What if you do something wrong? Dr. Cox plz answer

[Cheisu]

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Well. I know it's nowhere near time to start worrying about this yet.

1. What if I take a step that messes up my career? Like take the wrong direction? Are there exact steps I should take from here? ACT or SAT?

2. I have a habit of asking ALOT of questions. Does this annoy people? Because I always like to be COMPLETELY sure how to do something before I do it. I don't want to assume things and then one day have a patient die because I administered the wrong amount of medication or I accidentily sliced their aorta open or something

I want to be a cardio surgeon (or CT), not just thoracic, so what should I do after high school? or during it (right now)?

As I think alot of you know, I volunteer at my hospital in the ER and trust me, putting patient's info in the computer and cleaning pagers is so boring... i get all excited when I go back in the ER and see doctors running around everywhere, i just want to jump in there and be like "intubate and give atropine" lol j/k kinda

 

[Winged Scapula]

Well. I know it's nowhere near time to start worrying about this yet.

1. What if I take a step that messes up my career? Like take the wrong direction? Are there exact steps I should take from here? ACT or SAT?

There are many roads to get to your goal. And sometimes people DO make mistakes. Many told me I was making a mistake by going abroad instead of accepting the med school offers I had here. In hindsight, perhaps it was a mistake, but in the end, I got to where I wanted to be. What matters is how you react to a mistake and how you recover. There are very few fatal mistakes.

I cannot answer your question about ACT vs SAT because I don't know what colleges want these days. I took both.

2. I have a habit of asking ALOT of questions. Does this annoy people?

Sometimes. But surgeons are easily annoyed! 😉

I think we all agree that questions are fine. Assuming you know something when you've never experienced it is not. Your comment about wanting to stay two extra hours after working 4 hours and knowing what it was like to want to stay in the hospital like the doctor do brought you some derision. But it was youthful exuberance, IMHO.

Because I always like to be COMPLETELY sure how to do something before I do it. I don't want to assume things and then one day have a patient die because I administered the wrong amount of medication or I accidentily sliced their aorta open or something.

Despite the surgeons' saying, "sometimes wrong, never in doubt" it is actually healthy to have some doubt. The most dangerous surgeons and physicians in the world are those who are so arrogant as to not doubt themselves at times, to not listen to others and to not try and learn new ways. It is ALWAYS safe to look things up, even if you write for it often (although granted I don't look up meds I write for everyday) and you are a long way from accidentally slicing open someone's aorta. That rarely happens, even when interns are doing vascular cases. You can never be COMPLETELY sure about anything in life. The sooner you recognize these vagaries, the better off you'll be.

I want to be a cardio surgeon (or CT), not just thoracic, so what should I do after high school? or during it (right now)?

Now you've asked this question before and I'll give you the same answer. Get into the best college you can and learn to enjoy yourself. If you do not, CTS is so far away you risk burning out. There is NOTHING you can do right now to make yourself into a CTS. Get good grades, go out with your friends on the weekends and find yourself a boyfriend/girlfriend/whatever. Be a normal teenager. Please.

As I think alot of you know, I volunteer at my hospital in the ER and trust me, putting patient's info in the computer and cleaning pagers is so boring... i get all excited when I go back in the ER and see doctors running around everywhere, i just want to jump in there and be like "intubate and give atropine" lol j/k kinda

Those EM doctors running around? Or surgeons? Anyway, its nice that you're excited. But there is a lot of tedium outside of the ER that you don't see. Don't get confused about chaos in the ER and what a surgical career is really like. You dont' want to be running around all chaotic as a CTS. Calm organized and confident is what you want.

