Clinicals RULE!

[AUCMD2006]

to all you island folk there is light at the end of your very painful and long journey!

started clinicals this week and few things in my life can compare to walking in the hospital in 'the coat' stethoscope, PDA, and countless books in neatly stuffed in the pockets.....that is until the look on the nurses face said something akin to 'great another arrogant med student' with a few colorful explatives thrown in.

seriously though it is great to be finally at this stage...to be actually learning by doing is quite a change from having my face stuffed in a book for so long. i think that previous hospital and medical experience has helped me out tremendously because almost every pt will break your heart so previosus immmunity to those situations may help.

i picked up first aid for the wards and i think it has a lot of useful info for people who have never worked in the hospital setting as well as how to be a truly excellent junior medical student which was also good. i also got 101 medical mistakes which was a total waste of money.

now for the typical day: starts around 6:30 AM and you review your attendings charts and interview the patients and fill in as much as you can on the progress note. Attending comes in and interviews the pt with you fills in what you missed, you may dictate orders, and fill out discharge notes depending on the patient.

some docs see pts at different hospitals and you are out of there by 11am while others only see them there and you are there til 3-4. both have good and bad i guess if you are out of there you can study books but miss out on patient time? i am on the first scenario til next week then long hours so i can compare then......

psych doesn't seem intense as everyone has said and you seem to get out what you put into it. dr johnson is right on with the vocab, content, and even the forms to fill out. this is my first week so these are first impressions and may change as i get further in it...i'l try and post every week or so.

what does strike me though is something a former student said about the respect that you automatically get from pts and even most of the staff just for beding a med student, it really is there even though you know nothing....

good luck

[docbee]

great to here. Are you in the states for clinicals? Where r u?

[Skipper]

man i wish i was back in the states and off this rock.....

the skipper

[docbee]

is it really that bad skipper??? Really??

[Skipper]

yea this place is like a flipping prison......

man u dont know how much you miss the US until u are not on it....

the skipper

[onamission]

yea this place is like a flipping prison......

OK..... that makes me sad skipper :(

[docbee]

i can imagine -- i could have moved over there for the summer -- but I would have had nothing to do for 3 months -- and I fugured being there for 20 months would just suck anyhow. I really hate the look people give you "OOooohhh so your going to the islands, for school -- that's gonna be a real paradise" etc., etc. -- I donn't think others understand that my face will be in a book (or cadaver) for a long time, and what little there is there -- I won't get to do that much.

Anyhow -- that's my beef.

[Skipper]

yea it isnt that great here...granted u make time to go to the beach or the club or PR...but u are in the books most of the time...u have more time in 1st semster then u do in 2 and up

the skipper

[onamission]

Personally, I believe that the better your attitude is about anything, the happier you will be. Im just happy I got into med school, no matter where that med school may be. Im looking at this as a new experience in my life. For me, I think it will be a GREAT change going from a place that snows every freeking day, to a place that has a warm climate and sun. I know that it wont be paradise, but overall I think it will be terrific.

[stateofequilibrium]

Personally, I believe that the better your attitude is about anything, the happier you will be. Im just happy I got into med school, no matter where that med school may be. Im looking at this as a new experience in my life. For me, I think it will be a GREAT change going from a place that snows every freeking day, to a place that has a warm climate and sun. I know that it wont be paradise, but overall I think it will be terrific.

That's a good attitude. It is definitely an experience that most doctors do not get. You're coming to a school with more that qualified professors (no matter how much we'd like to go up to that podium and start issuing a beat-down), but there is also a certain amount of self-fortitude one needs to survive down here. You're not in Kansas anymore Dorothy.

[onamission]

Personally, I believe that the better your attitude is about anything, the happier you will be. Im just happy I got into med school, no matter where that med school may be. Im looking at this as a new experience in my life. For me, I think it will be a GREAT change going from a place that snows every freeking day, to a place that has a warm climate and sun. I know that it wont be paradise, but overall I think it will be terrific.

That's a good attitude. It is definitely an experience that most doctors do not get. You're coming to a school with more that qualified professors (no matter how much we'd like to go up to that podium and start issuing a beat-down), but there is also a certain amount of self-fortitude one needs to survive down here. You're not in Kansas anymore Dorothy.

Thanks SOE, I try to think positively of every situation.......TRY

[Baditude]

I actually like it here! I am hoping to buy a place here so my family and I can come back here as often as possible.
I certainly wouldn't want to be studying somewhere that is cold and dark for half the year. I think it would be very depressing. At least here when you feel overwhelmed you can go to the beach and regroup your mental bearings.

