SGA Rounds - Summer 2015, Vol 1, Issue 3

ADVICE FROM UPPERCLASSMEN This is the time of the year when many second-year medical students transition from the most challenging part of medical school—studying for boards—to the best part of medical school— rotations. This is it, right—the moment everyone has been waiting for, when you leave the classroom and finally enter the world of patient care? What Is the Best Way to Prepare for Rotations? Much like everything else in medical school, there is never a straightfor- ward answer to any question. You are probably wondering what it will be like to finally “put everything together” that you learned in the classroom. First off, you will be fresh out of studying for boards, so right now you will be the most prepared when it comes to the basic sciences, including the pathophysiology of disease processes and the nitty-gritty pharmacology of the many drugs you have just memorized. Case files are great to read while on the wards—a way to think about all of the disease processes you already know by incorporating them into clin- ical vignettes. You will feel excited and proud when you see in real life the many things you have read in books. From a COMAT and studying per- spective as well, keep doing UWORLD and any COMLEX question bank of your choice while on the rotation. What to Expect While on a Rotation Each rotation will be very different from the next. It will all depend on how your residents are—if you have any—and how much your attending likes to teach. Talk to other students who have had the same rotation to find out the expectations, since you may or may not get an orientation for each ro- tation. Regardless of how busy you are or have spare time while in the clin- ical setting, you should always keep up with your own reading. Up-to-date and other resources provided by NSU will be useful and will become crucial to further your medical knowledge. For each patient you see, read up on his or her condition and how to manage it. You will soon realize the focus will shift from the epidemiology and pathophysiology of diseases to management and treatment. You will need that strong foundation in basic sciences you have right now to under- stand why certain management decisions are made. Keeping up with your reading will also help you with “pimp” questions by the residents and at- tendings. Don’t worry if you get questions wrong; they are meant to motivate you to look up things and learn. You will be asked to look up and present certain topics, so be sure you are prepared for that. The presentation format will vary from PowerPoints to informal group discussions, and much like everything else, this will differ from rotation to rotation. The Take-Home Message This is it! This is your chance to put to use all the information you learned during the first two years of medical school and to expand your knowledge base and gain firsthand practical experience. You will have the opportunity to perform or assist in procedures under supervision, so be proactive in your own learning and don’t slack off. At times, you will feel burnt out depending on your rotation schedule and the hours you have to put in. But remember, after these last few years, you will enter in your chosen field of medicine and may not see the things in practice you will see on rotations. If you are not thinking of becoming an OB/GYN, you may never deliver a baby again, and if you are not thinking about becoming a surgeon, you may never be first-assist on a gunshot wound trauma case again. Ask your nurses for help putting in IVs and doing small procedures in the ER. Learn about the human condition, because this is why you came to med- ical school. Do not forget the humanity of each experience or develop a one- track mind, which is easy to do. Students will tend to focus on their specialty of interest and will not realize that it is important to learn about medicine from all angles in order to deliver care in a patient-centered approach. Always remember, learn to learn—not to just pass exams and obtain numbers. If you are friendly to everyone there, regardless of how you are treated, and enjoy learning about all of your patients for the sake of learning, I guarantee you will become the best medical student and physician you can be. If you have any specific questions, please do not hesitate to email me at rp915@nova.edu . BOARDS TO WARDS: Preparing for Clerkship By OMS-III Ricky D. Patel, Class of 2016 President