what would you have liked to know before finding out the hard way?

[jeff25]

If there was something(s) you would have wished you would have known before medical school and someone would have told you instead of finding out the hard way, what would it be?

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[HamOnWholeWheat]

Go to the cheapest school you get accepted to. School name and reputation can easily be countered with good grades, research, and board scores. You can always rotate at the big schools to get big letters. Debt is harder to overcome.

 

[vtrain]

that 3rd year is a game and is more about perseverance than brain power. learn how to play this game. don't take criticism personally. know when to ask questions - ie dont be annoying but also be agressive - it's your education. do little things to help your residents/attendings move patients and they will love you for it and teach you all that much more.

 

[plastikosmd]

HamOnWholeWheat


still thank my lucky stars i chose that state school that allowed me to get instate tuition my 2nd-4th year. agreed...a good point

 

[Old_Mil]

If there was something(s) you would have wished you would have known before medical school and someone would have told you instead of finding out the hard way, what would it be?

OB sucks.

Vast amounts of said suck are found not just in OB rotations, but also in family practice.

Hence, avoiding OB not only involves avoiding OB, but avoiding FP.

 

[olliemctuffy]

Well, I'm just starting out and on ob/gyn , but the best advice I can give thus far is be able to write good notes, try to help the docs with the little things that you can do, such as setting up equipment, positioning patients, checking vitals, doing rounds, and most importantly make friends with the nurses, if they like you they will make your life very easy, if not you will have a terrible time.

Good Luck!

 

[Miami_med]

Medical school is more about learning politics than learning medicine.

 

[domer621]

Medical school is more about learning politics than learning medicine.

Other than the fact that your site is called "Medicine and Economics," what makes you say this?

 

[Miami_med]

Other than the fact that your site is called "Medicine and Economics," what makes you say this?

My grades are primarily based on subjective evaluations that are atleast in part related to who I can give my evaluation to and how I present myself to that individual. Even in places where clinical prowess is considered, I've found that getting access to certain procedures or experiences is more of a who you can convince to let you do them than any kind of guaranteed access. Beyond a bare minimum, most clerkships will not push to get you individually more experience, and the division of clinical labor is more about who you know than what you know. The only objective grading in medical school is a standardized shelf exam that may or may not reflect any clinical scenario that you actually saw. This is often worth a small percentage of your grade and pales in comparison to your evals. Pissing off a chief resident is the kiss of death.

By and large, I'm personally pretty bad at politics, so I just kind of act like myself. This has had mixed results that mostly average out. Nevertheless, it is impossible to deny that the most successful students are those that can figure out who to please and how to do it.

From my understanding, this isn't just a Miami thing. In reality, we may be a little better than many other schools. From talking to friends at other institutions, I've come to believe that this is simply the way it is done everywhere.