What do I need to excel in clinicals?

[Qester]

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As the thread name states, I am wondering what resources I need to be able to excel during my clinical rotations.

In terms of diagnostic tools which should I have on me? Do they change during the type of rotation? (E.g. Stethoscope, Blood Pressure Cuff, Reflex hammer).

What should I be carrying in my white coat? Which reference materials are standard, what other 'gems' should I make sure to have on me (e.g. extra pens, iphone applicatione etc.)

What resources materials should I have at home for actual studying purposes for each of the cores, to learn the actual medicine and to learn for the shelf (Psych, OBGyn, IM, Surgery, Peds)

What resources/qbanks are akin to the First Aid UFAP method for Step 2 CS/CK?

Any other study resources recommended?

Thanks for any responses, I know there are multiple questions here, but even if you can give insight to one section that would be great!

 

[Psai]

Stethoscope always
pen and paper always

neuro: reflex hammer and light

em: trauma scissors

surgery: wound supplies (pads, tape, wraps, sutures)

 

[byaaaaaaah23]

get the purple book for medicine (pocket medicine). Resources: I preferred pretest for all shelves, and obv uworld. And carry pestana's surgery notes around with you while on surgery as you often get a few free minutes before cases in the OR and that can be valuable time.

 

[justin1390]

Agreed with what's already been said:

You should always have your stethoscope, pens, a pen light, and a note book on you. I'd keep a small notebook and filled literally the entire thing third and fourth year with valuable tidbits and lectures I went to. As an resident, I still keep it in my white coat and literally refer to it every week. Just yesterday I had it open to a page where I had written down a list of causes of non-anion gap metabolic acidosis. Plus it makes you look very proactive and eager to learn when you take notes, or refer back to them. I got a ton of positive feedback third year for trying hard to learn this way.

Always have pocket medicine in your pocket or phone. You'll refer to it on almost every rotation in dealing with comorbidities.

Bring an article in, even if you don't present it. I would say I brought an article in 75% of the times I was on rotation. Even just held it in my hand during rounds. It got noticed, and I learned a ton about what evidenced based medicine really means in practice and appraisal.

 

[JustPlainBill]

And lastly -- a good attitude --- You want to be the first person there and the last to leave -- make them tell you to go home -- try to figure out ways to lighten the load -- if nothing else, bring in some donuts or whatever food you can afford -- helps brighten the day --

And for heaven's sake, do NOT pull what a bunch of MS3s pulled from my school -- we were all doing an IM rotation at Methodist Dallas (Big Methodist right outside of downtown) at the IM program there. Well, a bunch of MS3s would make it a point to disappear/get let go early before lunch lecture. These bozos would then go to where the lunch lecture was held and pass through the serving line, some piling plates high on the first pass, others going back for seconds before the residents had gotten there/been served. It got to the point that the residency had to put an admin there to guard the food and make sure that enough was left for the residents to get something other than iceberg lettuce from leftover salad. The students then had the testicular fortitude to complain about it, arguing that they needed to eat also, etc. -- Hey, genius, these residents were here before you got here and will be here until the work is done. You get to go home at midafternoon and can run through a drivethru on your way home to eat -- get a freakin' clue.

Also, do not make it an issue about when you can leave --- I actually had 2 of my more clueless classmates come over while my team was rounding -- the other student on the team was presenting a patient and i'm standing in the back of the team listening with the pgy2 driving the team standing beside me. These 2 come over and start questioning/bemoaning the fact that they can't leave early, etc. -- they walked off when their team moved on and the PGY2 turned and looked at me like,"Well?" -- I flat out stated,"Dr.SoandSo, I'm part of Red Team. If Red Team is here, I'm here and I'm not leaving until the work is done or you dismiss me, period". --- That went a long way towards him stating he would happily recommend me and work to get me into the residency if I wanted IM.

Things like that will make or break you a lot more than medical knowledge. We expect you to be clueless and kind of enjoy watching students muddle around figuring things out -- it's entertaining in a new-puppy-finding-its-tail kinda way -- but you're junior colleagues and we know/respect that -- what does not fly is a poor work ethic or attitude. That's something that cannot be taught.

 

[Southplains]

A go-getter attitude.

And UpToDate app on your phone, learn to use it for EVERYTHING. Read it quickly and constantly when you have the chance.