Can anyone please explain what scutwork is?
What Is Scutwork?
- Thread starter mdsquared
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I haven't started doing it in the usa, however I presumed it means anything that is less intellectual and more physically demanding from transporting patients ( in some hospitals it is done by the interns/ residents at times I heard) to inserting IV cannulas, which is not too boring atleast to me.
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Scutwork is...
Getting food for 20+ residents
Tracking down x-rays, CTs, echo reports, etc
Hunting down a patient's old medical record
Spinning hematocrits
Going to the ATM for a resident
Fetching 4x4s, silver nitrate sticks, emesis basins
...you get the idea
But remember, the students who are happy to help out with scutwork are usually appreciated, and are often the first to get asked to do a procedure that isn't scut.
I don't complain about the scut because I know that when I'm an intern and resident I will be scutting the students too.
Getting food for 20+ residents
Tracking down x-rays, CTs, echo reports, etc
Hunting down a patient's old medical record
Spinning hematocrits
Going to the ATM for a resident
Fetching 4x4s, silver nitrate sticks, emesis basins
...you get the idea
But remember, the students who are happy to help out with scutwork are usually appreciated, and are often the first to get asked to do a procedure that isn't scut.
I don't complain about the scut because I know that when I'm an intern and resident I will be scutting the students too.
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Scutwork can depend on the eye of the beholder. I recently had a med student think I was scutting him out for making him write orders on a patient. By the way -- it was HIS PATIENT! 
And he was a SUB-I!! I just wanted him to take some responsibility for his patient, and to think about what we were doing -- is that too much to ask? Besides, this student will be writing orders without any supervision in just 9 short months!
Okay, I'll stop my ranting...
And he was a SUB-I!! I just wanted him to take some responsibility for his patient, and to think about what we were doing -- is that too much to ask? Besides, this student will be writing orders without any supervision in just 9 short months!Okay, I'll stop my ranting...
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Originally posted by AJM
Scutwork can depend on the eye of the beholder. I recently had a med student think I was scutting him out for making him write orders on a patient. By the way -- it was HIS PATIENT!
Okay, I'll stop my ranting...
That's ridiculous ajm. It sounds like this student doesn't know what scut work really is. I would reccomend showing this student what *true* scut work is, for his own educational benefit of course
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Are you implying that they give you their ATM card/ PIN and ask you to get money for them!? OOOOhhhhhhhhhh revenge is sweet!
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Originally posted by ckent
That's ridiculous ajm. It sounds like this student doesn't know what scut work really is. I would reccomend showing this student what *true* scut work is, for his own educational benefit of course
Hee hee, I think we need to recheck rectals on all the patients on our service... I wonder who could do that? It would be good physical exam practice, of course. Oh yeah, my coat needs a good washing, too...
Too bad he's not on this rotation anymore.
I had a senior resident one time who had a very complex classification system for scut. He divided it into "pure scut", that which has absolutely no educational benefit, and "educational scut", that which is a real pain, but that you do learn from it. It also changes by level of training. For example: dictating a discharge summary is pure scut for the senior resident, but for the clerk it can be an educational experience, and therefore become "educational scut". The more tasks you can shift from "pure" to "educational" (by making the clerk or intern do it), the more you are maximizing the educational returns of the service!
When it come right down to it though, all these things are necessary for patient care, so everyone should just do them without complaining.
Oh, and things like picking up the residents drycleaning is not scut, it's abuse, and nobody should have to do such things.
When it come right down to it though, all these things are necessary for patient care, so everyone should just do them without complaining.
Oh, and things like picking up the residents drycleaning is not scut, it's abuse, and nobody should have to do such things.
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This is really old but I have to post!
Did you ever wonder were scutwork comes from? I mean etymology?
Well, skata is greek for **** and actually the combined word exists in greek (skatodouleia "****tywork", douleia=work)
Ofcourse this is pure speculation but I can bet on that!
PS I see this forum is sensored. Pitty... I mean something similar to defocation.
Did you ever wonder were scutwork comes from? I mean etymology?
Well, skata is greek for **** and actually the combined word exists in greek (skatodouleia "****tywork", douleia=work)
Ofcourse this is pure speculation but I can bet on that!
PS I see this forum is sensored. Pitty... I mean something similar to defocation.
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Wow! Way to revive a thread from 8 years ago. All this time later and residents/students still have to deal with transporting patients and placing IV's.