 

[smq123]

2. I have a habit of asking ALOT of questions. Does this annoy people? Because I always like to be COMPLETELY sure how to do something before I do it. I don't want to assume things and then one day have a patient die because I administered the wrong amount of medication or I accidentily sliced their aorta open or something

• Yes, some surgeons are extremely annoyed by questions. I have heard some surgical residents say to med students "You get THREE questions this case." And they weren't joking.
• The biggest issue is that you'll be a med student who asks a lot of questions. Med students don't do anything - they do not administer medication and they go NOWHERE near the aorta! (Unless they're retracting.) If you're actually doing something and asking a lot of questions ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING, that is one thing. But if you're standing in the corner and piping up with questions every few minutes, you'll get something thrown at your head.
• Also, the issue will be that you will be a PRE-MED who constantly asks questions. This is a good way to get your classmates to hate you.
• Then, if you manage to get into med school, you will be a FIRST YEAR MED STUDENT who constantly asks questions. This is a good way to become labelled as a "gunner" by your classmates, who will then not be willing to help you out.

I want to be a cardio surgeon (or CT), not just thoracic, so what should I do after high school? or during it (right now)?

During high school? Hang out with friends. Get a girlfriend/boyfriend. Read real books (i.e. not medically related). Learn a foreign language. Compete for college scholarships. Get a driver's license. When I was 16 (not THAT long ago), all my male friends were busy trying to sneak porn and Playboy into the house. Are 16 year old boys no longer doing that anymore? 😕

As I think alot of you know, I volunteer at my hospital in the ER and trust me, putting patient's info in the computer and cleaning pagers is so boring... i get all excited when I go back in the ER and see doctors running around everywhere, i just want to jump in there and be like "intubate and give atropine" lol j/k kinda

I know it's boring. But so is most of college. So is most of medical school. So is most of internship and some of residency.

If it's boring NOW - maybe you're not cut out for this path. Think about it. It will be at least another TWELVE years before you'll get to do ANYTHING in an emergency situation (besides sit in the corner out of everyone's way.) Medical students rarely do anything during codes or stat operations. Interns often don't do anything during codes or stat operations.

Are you willing to stand another 12 years of studying/routine/boredom before you finally get to do the stuff that you're dreaming of? Something to think about before you finish college.

 

[Cheisu]

Are you willing to stand another 12 years of studying/routine/boredom before you finally get to do the stuff that you're dreaming of? Something to think about before you finish college.

Yes. I am willing to do that.

I may get bored easily, but I know how long it will be before I actually get to do anything. It's not that boring at the hospital as a whole. I get to see alot of things. But the hospital I work at is very small, I'm sure it has only a level III trauma center, as they usually send the more critical patients to Methodist, etc. I don't actually get to go back in the ER that often, but when I do it's awesome. When I get to do anything remotely different, it's way cool. One time I had to go in a room and use medical handwash and I was all like "oooh!" lol and when I get to take patients places in wheelchairs i think it's all cool, and when I get to go to ICU it's interesting. But here's ALL I do:

1. The patient comes in and we tell them to fill out a form
2. They fill it out
3. We give them a pager
4. I enter the data in the computer
5. We page the nurse that there's someone there
6. The nurse comes out and gets the patient
7. They hand the pager to me and I clean it with an alcohol wipe

Rarely I get to take people back to the patient rooms (oooh!) and get to wheel patients to their room

But that's pretty much the extent of what I'm allowed to do. I get my head bit off if I page the nurse too early, even. And I don't get paid, either.

Believe it or not, I actually think it's exciting somewhat. But as you see, I'm not really doing much. Whenever there's someone who needs help with something other than routine (which is all the time), one of the other ambassadors takes care of it.

So basically:
1. I do what they tell me
2. I have no authority whatsoever
3. No pay

So why do I stay? Why do I want to work extra hours with no pay? It's a hospital. I LOVE hospitals. I'm not sure why, but I'm always excited to just be there.

So yes, I will wait how ever long it takes, but I am going to be a surgeon. I know you say people say that all the time, and EVERYONE thinks they're different, but I know I can do this.

