To Steph

[DoctorJ]

I read in your recent post that ability means a lot.

What kind of ability do the residency programs EXPECT you to have as an intern, say your 1st week on the job?

I've been talking to a lot of 4th yr US med student recently (my buddies) and we're very insecure and anxious about July. We can't interpret EKG (that well). We didn't get a lot of practices drawing blood and doing IVs or injections. Can only read simple (I mean simple x-rays). Not much experiences in the actual delivery of a baby.

We feel like we have the basic/clinical knowledge down but just lack real handson...

And I'm an IMG and I rotated with a lot of them for my clinicals.

This is normal? Will the residency program really "train" us?

Thanks.

[teratos]

I'm not steph, but can give an answer to your question. It is perfectly normal to have a lot of anxiety about starting residency. You are about to take on a tremendous responsibility. If you didn't feel anxious there would be something wrong with you. You should go into it with a lot of book knowledge, but little (relatively) clinical knowledge. You know all about egophony, and psoas sign, and Murphy's sign etc. , but you may not have seen it yet. Getting this experience is what residency is all about. There will be a lot of times when you ask a question of a senior resident or attending, and when you get the answer you will say "so that's what that was...I should have known." Don't fret. Enjoy it, this is what you worked so hard for G

[stephew]

George is correct basically.
Remember: you are going into training because, well, you need to be trained. Your first few months of internship have to do with learning good reflexes: that is learning to stay on top of how the patient is doing and figure out how to get through the day efficiently and what to do if something is going wrong. and by the way calling your senior is fine- that's what he's there for. You will continue to have lectures and bedside teaching. Attach yourself to good residents and learn from them (and attendings).
Having some fear starting july 1 is healthy: it makes you conscientious. however dont fret. Everyone knows youre a new intern and haven't done a lot. no one is entrusting you with things you can't do. Basically just be willing to learn and take on new responsibilities as ready. If you've a good attitude you'll do fine. Also, learn from experience anywhere- doctors, nurses, whoever.
steph

[FLK]

Originally Posted by DoctorJ

I read in your recent post that ability means a lot.

What kind of ability do the residency programs EXPECT you to have as an intern, say your 1st week on the job?

I've been talking to a lot of 4th yr US med student recently (my buddies) and we're very insecure and anxious about July. We can't interpret EKG (that well). We didn't get a lot of practices drawing blood and doing IVs or injections. Can only read simple (I mean simple x-rays). Not much experiences in the actual delivery of a baby.

We feel like we have the basic/clinical knowledge down but just lack real handson...

And I'm an IMG and I rotated with a lot of them for my clinicals.

This is normal? Will the residency program really "train" us?

Thanks.

I aspire to be steph, but today I can only chime in as another opinion to the OP.

for the first several months of my internship, I used to feel sick before I took night call. I mean physically ill, I was so terrified.
my first night on call I slept with my shoes on "ready to run and save lives"

Little did I know that in any code, I was not even close to being in charge!

In my fellowship, I got the same sick feeling. It is worse when you ARE in charge.
Then my first few months as an attending, I felt sick again because this time there was absolutely no backup whatsoever. I was the back-up.

My point is that being nervous is normal. Depending on your specialty, yourlevel of responsibility ( and concomittent stress ) may be tremendous.
Being nervous is totally normal.

as an intern what you really need to know the first few weeks is how to ask for help.
If you can't read an EKG, get a book and learn. Do a cards elective. Study harder/ Prepare yourself for day one.
the learning curve in residency is so steep.By November You will look back at some of the things you did in your first month and crack up.

In my case, I can't remember learning all the stuff I learned. It just happens, maybe by osmosis and by trial and error. you will have lots of support. suddenly, med students will be following you around, and you will see how little they know compared to you.

It's all relative. the more experience I get, I do not feel much smarter, but the people around me seem to know less and less.

we all freaked out before starting. It's totally normal

[stephew]

great post, FLK;
I mean the part about me.
THe rest is good too.

[FLK]

you are the wind beneath my wings.......

which is better than the wind beneath my scrubs let me tell you!

[stephew]

whoa. Been there. Done that.

[dt]

oh, oh! The thread is degrading into bodily function joke.

Let's hope the air clears and we can get back to praising stephew.




(Damm! This is my post 1001. How fast they fly by!)

[teratos]

I enjoyed the wind beneath my scrubs.

I think being the attending is the most terrifying part of all. There is no one left to blame.

G

[stephew]

[quote="dt"]oh, oh! The thread is degrading into bodily function joke.

Let's hope the air clears and we can get back to praising stephew.


quote]

I would say the praising thing also falls under the umbrella of hot air.