June 12, 2008

• Rapid Fire

  Some rapid fire answers to folks who shot me some rapid fire questions. These were all excellent questions, but try though I might, I couldnt think of a way to do an entire entry about each indivual curiosity you may have had, though I may change my mind later

  Ablossoms
  

  1. What are you using to study for Step 2?

  ritual  human sacrifice. I think it is beginning to pay off. But if it doesnt, then USMLE world and all my old case files books. Gosh I love those…I wish they would put out a medicine for dummies series

  2. 
  What do you think about the relationship between nurses and doctors,
  nurses and medical students?  Have you had any problems?

  Relationships with nurses are alright…at least i dont feel awkward when i forget myself and start to bring up hospital happenings in the conversation. Nothin kills a date like, “so there i was doing a rectal exam when…” Other than that, The nurse relationship can best be explained by scrubs…when you start in the hospital, the nurses know so much more than you and you are intimidated…but as you gain more knowledge and experience, the tables begin to flip and it can be hard to hold on to some of those friendships.

  3.  What frustrates you the most about your chosen career?

  See previous post…So frustrating

  4.  What has surprised you most about medical school?

  The things that dont bother me, and those that do. For example…some of the “grosser” things like rectal exams, chest tubes, and foley insertion-totally cool with. Touching people feet for any reason-i wash my hand at least 6 times immediately after and even then still feel nasty. Feet are disgusting. Other than that, I am surprised by how much knowledge i sometimes have and even more that my friends and family consider me enough of an authority to ask medical questions. I guess a lot of things surprised me about medical school. This one may warrant its own individual post later on

  5.  Where would you see yourself in 10-15 years (private practice? ninja pirate? academic setting?)

  Private practice, in a city or at least close to one, with an established patient base, my loans paid off, and a couple medical aid trips a year for vacations. Possibly also beginning the procedures to open my own restaurant or bar. Maybe even in a relationship…who knows, I will be out of med school and possibly even have a social life again…anything could happen. Except academia…research for me if i have to do it, is nothing more than a means to an end

  Kimmy

  How do you adjust to such a messed up sleep schedule?

  how long have you known me? I have always had a messed up sleep schedule. But I guess you learn to catnap and sleep in any position, no matter how uncomfortable, even standing up…which happened once during my surgical rotation…just like a horse, i drifted off while retracting and slept for almost 10 minutes before someone awoke me, and that was just because my grip had slackened

  How do you get through nights on call?

  Despite my complaints in earlier posts, call does not always mean you are awake for 24 straight hours…it just means you stuck in the hospital that long. If you can get all your work done by 4 or 5, then you can sometimes nap almost three hours straight and then it is just on and off sleeping as you are needed. If you are well liked by the nurses, you get more sleep, as they wont call you for trivial things…if you piss the nurses off, they will call you every 10 minutes to ask about something they already know the answer to.

  The worst time on call is usually right around 4am. Anything until 1 or 2am you are pretty awake, in that college mode, especially if you have some fellow residents to chat with, or note writing to catch up on. 3am you start to lose your steam, and some folks turn to coffee or coke, or in my case tea. 4am-5am is the hardest time to stay awake, and usually when a difficult admission will come in, when your performance is at its nadir. after 5, the energy levels usually pick up enough to last you through til the end of call around noon, when you go home and crash like a japanese fighter pilot.

  I also would frequently use gmail to chat with some of buddies to pass the time…thanks, nakochan, calimari, and y2kenh…you guys have been lifesavers in those early hours

  What do you do in your “down time” at the hospital, if there is any?

  This, mostly Also study, or read uptodate, an electronic summary of medical journals and knowledge. Run errands via the telephone. There is always something to do
  
  What is the best thing about being an almost-doctor?

  If and when I make mistakes, i am still only an almost-doctor, and thus the axe doesnt fall as hard on me, as I am expected to still be in the learning process. Also, the hours are still mostly 7-5, as I dont usually have extra paperwork to see to. And the respect from peers and family at the almost doctor status certainly doesnt hurt.
  
  What are you most anxious about?

  Residency. Or more accurately, the entire residency process. writing a personal statement, applying to programs…will I get interviews? will I match into the specialty i want? will i match at all, or will i have to scramble? where will i end up living? how will i pay back my loans on a residents salary?

  Frankly, i am a big ol bag o crazy at the moment, and its only going to get worse before it gets better

  Last few choose your own adventure posts coming up, and it looks like they are some difficult ones. So next will be the food post, i swear. I just happened to have downtime at the hospital today.
  

  • 2:30 pm
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