Anyone else finding rotations utterly painful?

[cjw0918]

Just wondering if I am the only person ready to pull their hair out if I don't match and graduate soon. These clinical rotations are so boring and useless. I'm in ER right now, which I thought would be good, but the attendings regard students as more work. No one wants students here. I wish I didn't have to go to a medical school that was obsessed with making "well-rounded" physicians, i.e. required rotations in everything possible and few electives to explore true interest. I guess that's what happens when you go to a med school that prides itself of pumping out primary care docs. I think I'm just really tired of having my time wasted.

Also, has anyone yet to take the Step 2 CS? I'm trying to schedule for May in Philly and it's almost full. I have to take it before graduation. I can't believe 3 months in advance is not enough time to schedule. This whole CS exam is a real mess.

OK, done ranting now.

Any suggestions on how to rank Colorado, Pennsylvania Hospital, and GW? Tired of debating in my mind all the time. Someone just tell me what to do. I'm at that stage now where I just want to pass it off to a neutral third party. Maybe I'll let my mom make my rank list....hmm....ha ha

Cheers to all!

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[stormjen]

God no, of course you aren't the only one being tortured. I've been stuck in Neurology at the frickin' VA, and it stinks--literally! Why does the whole building smell like a urinal?! My brain has completely shut down, and if a resident tries to get me to do work, I have to physically pry my brain open with a crowbar first.

Regarding your program choices, what did you think of Colorado? I was pretty disappointed and put it at the bottom of my middle tier. I don't know anything about the other two.

 

[jeff2005]

I was thinking the same thing yesterday while figuring out pediatric doses for an ER patient. The attending was scowling at me because I was taking too long. I can't wait until this is over.

The only program you listed that I've heard anything about is Pennsylvania Hospital. It's considered a community program and has trouble filling every year. If you do a good job though I've heard they can hook you up with a Penn fellowship.

 

[sandyworks]

At the end of last month I got to thinking that it would be so nice to be done with interviews and move on with life. Alas, the internal medicine sub-internship is turning out so much more painful than I remembered the clerkship being last year. I haven't been out before 9pm all week.

Regarding Step 2 CS; I took it Los Angeles back in December. Besides being mad about the whole thing, it wasn't too bad. The cases were pretty straight forward. Just pray that they will have 10 patients instead of the 12 (of which 2 were experimental) when you go.

Of the three programs, I only 'viewed at Colorado and I was kinda disappointed too. Denver seemed like a cool place to live, but I came out of the interview itself feeling like I knew absolutely nothing about the program except that Denver was a cool place to live (which I could tell myself). In fact, one of the interviewers really turned me off...apparently, you have to do this research project. His response to what sorts of projects were available was "Well, we need to figure that out, because in my experience, residents never come up with any good projects on their own. I was the only exception to that rule. I suppose faculty can come up with some things they need done."

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I think you're all taking these clinical rotations much better than I ever did. I hit rock bottom during my sub-I months and would bitch and moan here everyday. You haven't gotten to that point and it's probably better for your health.

Keep at it and stay strong...it will all be over soon.

 

[sandyworks]

I think you're all taking these clinical rotations much better than I ever did. I hit rock bottom during my sub-I months and would bitch and moan here everyday. You haven't gotten to that point and it's probably better for your health.

Keep at it and stay strong...it will all be over soon.

What are you TALKING about?! Of course I'm bitching and moaning every day! You can't just bottle that s*** up!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

What are you TALKING about?! Of course I'm bitching and moaning every day! You can't just bottle that s*** up!

I was just saying that I would bitch and moan on SDN on a daily basis. You remember my anti-clinical medicine thread right? i put a lot of frustration, heart, and soul into those posts! I thought it was quite therapeutic.

****! Don't take it out on me!

 

[sandyworks]

I was just saying that I would bitch and moan on SDN on a daily basis. You remember my anti-clinical medicine thread right? i put a lot of frustration, heart, and soul into those posts! I thought it was quite therapeutic.

****! Don't take it out on me!

Can you tell I'm still on the floor? btw, I didn't mean to sound like I was taking it out on you. I was actually laughing while I wrote that. I guess real facial expression help whenever you're typing something in CAPS.