 

[Winged Scapula]

But here's ALL I do:

1. The patient comes in and we tell them to fill out a form
2. They fill it out
3. We give them a pager
4. I enter the data in the computer
5. We page the nurse that there's someone there
6. The nurse comes out and gets the patient
7. They hand the pager to me and I clean it with an alcohol wipe

Are you sure you don't work at The Cheesecake Factory or Outback Steakhouse? What with giving the pagers to patients it sounds suspiciously similar! 😉

 

[Cheisu]

Are you sure you don't work at The Cheesecake Factory or Outback Steakhouse? What with giving the pagers to patients it sounds suspiciously similar! 😉

lol i know! it's so ridiculous because there's usually like no people, and they're like "omg it feels like i'm in a steakhouse" lol

do you think i could ask for an extension of what i'm allowed to do? like do you think i could maybe observe triage? i know you don't work there but I don't want to feel all weird when i ask

 

[smq123]

do you think i could ask for an extension of what i'm allowed to do? like do you think i could maybe observe triage? i know you don't work there but I don't want to feel all weird when i ask

You're only 16. Asking to observe triage as a 16 year old is generally not going to be well received.

If you're really that bored, and itching for something to do, why not start training as a paramedic/EMT? In some states the minimum age is 16 or 17 - your state might be one of them.

 

[dynx]

So basically:
1. I do what they tell me
2. I have no authority whatsoever
3. No pay

Jesus. It sounds like this is the perfect training to prepair you for a surgical internship.

 

[Cheisu]

You're only 16. Asking to observe triage as a 16 year old is generally not going to be well received.

If you're really that bored, and itching for something to do, why not start training as a paramedic/EMT? In some states the minimum age is 16 or 17 - your state might be one of them.

It's 17 at my hospital. You have to be 18 by the end of the course.

 

[smq123]

So basically:
1. I do what they tell me
2. I have no authority whatsoever
3. No pay

Jesus. It sounds like this is the perfect training to prepair you for a surgical internship.

Exactly. Just add...

4. I get my hands slapped by the senior residents
5. I get yelled at by the nurses in front of an OR full of people
6. I am > $100,000 in debt

... and you've effectively described MS III. (Or internship.)

 

[TheMightyAngus]

I want to be a cardio surgeon (or CT), not just thoracic, so what should I do after high school? or during it (right now)?

Sports. Football > Basketball > Baseball. A lot of surgeons are former athletes. Sports always comes up as a topic of conversation.

 

[TxMed]

General Surgeons usually talk a lot about porn.

strangely true...but awesome, none the less

 

[Blade28]

To the OP - you've asked similar questions before. You should know by now that none of us will be able to discourage you from your obviously passionate pursuit of becoming a CT surgeon.

But, as I've said to you before, just take things one step at a time, OK? You have lots of your life to live.

 

[eclcell]

Cheisu,
I do admire your enthusiam, but I do a agree with the others though that you do stand a good chance of getting burned out if you don't find some other interests. Maybe you do have some other pursuits that you haven't mentioned but you do seem overly obsessed with the surgery thing. The great surgeons/doctors I know almost all have other diversions they are good at (sailing, photography, sports, architecture, etc.) You have to have to have something like that because the job is stressful. I think for you a girlfriend would be a good start if you don't already have one. Also most people I know say cardiac surgery not cardio. That sounds too much like a fitness workout. Please don't take me as being critical.

 

[Cheisu]

You're flirting with Cardio. I'm married to cardio.

Only an ortho resident would say "it sounds like a fitness work out"

Christina Yang says "cardio", so I say "cardio"

But you know what I mean. I want to go into cardiac surgery.

 

[Winged Scapula]

You're flirting with Cardio. I'm married to cardio.

Only an ortho resident would say "it sounds like a fitness work out"

Christina Yang says "cardio", so I say "cardio"

But you know what I mean. I want to go into cardiac surgery.

I actually thought Christina Yang was a real person in your hospital.

I need to watch more network tv.

 

[smq123]

Only an ortho resident would say "it sounds like a fitness work out"

Christina Yang says "cardio", so I say "cardio"

But you know what I mean. I want to go into cardiac surgery.

* Christ, what IS it with you and the ortho hate? Why don't you wait until you actually MEET more than 1 orthopedic surgeon before you start dumping on them?

* Quick and dirty rule of thumb: If they say it on Grey's Anatomy, NEVER repeat it to actual residents/attendings. So, if a Grey's Anatomy character says something bad about ortho residents, don't repeat it. If a Grey's Anatomy character says "cardio surgery," then do NOT call it cardio surgery.

And I'm not going into ortho, but I agree - cardio surgery sounds like a workout tape.

