What is the Role of a Third Year Med Student?

[eatapita]

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Hi,
I'm very anxious about doing well in my 3rd year.
Exactly what are the responsibilities of a 3rd year?
What is your role in the team?

If you're in the ER interviewing a patient, and the guy starts to code, what are you allowed to do? Just scream for help?

 

[NateatUC]

One word: Scutmonkey!

Seriously, though, your primary goal is to learn as much as you can about whatever field you're rotating on.

As for your specific role, it really depends on what service you're on. On pretty much all the inpatient services, you are expected to take a primary role in the care of patients assigned to you. In most cases, this involves doing the admission H&P, sometimes writing orders that your residents will cosign, and rounding and writing SOAP notes on your patients every morning. Often you will have more time to spend with your patients, so you may be able to tease out some information that the residents simply don't have time to talk to them about.

On outpatient services, at least here, we are expected to see the patient, do a focused H&P, formulate an opinion if you can (sometimes you have no frickin' idea) then present to the attending. Then together you decide on a plan. Then on IM at least, we were expected to go back in and explain the plan to the patient. Of course, this varies by preceptor.

On surgical services, including OB/GYN at least to an extent, we are more of an observer. In the OR, they will probably let you cut suture, will definitely have you retract, and may let you help with closing or operate the camera on a laparoscopy. If you're really good, they may let you first assist on something simple. Of course, this REALLY depends on the surgeon. Some are happy to get students involved, others HATE students and want you to be quiet and out of the way. OB/GYN is a little different from surgery, though, in that it has a significant outpatient and non-surgical component to it.

Disclaimer: DO NOT expect to know how to do all this stuff. That's why you're a third year. If you're on the ball, you'll pick the skills up fairly quickly, just in time to finish the rotation and into something completely different!

 

[EctopicFetus]

I second scutmonkey, therefore you should always have a banana handy. Besides that I think the most important part of 3rd yr is to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. If you know what you want to do or have an inkling make sure to work especially hard during those rotations to get Honors it isnt a requirement but it sure helps.

Also Honors in Medicine is probably one the most important of all grades if I had to pick just one!

 

[HiddenTruth]

would you guys say that 3rd year is easier than 2nd year. I know there is much less reading and obviously very little to no class--but overall, in terms of your lifestyle--how does it compare? Also, what is your guys' schedule like--do you guys have to read every nite to prepare for shelves (i imagine that's all you're reading for)? Please fill me in--im a second year but i start rotations next month and am a bit clue less--thanks.

HT

 

[merlin]

Just remember this about third year. You are really there to learn. It's great to help out the intern and do scut, but just keep very clear in the back of your mind that when that shelf comes around, knowing how to run down to radiology or page heme is not going to help you much.

 

[eatapita]

One word: Scutmonkey!

Seriously, though, your primary goal is to learn as much as you can about whatever field you're rotating on.

Thanks! for the info!

Do you know when most residencies start? Do people start the June after they graduate from medical school or later?

 

[HiddenTruth]

Thanks! for the info!

Do you know when most residencies start? Do people start the June after they graduate from medical school or later?

it varies, however i think you have to start in july. There is also a couple week orientation period, but i think all of that starts in july. You get a mere one month off before you sell your soul off-- whoopeee!! 😡

 

[toofache32]

You basically stand around and watch other people work and act interested.

 

[DrMom]

You basically stand around and watch other people work and act interested.

On some rotations, this is exactly right 🙄 The big plus of being in the ICU this month is that I have my own list of patients I see & present to the attendings and I occasionally get to draw ABGs, put in NG tubes (or at least try), and pull lines. Way better than standing & watching.

 

[jannakins]

I know that not everyone here agrees with this, but I thought third year was awesome. Not easy by any means. I had not really experienced the hospital at 4am before, but you get used to it. It is so cool to finally be taking care of patients, even though it is often a fairly limited role. I found that I could expand my role by showing initiative and enthusiasm. You will learn so much, both about patient care and about how to work on a team. You still do a lot of reading, but it is so much easier to get through as compared to say biochem because you are going to use the information on a daily basis. One last thought, don't have the mindset that you have to know everything. It turns out, especially at the beginning that everyone expects you to be nervous and still putting the pieces together.