Anyway, I think I might actually get tomorrow off. I don't drink alcohol, but I might have a nice regular soda to celebrate. Mmmm. Icy cold Coca Cola Classic.

 

[cjw0918]

Yeah, I wasn't blown away by Colorado or anything, but it seemed good enough. I think part of the problem there is that on interview day, you just interview with what ever faculty is available. I got the impression that many of the faculty I interviewed with seldom saw the residents and were not terribly interested in the process of choosing new residents. One guy had to get up and leave in the middle of the interview to do an FNA. The associate PD was all about selling Denver, and didn't talk much about the program itself. I really liked the residents though. And definitely the best lunch.

The driving force behind CO is the husband. Jeff05, I totally sympathize with the must kill husband thread. Mine seems to act as though I am shattering his dreams if we don't move to CO- he'll have a great job, his best friend lives there, we love hiking, yada yada yada. Yep, he's a real drama queen.

Storm, I don't know if you want to say, but have you decided on your top 3 yet?

Cheers...

 

[Pingu]

I'm on the last day of a outpatient medicine rotation at a private hospital...Even with valet parking, 2 hour lunches, and seeing 1-2 patients a day, I still really really dislike clinical medicine. This rotation has done nothing but reinforce my love of path, and this is the most cush rotation ever. I cannot wait for the next 30 minutes to pass and I will be finished with my clinical rotations FOREVER!

 

[yaah]

I'm on the last day of a outpatient medicine rotation at a private hospital...Even with valet parking, 2 hour lunches, and seeing 1-2 patients a day, I still really really dislike clinical medicine. This rotation has done nothing but reinforce my love of path, and this is the most cush rotation ever. I cannot wait for the next 30 minutes to pass and I will be finished with my clinical rotations FOREVER!

Wow, that's a great feeling. Treasure it! My last rotation day I described fully previously and it is still vividly etched in my mind.

 

[deschutes]

Today was a good day. I was at the anesthetist's end of a TAH-BSO for bilateral ovarian masses. They let me take the frozens!! And I got 3/4 of the Dx

 

[yaah]

Was it serous papillary or was it something more interesting?

 

[PFCortex]

have i mentioned yet that i saw my last patient as a medical student about 2 weeks ago? yep - filled the rest of my year with nonclinical stuff!

 

[stormjen]

Storm, I don't know if you want to say, but have you decided on your top 3 yet?

There's a thread around here somewhere in which I give my entire ROL(!), albeit in cryptic form.

I would look for it for you, but I'm full of wine and would rather spend that time with my husband. So you're on your own. Good luck! (hint: do a search for meese)

 

[FindingMyself]

If I spend one more day in clinic I will certainly die! Unfortunately, I have to spend three more months in clinic. I think I would have been a helluva pathologist if I'd have survived, though.

Additionally, if I do happen to survive next week in outpatient IM clinic, I'm quite certain that step II CS the following week will do me in. Solidarity, brothers and sisters!

 

[Mrbojangles]

I'm doing my neurosurgery clerkship and it blows! Waking up at 4:30am getting in at 5am to pre round puts me in a foul, misanthropic mood all the time. And overnight calls really mess me up big time. One more week to go of this BS!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Today was a good day. I was at the anesthetist's end of a TAH-BSO for bilateral ovarian masses. They let me take the frozens!! And I got 3/4 of the Dx

cookie for you.

have i mentioned yet that i saw my last patient as a medical student about 2 weeks ago? yep - filled the rest of my year with nonclinical stuff!

hmm...dunno if i wanna give you a cookie after how you behaved a few days ago...bah screw it...cookie for you.

If I spend one more day in clinic I will certainly die! Unfortunately, I have to spend three more months in clinic. I think I would have been a helluva pathologist if I'd have survived, though.

Additionally, if I do happen to survive next week in outpatient IM clinic, I'm quite certain that step II CS the following week will do me in. Solidarity, brothers and sisters!

That sucks. Stay strong. You can do eeeeet!

I'm doing my neurosurgery clerkship and it blows! Waking up at 4:30am getting in at 5am to pre round puts me in a foul, misanthropic mood all the time. And overnight calls really mess me up big time. One more week to go of this BS!