[onamission]

I actually like it here! I am hoping to buy a place here so my family and I can come back here as often as possible.
I certainly wouldn't want to be studying somewhere that is cold and dark for half the year. I think it would be very depressing. At least here when you feel overwhelmed you can go to the beach and regroup your mental bearings.

That is cool baditude 8) I feel the same way as you do. Im in Buffalo right now finishing up my Masters so I can get the hell out of here. It IS cold and dark here lol! It will be nice to be by an ocean again. Im happy you like it there :D

[stateofequilibrium]

I actually like it here! I am hoping to buy a place here so my family and I can come back here as often as possible.
I certainly wouldn't want to be studying somewhere that is cold and dark for half the year. I think it would be very depressing. At least here when you feel overwhelmed you can go to the beach and regroup your mental bearings.

Ah, the beach. Without the beach and the PR, I dunno HOW I would've passed anatomy. Them girls at the PR are so helpful if you're confused about something.

[Skipper]

yea it seems great till u have to live on the rock...well this is coming for me who is from FL...so i think this place isnt that great...beaches are great but after a few vist who cares....

i will take dark, cold, snowy any city USA then living here....the states man...how great

the skipper

[onamission]

yea it seems great till u have to live on the rock...well this is coming for me who is from FL...so i think this place isnt that great...beaches are great but after a few vist who cares....

i will take dark, cold, snowy any city USA then living here....the states man...how great

the skipper

Dont worry skipper, you will be out of there soon enough

[Skipper]

no not really i am in 2nd...so i have 3.5 semsters to go....

i need to survive this next physio and immuno test

the skipper

[anencephalic]

Thanks for the post rrod....keep us posted on your experiences (and that goes for all of the other MS3s that recently left the rock).


Just 3 more months till Step I for me...ugh.

Aloha,

[Bob2k]

i used to think the same thing, that i would prefer any city in the u.s. over any caribbean island. well, i go to SMU and we're in portland, maine.

it sucks bad. i hate it more than any place i have been to in my life. which is really saying something cuz i have traveled a whole heck of a lot.

it is freezing here, always snowing, black ice everywhere, constantly having to exercise extreme caution all day long in walking and driving. it's just a sad, depressing place. it's not even like being in the united states, at least not the one i grew up in. it's like living in a very large refrigerator. and we will leave right when the weather gets nice. the people in our class who are in the joint degree program, which i may join, will return here right when the temps start to drop into the teens and way below again.

how i wish i had taken the mcat again and gone for osteopathy. i guess not getting Cs in orgo and physics would have helped also.

[Skipper]

but it is still the states....

i have lived in cold weather it sucks but oh well.....so does the heat

the skipper

[wolfvgang22]

i used to think the same thing, that i would prefer any city in the u.s. over any caribbean island. well, i go to SMU and we're in portland, maine.

it sucks bad. i hate it more than any place i have been to in my life. which is really saying something cuz i have traveled a whole heck of a lot.

it is freezing here, always snowing, black ice everywhere, constantly having to exercise extreme caution all day long in walking and driving. it's just a sad, depressing place. it's not even like being in the united states, at least not the one i grew up in. it's like living in a very large refrigerator. and we will leave right when the weather gets nice. the people in our class who are in the joint degree program, which i may join, will return here right when the temps start to drop into the teens and way below again.

how i wish i had taken the mcat again and gone for osteopathy. i guess not getting Cs in orgo and physics would have helped also.
I'm sure I'd feel exactly the same way if I were in Maine! One of the (minor) reasons I chose a caribbean school over an eastern european school was climate.

[Skipper]

and it is eastern europe....caribbean any day...granted the girls at the PR room from eastern europe are farily good on the eyes...that would be a benefit of an eastern european school

the skipper

[anencephalic]

and it is eastern europe....caribbean any day...granted the girls at the PR room from eastern europe are farily good on the eyes...that would be a benefit of an eastern european school

the skipper

Yeah, but they wouldn't be in an Eastern European med school; they'd all be making money in the caribbean "gentlemen's clubs"....

Aloha,

[neilc]

and it is eastern europe....caribbean any day...granted the girls at the PR room from eastern europe are farily good on the eyes...that would be a benefit of an eastern european school

the skipper

Yeah, but they wouldn't be in an Eastern European med school; they'd all be making money in the caribbean "gentlemen's clubs"....