 

[Cheisu]

* Christ, what IS it with you and the ortho hate? Why don't you wait until you actually MEET more than 1 orthopedic surgeon before you start dumping on them?

* Quick and dirty rule of thumb: If they say it on Grey's Anatomy, NEVER repeat it to actual residents/attendings. So, if a Grey's Anatomy character says something bad about ortho residents, don't repeat it. If a Grey's Anatomy character says "cardio surgery," then do NOT call it cardio surgery.

And I'm not going into ortho, but I agree - cardio surgery sounds like a workout tape.

Fine. I'll start calling it cardiac surgery lol

 

[Cheisu]

* Christ, what IS it with you and the ortho hate? Why don't you wait until you actually MEET more than 1 orthopedic surgeon before you start dumping on them?

* Quick and dirty rule of thumb: If they say it on Grey's Anatomy, NEVER repeat it to actual residents/attendings. So, if a Grey's Anatomy character says something bad about ortho residents, don't repeat it. If a Grey's Anatomy character says "cardio surgery," then do NOT call it cardio surgery.

And I'm not going into ortho, but I agree - cardio surgery sounds like a workout tape.

So what should I call Atropine, Lidocaine, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. from now on?

 

[Winged Scapula]

So what should I call Atropine, Lidocaine, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. from now on?

lidocaine = lido (or "numbing medicine" to patients)

atropine = ok, its atropine although I prefer "extract of deadly nightshade" but that takes too long when you really need some atropine.

Ok future CT surgeon, where does the name atropine come from?

 

[Castro Viejo]

Ok future CT surgeon, where does the name atropine come from?

I think it's a Wiccan word. 😀

 

[Blade28]

You're flirting with Cardio. I'm married to cardio.
...
Christina Yang says "cardio", so I say "cardio"

Whoa! Are you serious? THIS is why you call it "cardio surgery"??? 😕

Ok future CT surgeon, where does the name atropine come from?

Oh! I know! I know! It's derived from Atropos, the Fa...

Oh. You meant Cheisu. I always assume I'm the only one in here who's interested in CT Surg.

Carry on. 🙁

 

[Castro Viejo]

You pretty much are the only one. 🙂

 

[Winged Scapula]

Whoa! Are you serious? THIS is why you call it "cardio surgery"??? 😕



Oh! I know! I know! It's derived from Atropos, the Fa...

Oh. You meant Cheisu. I always assume I'm the only one in here who's interested in CT Surg.

Carry on. 🙁

I know you know the answer. Step back. I'm pimping the high school student here.😀

 

[Winged Scapula]

I always assume I'm the only one in here who's interested in CT Surg.

Carry on. 🙁

You aren't...we just banned all the others (ie, JP Hazleton).

 

[Blade28]

You aren't...we just banned all the others (ie, JP Hazleton).

Long PH, ban, same diff, huh? 🙂

 

[Winged Scapula]

Long PH, ban, same diff, huh? 🙂

Oh, that's right...I only PH'd him.

 

[Playmakur42]

Ok future CT surgeon, where does the name atropine come from?

SDN Bylaw 12,982 subsection c: References to Grey's Anatomy (TV Show) are frowned upon. Any user doing so is subject to retaliatory pimping by a moderator, regardless of age.

 

[Cheisu]

lidocaine = lido (or "numbing medicine" to patients)

atropine = ok, its atropine although I prefer "extract of deadly nightshade" but that takes too long when you really need some atropine.

Ok future CT surgeon, where does the name atropine come from?

o.o lol that's for plant medicine residents

 

[Cheisu]

Sorry I can't answer the question, nurse Cox.

(lol j/k)

 

[Blade28]

Sorry I can't answer the question, nurse Cox.

(lol j/k)

Er...I already answered it for you.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Sorry I can't answer the question, nurse Cox.

(lol j/k)

My my, quite bold aren't you, ED volunteer Cheisu?

Be careful, I have friends in high places who will infract you for "insulting" me!😉

 

[Winged Scapula]

Er...I already answered it for you.

Sort of...who was Atropos?