OK man that's your fault. Out of all the rotations you could've picked, you HAD to go with neurosurg. just kidding. stay strong. at least you got only one week left.

 

[Pookies]

Finished up my last bit of clinical today.

two months to go. . . . .



Colorado is in the middle of my rank list. I didnt like the split campus

 

[Mrbojangles]

cookie for you.

hmm...dunno if i wanna give you a cookie after how you behaved a few days ago...bah screw it...cookie for you.

That sucks. Stay strong. You can do eeeeet!

OK man that's your fault. Out of all the rotations you could've picked, you HAD to go with neurosurg. just kidding. stay strong. at least you got only one week left.

No way man. We have to do 3 weeks of neurosurgery. And I've yet to see any really interesting oncology cases.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Finished up my last bit of clinical today.

two months to go. . . . .



Colorado is in the middle of my rank list. I didnt like the split campus

whaddaya want? a cookie or something?

 

[FindingMyself]

No way man. We have to do 3 weeks of neurosurgery. And I've yet to see any really interesting oncology cases.

Really? There are schools that require neurosurgery?

 

[deschutes]

Was it serous papillary or was it something more interesting?

Serous cystadenofibroma. Not stunning, but it was a mass of bubbles and by far the most interesting object in the room. Even the staff anesthetist came over to have a look.

Meese rool!

 

[Mrbojangles]

Any suggestions on how to rank Colorado, Pennsylvania Hospital, and GW? Tired of debating in my mind all the time. Someone just tell me what to do. I'm at that stage now where I just want to pass it off to a neutral third party. Maybe I'll let my mom make my rank list....hmm....ha ha

Cheers to all!

I wanted to run out of my interview at GW half an hour into it. They have a very paltry surgical pathology case load and surgical pathology staff. One of the residents admitted that unknown surgical pathology conferences do supplement their exposure. They do not have a neuropathologist and their blood banking does not run the hemapheresis lab, nephrology does! So I asked their blood banker about that and she said that she is currently working with nephrology to have residents "observe" them for therapeutic apheresis

 

[b&ierstiefel]

No way man. We have to do 3 weeks of neurosurgery. And I've yet to see any really interesting oncology cases.

that sux yo. why does your school make you suffer during 4th year too?!?

 

[deschutes]

Is GW George Washington? An attending at my institution was there a long time ago and I asked if I should apply. He said no, all the good people had moved on.

 

[Mrbojangles]

that sux yo. why does your school make you suffer during 4th year too?!?

It just comes out that way in the scheduling. Everyone has to do one six week clerkship (neuro, peds, psych, ob-gyn) sometime in the fourth year regardless of their track. But one really good thing is that we don't have to do an AI in clinical medicine. I was really shocked to find out during the interview trail that there are schools out there that require more than one AI. One girl said that her school required 3 AIs?! Where does that leave time to do electives? Especially if you want to do something like pathology?

Well I'm doing outpatient heme onc in 3 weeks, so my bitching about clinical medicine may continue . And yes it was voluntary, I should have my head examined lol.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

It just comes out that way in the scheduling. Everyone has to do one six week clerkship (neuro, peds, psych, ob-gyn) sometime in the fourth year regardless of their track. But one really good thing is that we don't have to do an AI in clinical medicine. I was really shocked to find out during the interview trail that there are schools out there that require more than one AI. One girl said that her school required 3 AIs?! Where does that leave time to do electives? Especially if you want to do something like pathology?

Well I'm doing outpatient heme onc in 3 weeks, so my bitching about clinical medicine may continue . And yes it was voluntary, I should have my head examined lol.

well, many people end up doing their AI's/subIs near the end of the year when they don't really matter.

i would have done the same thing too but since i was projected to be done at the end of fall semester, they made me take the subI's upfront! which sucked in many ways.

 

[PFCortex]

cookie for you.

hmm...dunno if i wanna give you a cookie after how you behaved a few days ago...bah screw it...cookie for you.

 

[Pookies]

Yes Please.