Aloha,

believe me, most of the hotties are still here...and we med students need them to help us REALLY learn anatomy.

but, i am freezing my butt off right now...sucks. depressing. want to go back to my sunny LA clinical, even if i was in the hospital the entire time....

[Skipper]

oh i agree....last time i was in prague there were alot of hotties ....it was my pre-med school anatomy course

the skipper

[wolfvgang22]

No worries, many of those eastern european hotties would love to get with a doc in the U.S.....aren't there services that set that sort of thing up?

[AUCMD2006]

so far i have done admissions, discharges, written med orders and done daily interviews. this weekend i will be on call saturday and sunday....

peace out

[Skipper]

sounds so much better than studying physio....

the skipper

[AUCMD2006]

first day almost done...ton of admits that is all i did all day, i finally have the template meorized.

update on the pda i got. i bought the mitac mio 168 that is a pocket PC with GPS built in and this thing is great. i would recommend it to any student traveling around b/c you put in the three or four hospitals/clinics you go to in memory and when you need to go hit the waypoint key and it gives you directions to there from wherever you are at then hit another button and you have pocket pc with all your medical software in it.

the only drawback is the memory but a SD card is all you need. it also has a 300mhz processor that works fine.

peace

[Skipper]

where did you get all the medical software....does the hospital provide any...or u have to buy all of them....just wondering

the skipper

[AUCMD2006]

i bought epocrates which covers meds/labs/dx/ID/alerts/med cost/ ICD-9 codes and more. then got archimedes free medical calculator and CDC bio warfare free. i like epocrates b/c you look at a dz and when a med or lab is mentioned it is highlighted, you click and it takes you there. you don't need to open another progarm and look it up wasting time.

[anencephalic]

Nice....very nice. I may have to ditch the iPaq yet!

Found this at newegg.com...Mitac Mio for $379...

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?DEPA=0&description=58-108-405&ATT=GPS+Receivers&CMP=OTC-C173T

Aloha,

[Whaler]

I actually like it here! I am hoping to buy a place here so my family and I can come back here as often as possible.
I certainly wouldn't want to be studying somewhere that is cold and dark for half the year. I think it would be very depressing. At least here when you feel overwhelmed you can go to the beach and regroup your mental bearings.

I totally agree- I don't miss much about the states (I am also from the cold/dark state Michigan).

[onamission]

I hear that there are about 150 in the Aug and Jan classes and that the class sixe for May is smaller. How many people are usually in the May class??

[stateofequilibrium]

I hear that there are about 150 in the Aug and Jan classes and that the class sixe for May is smaller. How many people are usually in the May class??

There was about 140 for the Aug class, about 90 for the Jan class, I think there should be about 50-60 for the May class. Which should work out better for y'all as the profs will get to know y'all better and will know if you've been ditching or not.

[onamission]

I hear that there are about 150 in the Aug and Jan classes and that the class sixe for May is smaller. How many people are usually in the May class??

There was about 140 for the Aug class, about 90 for the Jan class, I think there should be about 50-60 for the May class. Which should work out better for y'all as the profs will get to know y'all better and will know if you've been ditching or not.

Thanks SOE, im glad. I like a smaller class, it will help me learn better. :)

[stateofequilibrium]

I hear that there are about 150 in the Aug and Jan classes and that the class sixe for May is smaller. How many people are usually in the May class??

There was about 140 for the Aug class, about 90 for the Jan class, I think there should be about 50-60 for the May class. Which should work out better for y'all as the profs will get to know y'all better and will know if you've been ditching or not.

Thanks SOE, im glad. I like a smaller class, it will help me learn better. :)

I like bigger classes, better choices in girls.

[onamission]

I hear that there are about 150 in the Aug and Jan classes and that the class sixe for May is smaller. How many people are usually in the May class??

There was about 140 for the Aug class, about 90 for the Jan class, I think there should be about 50-60 for the May class. Which should work out better for y'all as the profs will get to know y'all better and will know if you've been ditching or not.

Thanks SOE, im glad. I like a smaller class, it will help me learn better. :)

I like bigger classes, better choices in girls.

HAHA-- well im not looking for any girls at the moment :lol: But i feel for you. Im positive there will be at least a couple cute ones coming in May.