 

[DrBuzzLightYear]

What is your role in the team?

yeah, basically your role is to feel like a f#(kin' idiot the whole year and have your self esteem get ground down to ash. you'll walk in there with high MCAT, high Step 1 scores, thinking your the s#(t, and then day in day out, 100 hours a week you'll be made to feel like a *****. that's your third year.

 

[HiddenTruth]

do u have to study everyday, say for ex. on medicine rotation for the shelf? (is it pretty rigorous, everyday studying like it is during classes)?

Secondly, i have heard that u can make as most or as least out of your rotiations--how can i get the most out of it? I have heard that u're supposed to read up on your patients and their diseases -- what is the best way and time to go about doing this? I'd like to make the most out of it and not feel like a duma$$ when asked questions. Please advise. Thanks.

HT

 

[mrezai]

One word: Scutmonkey!

Now, I haven't even started medical school yet, but I did work for 7 months in a teaching hospital as an ER tech... and lemme tell you, the amount of scut med students do as compared to the techs and nurses is laughable. Whenever you feel pissed about fetching coffee or whatnot, just remember the poor employees whose *job* is scut not just a distraction.

Best of luck on your rotations.

 

[BrooklynDO]

the thing with employees doing scut thats you said is their job, is, its their job. They are there to work and get paid. We pay and are there technically to work.
thats why we get frustrated

 

[DrMom]

do u have to study everyday, say for ex. on medicine rotation for the shelf? (is it pretty rigorous, everyday studying like it is during classes)?

Secondly, i have heard that u can make as most or as least out of your rotiations--how can i get the most out of it? I have heard that u're supposed to read up on your patients and their diseases -- what is the best way and time to go about doing this? I'd like to make the most out of it and not feel like a duma$$ when asked questions. Please advise. Thanks.

HT

I've been doing at least some reading/studying daily. Some of it is from our lectures & studying for the shelf, some of it is reading up on my patients' conditions, and some of it is trying to brush up on things like path & pharm.

 

[Stinger86]

Now, I haven't even started medical school yet, but I did work for 7 months in a teaching hospital as an ER tech... and lemme tell you, the amount of scut med students do as compared to the techs and nurses is laughable. Whenever you feel pissed about fetching coffee or whatnot, just remember the poor employees whose *job* is scut not just a distraction.

Best of luck on your rotations.

Hey, all they have to do is pay me to do the scutwork, and I'll be one quiet med student. There's something drastically different about working and having to pay out of your own pocket to do it.

 

[Seaglass]

Except that they all have also paid to do it for a short time.

 

[roja]

You will find that your role as a 3rd year will vary HUGELY depending on what rotation you are on, and what role the medical school has really set out for its students.

There are definately schools where the culture is that as a MS your job is scut. There are schools where scut is absolutely not done.

I went to the latter. We never scutted. In fact, I would often have to BEG my residents to let me help them do scut like getting films, etc. The prevaling culture where I went, was that as medical students, you are a professional in training. You were there to learn about patient care and how to manage them. You were expected to round on your patients, take an active role in their care, step up with questions, read about the process, etc. You were NEVER expected fetch coffee/drinks. The times I did this for my residents, I often had to say, several times (after offering to get them something) No, I don't mind, really.

The difficult part of third year is figuring out how to interact with all of thesedifferent people. Unless you step up and show that you are a PROFESSIONAL, many will default into the old world mentality of 'medical student=child". So be an active participant. Know your limitations. (ie if a patient starts to code and you haven't taken ACLS and know what to do, call for help. ) Offer to help out.


Best of luck during your third year. Its a great time.

 

[Stinger86]

Except that they all have also paid to do it for a short time.

True, and they all have the right to complain about it too, if they want...

...but the poster was still comparing scutted paid employees to scutted students. There's a reasonable difference.

 

[phoenixsupra]

Your function is to grovel and obey. 🙂 Third year courses are called clerkships for a reason. Get your paperwork down, practice that five minute mumble we call "presenting" and hit the books. If you do that you'll do great even if you're an android at the bedside. Really. Sad but true. 😉