Tired at the end of the day...

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Pisiform

Oh Crap!!!
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How do yo guys study? I am on Peds and usually stay in hospital from 7am to 5-6pm. I know the hours are not that bad compared to Surgery and other rotations which I will have but by the time I get home, I am super exhausted and fall asleep so fast.

How do you guys study? tips?

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I carry my iPad with me so I can read stuff like Case Files, Step-Up to Medicine, or some other rotation-specific resources during down time. Sometimes there's isn't a whole lot of time for that during a shift so if I have a day like that then I make sure that I read something as soon as I get home. If you start doing other things then you'll quickly lose momentum. If I'm really tired then I might take a short nap before dinner and read stuff after I'm done eating. As with many things at this point in our education, you have to make time for it and do them when you can to stay efficient.
 
As a new 4th year, let me start by saying you will be tired a lot during this year. It is hard to go from your own schedule of studying, to clinical rotations. You will find what works for you soon, but eventually you will get some tolerance to the longish days and have some energy to read 10 pages and do 10 World questions. Keep your goals small and just try your best to complete it 6/7 days. As someone else mentioned some days you can get multiple days of work done at the hospital if you have an iPad or carry a book in your white coat.
 
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Yep, carry an iPad or book with you at all times, you get lots of little 10-15 minutes breaks that add up. Also suck it up and study an hour or two before bed, if you really get behind use the weekends to catch up. Unfortunately you're going to feel like this for most of the next 5-7 years....while book studying time will go down you will be spending more and more time actually working.
 
I felt super tired coming home from my 40 hours/week Psych rotation when it was my first rotation after Step 1. There's something to be said for the transition wearing you out.

As others have mentioned above, a big chunk of my productivity was at the hospital during down time. Anything you can do to maximize efficiency while on-site will be good. You're more in a "work mode" at the hospital anyway.
 
How long did it take you guys to adapt? Even on "easy" days I still feel more tired then I ever did after class in the first two years.. Not trying to complain, but I've never needed to nap or really felt that tired at all and now I'm taking like an hour long nap to not feel exhausted once I get home. You're not the only one OP!
 
One thing I did today that made me less tired. I changed by shoes, wore something more comfy like sneakers. And had a large cup of coffee after getting off the shift. Feeling refreshed for now but will see how long will it last
 
Power naps. Study during the day. Review stuff you didn't know in the evening. You don't have to be (shouldn't be) constantly studying every day on your rotation.
If you're not retaining the info you look up on diseases for your A&P, I'd recommend focusing on that
 
How long did it take you guys to adapt? Even on "easy" days I still feel more tired then I ever did after class in the first two years.. Not trying to complain, but I've never needed to nap or really felt that tired at all and now I'm taking like an hour long nap to not feel exhausted once I get home. You're not the only one OP!

Probably 3-4 rotations, personally.
 
Probably 3-4 rotations, personally.
I was weird. Started family medicine and had no issues. Then I got into peds and I was like "WTF just happened"
I think some of what helps is being blessed with a good rotation with staff/residents who motivate you to do better. My peds nephrology was brutal but it made me want to be better which is why I studied so much.
It was even more weird that I was able to study on surgery.
I think my worst was EM. I just didn't care. They only cared about covering their asses and consulting. I was literally experiencing the stereotype.... which was disappointing.
 
I was weird. Started family medicine and had no issues. Then I got into peds and I was like "WTF just happened"
I think some of what helps is being blessed with a good rotation with staff/residents who motivate you to do better. My peds nephrology was brutal but it made me want to be better which is why I studied so much.
It was even more weird that I was able to study on surgery.
I think my worst was EM. I just didn't care. They only cared about covering their asses and consulting. I was literally experiencing the stereotype.... which was disappointing.

I think this is my problem, I'm not really being pushed right now... I also don't have the "fear" in me when I really probably should.

Never really thought about it like that till I just read your post.
 
I think this is my problem, I'm not really being pushed right now... I also don't have the "fear" in me when I really probably should.

Never really thought about it like that till I just read your post.
Yeah,
Looking back, you'll begin to realize why you were more motivated on certain rotations and not on others.
Dismissive attitudes, malignant people, or people that literally don't care about you means you won't care about studying.
I almost forgot about OB/GYN. Gyn Onc was awesome because I was involved, being taught, allowed to do things.
OB was the complete opposite. I remember one night call where the resident was just like "I'll page you if I need you"
I looked out the window. Saw a Steak n Shake and contemplated just going there. Instead, I just slept. I never did overnight despite doing it for a week. I literally slept the entire night in the call room.
 
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I was weird. Started family medicine and had no issues. Then I got into peds and I was like "WTF just happened"
I think some of what helps is being blessed with a good rotation with staff/residents who motivate you to do better. My peds nephrology was brutal but it made me want to be better which is why I studied so much.
It was even more weird that I was able to study on surgery.
I think my worst was EM. I just didn't care. They only cared about covering their asses and consulting. I was literally experiencing the stereotype.... which was disappointing.

Yeah. I often get paradoxically more tired on "easy" rotations because they're boring/uninteresting to me and have more down time.
 
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Yeah,
Looking back, you'll begin to realize why you were more motivated on certain rotations and not on others.
Dismissive attitudes, malignant people, or people that literally don't care about you means you won't care about studying.
I almost forgot about OB/GYN. Gyn Onc was awesome because I was involved, being taught, allowed to do things.
OB was the complete opposite. I remember one night call where the resident was just like "I'll page you if I need you"
I looked out the window. Saw a Steak n Shake and contemplated just going there. Instead, I just slept. I never did overnight despite doing it for a week. I literally slept the entire night in the call room.

Hell we were not allowed to sleep on OB overnights. We had to run around with the residents on 14 to 16 hr shifts. Saw stuff i wish i could forget hahaha
 
Hell we were not allowed to sleep on OB overnights. We had to run around with the residents on 14 to 16 hr shifts. Saw stuff i wish i could forget hahaha
I know what you mean. I thought overnight meant just that. Plus, it really ****ed with my sleeping schedule by trying to sleep during the day, coming to hospital and being told to sleep more... And repeat again. Insomnia... First night I thought it was a trap. Then I ran into other students and they were told the same thing.
 
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