Vacation vs ICU

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Strongman

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I would love to here from some residents as well as students. My dilemma is that I can modify my remaining 4rth yr schedule so that (1) I can have 2 weeks vacation before graduation if I do an ICU (medical) and a last required rotation or (2) I can move my required rotation sooner while skipping the ICU rotation. This second option would give me 6 weeks vacation before graduation.

My dilemma and question: how important is it to do an ICU rotation before residency (COME ON MARCH 18th) for someone that has not had ANY experience in the ICU? What would/are/have some of you guys doing/done? Was it helpful or hell, if you chose the vacation route.

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from the student perspective I did an ICU rotation back in August and I thought it was very helpful. By the end I was much more comfortable with lines, complicated pts and people dying.

That said it would be tough weighing that against vacation, especially at the end of the year (golf?). Fortunately we can take two months of Vac whenever we want.

I would ask around and find out exactly how demanding this rotation will be. Then you just have to decide.

FWIW I think that most Interns are up to speed in the units after a couplr of days regardless of if they've done it before. If you're going into EM then you probably have the kind of peronality that will handle the units just fine.

Casey
 
For the love of god, take the vacation! You'll have the rest of your life to become comfortable with lines and complicated patients. You may not, however, have too many more 6 week blocks of vacation.

Just my opinion though. By the way, I'm a 4th year too, and though I may have some anxiety about internship, I think I'll have that anxiety no matter what I do in terms of rotations.
 
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no question, vacation.
 
100% vacation!!! I'm done my med school rotations and you couldn't get me into the ICU with a gun to my head (even though I loved my ICU rotation).

-P
 
If you've no ICU experience as you say, I would say do the ICU rotation. Lest you forget, you're paying a great deal of tuition to recieve an education & you should get your money's worth. It certainly will make the transition easier from student to MD
 
i think it depends on how tough your ICU rotation will be.

I was in the same boat last year as a fourth year student. I was able to do a relatively "easy" neuro ICU rotation (no call, rounds begin at 9am, stay till 4pm), and still get a lot out of it. I became comfortable with ICU patients, like presentations, central lines, post floor/ER complications. These simple additions to my armor helped tremendously this year as an intern, I didn't spend the first two weeks of my internship ICU month "learning" the basics.

It's equivalent to spending a month on surgery as a DOCTOR and never having done a surgery rotation in medical school. Imagine, "Do you know what a sterile field is?" "That's not how you put on gloves"

HOWEVER, I still got 4 weeks off from the end of medical school till the beginning of residency. So, I knew I had some sunny days ahead.

Good luck, but remember this is you last chance to ask a "dumb" question, because you'll only be a student for so long...
 
I skipped the ICU rotation last year, and although the first 3 days of my first unit block were overwhelming, I was pretty much up to speed by the end of my first week. I was by no means the only person in my class who hadn't done an ICU block, and nobody gave me crap about it IN the unit. You will have 3-6 months of unit time during residency (program dependent)... you won't have 6 wks of vacation again until you graduate...

Point... TAKE THE VACATION AND RUN!
 
It's equivalent to spending a month on surgery as a DOCTOR and never having done a surgery rotation in medical school. Imagine, "Do you know what a sterile field is?" "That's not how you put on gloves"

I have actually seen this - FMG at a community OB program. It was embarrasing.

C
 
Looks like 7 to 2 in favor of vacation...I can't believe that I , the once anal guy, am finally taking the chance to be lazy and relax.
 
Anal huh, you need to take the quiz in FoughtFyr's thread.

C
 
I did do ICU during med school, I don't know whether it was THAT helpful - now looking back... (good experience, but it's just so different being a resident...)

Scrubbs is so right - I feel the same way.

The verdict has to be:

Take the VACATION!

so make that 8 to 2.

...although the 9-4 no call ICU sounds pretty good to me ;)
 
for the love of st. pete take the vacation....
 
Eat your dessert first and take a vacation. You have a long dinner to get through in residency. Live, Man, Live! Go and see another country.
 
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