[stateofequilibrium]

I certaintly hope so! I'm willing to patiently tutor any cute girl! :-)

[onamission]

I certaintly hope so! I'm willing to patiently tutor any cute girl! :-)

I may hold you to that

[stateofequilibrium]

I certaintly hope so! I'm willing to patiently tutor any cute girl! :-)

I may hold you to that

Why, do you know someone cute coming down that may require tutoring? 8)

[onamission]

I certaintly hope so! I'm willing to patiently tutor any cute girl! :-)

I may hold you to that

Why, do you know someone cute coming down that may require tutoring? 8)

Well..... I might

[AUCMD2006]

SOE you are loosing that part of your brain that allows you to hone in on details relating to women. could it be that those neurons are actually being rewired for medical info?


did you see her signature?

[AUCMD2006]

now that i have more time i can edit:

this week i am with an attending who sees peds and it is utterly horrible to deal with specially since i have kids. it reallu sucks to watch the social and economic reasons that contribute to some psych problems messing up these kids who would likely be well off given different situation.

it is difficult to deal with. my youngest pt is 5 and has dealt with more pain that i will probably ever know.........

[stateofequilibrium]

SOE you are loosing that part of your brain that allows you to hone in on details relating to women. could it be that those neurons are actually being rewired for medical info?


did you see her signature?

Of course I know she's a girl. Doesn't mean she's cute (I'm JOKING I'm JOKING!!)!!

Besides which, the only female anatomy I've seen in a while happens to be cold, old and dead. And slightly foul smelling. :cry:

[onamission]

SOE you are loosing that part of your brain that allows you to hone in on details relating to women. could it be that those neurons are actually being rewired for medical info?


did you see her signature?

Of course I know she's a girl. Doesn't mean she's cute

HA---- you'll be sorry for that statement

[stateofequilibrium]

HA---- you'll be sorry for that statement

[Steven Segal]Bring it on!![/Steven Segal]

[onamission]

HA---- you'll be sorry for that statement

[Steven Segal]Bring it on!![/Steven Segal]

HAHA Hey SOE, if you want to bring it on, then I am all for it.... lol. I am one tough cookie. As for the remark stating that I I may not be cute..... than I guess you will see that for yourself when I get down there. I am positive that you will be plesently surprised. Anyways, I prob wont need tutoring anyways. I have always done very well on my on. But I will need a drinking buddy....... :toast:

[stateofequilibrium]

HAHA Hey SOE, if you want to bring it on, then I am all for it.... lol. I am one tough cookie. As for the remark stating that I I may not be cute..... than I guess you will see that for yourself when I get down there. I am positive that you will be plesently surprised. Anyways, I prob wont need tutoring anyways. I have always done very well on my on. But I will need a drinking buddy....... :toast:

Oh, I'm sure you're cute. I'm just trying to goad you into a fight. :-)

Mmm, drinking... $1 per beer over here!! :D

[onamission]

HAHA Hey SOE, if you want to bring it on, then I am all for it.... lol. I am one tough cookie. As for the remark stating that I I may not be cute..... than I guess you will see that for yourself when I get down there. I am positive that you will be plesently surprised. Anyways, I prob wont need tutoring anyways. I have always done very well on my on. But I will need a drinking buddy....... :toast:

Oh, I'm sure you're cute. I'm just trying to goad you into a fight. :-)

Mmm, drinking... $1 per beer over here!! :D

lol.... u wanna wrestle? :nuts:

[AUCMD2006]

damn you another usefull post down the drain :lol:

and by drain i mean trying to fill up your sxm little black book...can't you just start a new thread for that? it can be SOE get in the black book thread :shock:

[docbee]

ha ha -- I think SOE would have an application process for that -- "Submit picture, answer these questions, what would your response be to this situation" and then he would pass/fail them into his black book. :P

[stateofequilibrium]

darn you another usefull post down the drain :lol:

and by drain i mean trying to fill up your sxm little black book...can't you just start a new thread for that? it can be SOE get in the black book thread :shock:

ROFL. Hey, I can't help it if girls want me. LOL. :fishing:

[tRmedic21]

ROFL. Hey, I can't help it if girls want me to drop dead.

:wink:

[gluconeogenesis]

What type of issues are you seeing on your psych rotation rrod?

I have heard stories from friends who are volunteering in the ER
and a MS-4 on a ER rotation.

[McGillGrad]

damn you another usefull post down the drain :lol:


Not so quickly, I hope.

Now that some time has passed, how much do you feel that you are learning in addition to your studies and aside from your book studies?

What do you wish you would have paid attention to more on the island (that would have been a great help to you right now)?

