stay under 80 hours as a clinical resident.

 

[DoctorMunchkin]

No moonlighting allowed here, either, but I know people that do. It is not exactly against ACGME rules, either. Technically, if the moonlighting is WITHIN the program, then you have to adhere to the 80 hour work week. If it is outside of the program, then you don't. So, my EM collegues that moonlight their 3rd year because they have dedicated moonlighting time within their program get paid well and stay within the 80 hour week! The GS people I know that moonlight are at hospitals/ER, etc that are not in anyway affiliated with our training program.

 

[Blade28]

That's the usual case in most General Surgery residencies. Seriously, though, unless you're a pipetting monkey like Blade, I don't see how you can moonlight and STILL stay under 80 hours as a clinical resident.

Hey! I do lung transplants in rats as well! I only do massive amounts of pipetting 1-2 days a week!

Sigh...

 

[kate0834tkjn]

What happens if you are in the operating room, with your hands holding a heart or inside someone's chest, and you have to sneeze, but don't want to make too sudden of a movement?

What happens if you have to itch a place or "adjust" (us guys)?

Like, if you have to itch and it's ruining your focus, do you ask a nurse to itch it for you (if it's in an appropriate place)? What if it's in an inappropriate place?

What if you have to go to the bathroom?

etc. etc., but the itching thing is what I'm wondering about most.

Not sure if this has been mentioned already somewhere else, but one trick I learned is to press the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth as hard as you can to prevent yourself from sneezing at inappropriate times. It really works! And no mess inside your mask!