 

[johankriek]

this is a painful thread to sift through

I cant believe she called dr cox a nurse.. maybe it was a joke.


to the op

go meet some girls or something and enjoy them for a while. If you are a girl go chill with the guys or something find a hobby and maybe you wont be so infatuated with cardio surgery. It is a BRUTAL road and you MUST be well balanced to get through it. Ask Dr cox, she will tell ya..

 

[Cheisu]

this is a painful thread to sift through

I cant believe she called dr cox a nurse.. maybe it was a joke.


to the op

go meet some girls or something and enjoy them for a while. If you are a girl go chill with the guys or something find a hobby and maybe you wont be so infatuated with cardio surgery. It is a BRUTAL road and you MUST be well balanced to get through it. Ask Dr cox, she will tell ya..

I'm a guy lol

 

[ddmo]

I'm a guy lol

Forget finding a girlfriend/boyfriend, I think at this point the most important thing for you to find is some gd humility and respect. Dr. Cox is being very tolerant of your ignorance and the ridiculous statements you make and went so far to try and teach you something. Your response, to call her a nurse which I can only take to be an insult based on your other posts about nurses. She is an attending surgeon, that would be on the level of Dr. McDreamy or whoever on Grey's Anatomy, in case you don't understand what an attending surgeon is.

If you want to make it anywhere in life, when surrounded by people with more experience than you, listen, as opposed to speaking. Most can learn the medical facts or the surgical skills, the real trick to being a good physician and colleague is to have a good personality.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I appreciate everyone here "having my back" but let's give the kid a break.

I was not offended because I assumed he was making a joke, and while it may have been ill-advised, Cheisu is young and not nearly as acquainted with the typical surgical hierarchy as you guys are. I am much more offended by medical students or residents taking such liberties especially when they don't know me because they should "know better." I'm pretty casual anyway...its hard for me not to tell the office staff to call me Kim.

As far as we know, Cheisu might have been raised to call his parents and their friends by their first names. Darn hippies.😉

 

[Cheisu]

I appreciate everyone here "having my back" but let's give the kid a break.

I was not offended because I assumed he was making a joke, and while it may have been ill-advised, Cheisu is young and not nearly as acquainted with the typical surgical hierarchy as you guys are. I am much more offended by medical students or residents taking such liberties especially when they don't know me because they should "know better." I'm pretty casual anyway...its hard for me not to tell the office staff to call me Kim.

As far as we know, Cheisu might have been raised to call his parents and their friends by their first names. Darn hippies.😉

lol I don't call my parents by their first names

but seriously, omg it was a joke

the guy DID see the "lol j/k" next to it, didn't he? does he know what "j/k" means? it means "just kidding".

 

[smq123]

lol I don't call my parents by their first names

but seriously, omg it was a joke

the guy DID see the "lol j/k" next to it, didn't he? does he know what "j/k" means? it means "just kidding".

I'm sure that he knows what "j/k" means. What he means, though, is that jokingly calling an attending a "nurse" (particularly when the attending is female) is a really, really, REALLY bad thing to do. As a third year med student, if I did that to my chief resident, even if I said "omg, it was a joke," she'd still kill me on my evaluation. And I would deserve it, because, even if it is a joke, it's not a particularly funny one.

You've got a long time to go before you need to worry about "etiquette" on the floors, etc. 🙂

 

[Cheisu]

I'm sure that he knows what "j/k" means. What he means, though, is that jokingly calling an attending a "nurse" (particularly when the attending is female) is a really, really, REALLY bad thing to do. As a third year med student, if I did that to my chief resident, even if I said "omg, it was a joke," she'd still kill me on my evaluation. And I would deserve it, because, even if it is a joke, it's not a particularly funny one.

You've got a long time to go before you need to worry about "etiquette" on the floors, etc. 🙂

exactly. you all are always telling to be a kid. sorry some of you don't remember how being a kid works, but we joke

and i am not a troll

 

[Castro Viejo]

exactly. you all are always telling to be a kid. sorry some of you don't remember how being a kid works, but we joke

and i am not a troll

That's true. You're a Wiccan. 🙂

 

[smq123]

exactly. you all are always telling to be a kid. sorry some of you don't remember how being a kid works, but we joke

and i am not a troll

Right - but it doesn't go both ways. Either you expect us to take you seriously as a "future surgeon," or you expect us to remember that you're still in high school.