2 dozen should be sufficient


Snickerdoodle Cookies

1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 cup Shortening -- soft
2 each Eggs
2 3/4 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Cream of tartar
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon


Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix 1 1/2 c. sugar, shortening and eggs. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, and soda. Chill dough. Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts. Combine 2 t. sugar and cinnamon. Roll cookies in this mixture.
Bake for 8-10 mins., cool completely on wire racks.

 

[deschutes]

I suppose the cream of tartar and shortening are absolute essential components of these snickerdoodles.

In which case kiddo, you're on your own.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Yes Please.

2 dozen should be sufficient


Snickerdoodle Cookies

1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 cup Shortening -- soft
2 each Eggs
2 3/4 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Cream of tartar
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon


Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix 1 1/2 c. sugar, shortening and eggs. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, and soda. Chill dough. Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts. Combine 2 t. sugar and cinnamon. Roll cookies in this mixture.
Bake for 8-10 mins., cool completely on wire racks.

Snickerdoodles RULE! This guy who used to be in my lab would bring in snickerdoodles once in a while for lab meetings...what a great start to a day.

 

[cytoborg]

Just wondering if I am the only person ready to pull their hair out if I don't match and graduate soon. These clinical rotations are so boring and useless. I'm in ER right now, which I thought would be good, but the attendings regard students as more work. No one wants students here. I wish I didn't have to go to a medical school that was obsessed with making "well-rounded" physicians, i.e. required rotations in everything possible and few electives to explore true interest. I guess that's what happens when you go to a med school that prides itself of pumping out primary care docs. I think I'm just really tired of having my time wasted.

Also, has anyone yet to take the Step 2 CS? I'm trying to schedule for May in Philly and it's almost full. I have to take it before graduation. I can't believe 3 months in advance is not enough time to schedule. This whole CS exam is a real mess.

OK, done ranting now.

Any suggestions on how to rank Colorado, Pennsylvania Hospital, and GW? Tired of debating in my mind all the time. Someone just tell me what to do. I'm at that stage now where I just want to pass it off to a neutral third party. Maybe I'll let my mom make my rank list....hmm....ha ha

Cheers to all!

Count me among the suffering too...damned pre-rounding, overnight call...thought I was done with this bull$%^& but noooooooo. Stupid requirements ruining the end of my 4th year. At least my last rotation is far, far away from the wards.

My take on those programs based on what I've heard from residents and attendings: Penn>Colo>GW. But realize that I haven't visited any of them myself.

 

[jeff2005]

I could barely get out of bed this morning to go the ER. It's sooooo painful. The only thing that got me to the hospital was the fear of failing, and having to take ths rotation AGAIN. May the force be with me - and all of you.

 

[Mrbojangles]

I finished neurology/neurosurgery this Friday. Not only did the hours suck for neurosurgery but I thought some of the residents and attendings fit the "neurosurgeon mold", making the experience crappy. I'm just glad it's all over.

 

[stormjen]

Cool, a complaining thread, me likes those.

I take the clinical skills exam on Tuesday. YAWWW!! (big yeti-like roar of pain, despair and hatred)

 

[deschutes]

I'm actually liking the 2nd half of clerkship better than the 1st half (she says, on the eve of the first day of Surgery... ), especially now that the pressure to keep up with the IM/Surg/Peds wannabes is over.

Except that I'm still pissed by attendings who ask what I am going into, when it's something like an ACLS-like tutorial and it really shouldn't matter. Heck, I cared enough to show up and ask questions, didn't I?

 

[Pingu]

I'm freaked out because due to the incredible ineptness of our admissions and records people I have NO grades from September on...thus if I failed something, I have no idea and no time left to make it up. And if you go by and ask about the status, they say 'we haven't gotten the form yet' but when you talk to the faculty, they say they submitted it months ago. GRRR

 

[stormjen]

I'm freaked out because due to the incredible ineptness of our admissions and records people I have NO grades from September on...thus if I failed something, I have no idea and no time left to make it up. And if you go by and ask about the status, they say 'we haven't gotten the form yet' but when you talk to the faculty, they say they submitted it months ago. GRRR

Do you go to my school?

 

[Pingu]

I don't think so...I'm in Texas