[AUCMD2006]

done with psych and almost done with IM now...

Psych i saw most everything on dr johnsons's course. schizos, bipolar, depression, psychosis, drug addiction, DT's, alz....the only thing i didn't see was multiple peronality and a few other obscure ones...

IM there is tons of htn, dm, anemia, renal failure...i've also seen lyme dz, multiple myeloma, all sorts of murmurs, lupus and a ton of heart failure, copd, emphes., and too much stuff to list

as far as what i would have paid more attenmtion to? 5th semester clinical diagnosis with dr model. i was so focused on step 1 that i did the minimum and it really came back to bite me....he is really good with murmurs even was on step one..reitters syndrome and a few other things he went over.

all in all the basic science was solid! the auc and sgu students are def on at least on par with the US students during pimp rounds.. good luck

[microphage]

Psych i saw most everything on dr johnsons's course. schizos, bipolar, depression, psychosis, drug addiction, DT's, alz....the only thing i didn't see was multiple peronality and a few other obscure ones...


You get the rest from valuemd so you're covered for the test.

[teratos]

You get the rest from valuemd so you're covered for the test.

Sure, but since multiple accounts aren't allowed, the MPDs get booted quickly. G

[AUCMD2006]

i've met most of the characters on this forum including micro, flk, and many others so all the major PD's are filled in on my checklist

[microphage]

i've met most of the characters on this forum including micro, flk, and many others so all the major PD's are filled in on my checklist

rrod is delusional.... that explains why he says the things he says. Jon's the one that has a PD, he's missing a brain!


BTW, still haven't met FLK yet.

[AUCMD2006]

i have marriage induced neiman-pick dz

[microphage]

i have marriage induced neiman-pick dz

thats what wives are for...

[McGillGrad]

done with psych and almost done with IM now...

IM there is tons of htn, dm, anemia, renal failure...i've also seen lyme dz, multiple myeloma, all sorts of murmurs, lupus and a ton of heart failure, copd, emphes., and too much stuff to list


Are you plannign on taking an IM subspecialties as electives? Were you exposed to anything that sparked your interest?

[AUCMD2006]

actually internal medicine, the hospital portion, was really interesting. i didn't really all out like the outpatient setting but its very doable as a lifestyle. as far as sub-I's the cardiac care unit was cool and so was ER actually so i will do cardio...there isn;t a snowball chance in hell i will land a cardio fellowship but the amount of cardiac dz i've seen i want to have as much exposure when i have no responsabilities and try to learn the basic management and reading ekg's much better than just doing your list of 6...i don't like geriatrics or GI...those are ruled out pretty much....you will certainly gravitate towards something you like

[microphage]

actually internal medicine, the hospital portion, was really interesting. i didn't really all out like the outpatient setting but its very doable as a lifestyle. as far as sub-I's the cardiac care unit was cool and so was ER actually so i will do cardio...there isn;t a snowball chance in hell i will land a cardio fellowship but the amount of cardiac dz i've seen i want to have as much exposure when i have no responsabilities and try to learn the basic management and reading ekg's much better than just doing your list of 6...i don't like geriatrics or GI...those are ruled out pretty much....you will certainly gravitate towards something you like

I had fun in outpatient. Patients were alot nicer than the in-patients who just all wanted to go home... I do enjoy "reading" x-rays but can't understand MRIs and CTs for the life of me.

[YODA]

I had fun in outpatient. Patients were alot nicer than the in-patients who just all wanted to go home... I do enjoy "reading" x-rays but can't understand MRIs and CTs for the life of me.
Thats becase you are too short to see the films on the lightboxes

Later
YODA

[anencephalic]

Thats becase you are too short to see the films on the lightboxes

Later
YODA

WHoa! Hello Kettle? It's the pot...

HAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Aloha,

[microphage]

Thats becase you are too short to see the films on the lightboxes

Later
YODA

last time I remember, you were about the same height... or was that you sideways?

[levator]

last time I remember, you were about the same height... or was that you sideways?


DING!! Back to your corners gentlemen.... round one is over!!

[AUCMD2006]

"last time I remember, you were about the same height... or was that you sideways"


uhhhh, i hope this measurement didn't take place with him looking AWAY from you.....


3 weeks left of internal medicine! i still can't beleive i am almost 75% with med school....it truly is a privilige...though at times when dealing with whatever is oozing out of a body orifice that day or with a HMO rep who you wish had something oozing out of every orifice that day, may not seem like it....