In any case - now you know for the future. 🙂 But in all seriousness - stop reading ACLS guidelines, and start doing something fun. If I were 16, and could do it all again, I'd spend a lot more time studying other languages and studying abroad. 🙁 [**Sigh**]

 

[Winged Scapula]

The above is good reference material to store away, Cheisu.

As easy going as I am (and there are not many surgeons who are), even if you meant it to be a joke, many many many surgeons will not take it as such. Particularly females.

We (female surgeons) have a great deal of difficulty in educating people/patients that female surgeons/physicians do exist and a fair bit of difficulty in getting respect, often from nurses. Should you encounter a surgeon with a chip on their shoulder about such, your joke would almost certainly be seen as offensive.

My ex had a "theory" that all female surgeons were bitches. So everytime I got upset about something he did, warranted or not (at least in his mind), I proved his theory (at least in his mind). He alwys said he was j/k but doing so only made me madder, of course.

Don't make the same mistake and push someone's buttons. For me, its people assuming I must be a bitch because I'm a surgeon; for many others its being mistaken for a nurse.

 

[ddmo]

That's true. You're a Wiccan. 🙂

The funniest thing I've read all day award goes to you.

 

[Blade28]

There are things you can't say even when followed immediately by the words "just kidding."

Just something to remember.

 

[NDESTRUKT]

Back to the OP's question:

What if you do something wrong?
If you do something wrong at this point in your life, no one will care.

What should you call all the ACLS drugs?
Nothing, you don't need to even know their names right now.

What can you do now that will help you?
Although others have said "nothing", I think if you start playing sports and video games, that'll give you some eye hand exercises that may come in handy?

What can you do in high school?
Make sure you go to a good college, so do well in school with good grades, but do awesome extracurriculars too - like I said above, do some sports, community services, etc. Don't come across as too one sided which you do on this board.

PS - Don't mimic Grey's Anatomy on this board again unless it's to make fun of it. I'll even add a "please"

 

[Blade28]

Just to give you some perspective (and I've probably said this half a dozen times before)...

You're almost halfway through sophomore year of high school. So you have 2.5 years of high school left.

Plus at least 4 years of college.

Plus 4 years of medical school.

Plus at least 5 years of General Surgery residency, should you choose to pursue that field.

So that makes AT LEAST 14.5 years left until you're starting to apply for a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship.

15.5 years. Aren't you 16 years old right now?

So again, to echo the solid advice in the above posts, PLEASE just enjoy life right now. You have WAY too many years ahead of you to be worrying about all this. Hell, we tell college sophomores the same thing when they're already worrying about residencies and fellowships.

And yes, please, for the love of all that is holy, don't quote from Grey's Anatomy any more.

(Side note: do most people even own a copy of Grey's Anatomy any more? 🙁 )

 

[Winged Scapula]

(Side note: do most people even own a copy of Grey's Anatomy any more? 🙁 )

I do...but I've had it for about 10 years.

 

[smq123]

(Side note: do most people even own a copy of Grey's Anatomy any more? 🙁 )

Which one? Gray's Anatomy for students (which was published a few years ago), or the original Gray's Anatomy (published in 1918)?

Gray's Anatomy for students actually has nothing to do with the original Gray's Anatomy textbook. I'm not even sure how they justified using the name.

The 1918 version is available online, for free, at reference.yahoo.com and bartleby.com. I doubt that many people read it anymore, which is a shame. I think that Gray's original embryology chapters are much clearer than Moore's. The illustrations in that book (also available online) are more beautiful and graceful than Netter's, although I never used them to study from. For sheer aesthetic value, you can't beat Gray's head and neck illustrations:

http://education.yahoo.com/referenc...gure;_ylt=Ak.rhbHQLypXD1u7_vzB.ZptHokC?id=507

 

[Blade28]

I have an older used copy that I think I bought around 6-7 years ago. Great illustrations - especially love the way the various things are labelled! Very creative.