How will we treat our med students down the line?
It's hard to say. I want to be truthful in saying not the way I was treated, but I have had a lot of good days and some bad days. I got my ass handed to me a few days ago because I thought I knew what I was talking about until I had to talk about it. I don't know if it was the situation I was in, my nerves, or me forgetting all the information, but I was told to go read a chapter about the topic. I refreshed everything in my mind which is worth it, but haven't yet discussed my reading with the resident despite being asked if I did it. I don't think I'll ever discuss it.
So, I think its a delicate balance of handing over information, but also making students find it. In my case, I forgot the basics in the moment and deserved what I got. However, I try to cover my bases when asking and answering questions to try and prevent such a large reading assignment. I think the key is to be precise with the questions as stated above re: cystic artery and not just "What is that going into the gallbladder?"
As far as scut/necessary/seems-pointless-to-the-student work, I wish I got more. But in all fairness, the surgery residents are extremely busy, especially with the transition into the new intern year and sometimes it is just faster for them to do something instead of asking me to. I don't mind doing consults, chart checks, or other little errands, but I need direction. Telling me to go chart check the service is pointless if other people have started and I'm just going to look at what they've already seen. I am getting information about the patients, but to be honest as a student I only follow a certain amount of patients and haven't been in the OR with the majority of them. I'll never be asked about them so telling me to check beds 1-10 is a lot more useful than just "check the service."
My gripe about my surgery rotation isn't moreso the malignant attitudes or PIMPing, etc... it is the lack of teaching I get at times. When you sit next to the resident for what seems to be eternity without them speaking to you, it is awful. I try to force conversation: "Oh, did we order X bc of this? Is that a pleural effusion on their chest scan? Would you like me to do something?"
I don't want to treat students like this if I work at a center that accepts students. Its unfair to them. I find the younger doctors (residents and attendings) sometimes are the biggest offenders when it comes to silence versus the attendings that walk you through a procedure as they're doing it.
So, no I wouldn't treat students how I've been treated at times. The good days are really great, but the bad days are just plain awful. Just give some direction. Return a phone call as you're doing orders if I'm not with you. Give me feedback. I understand everyone has their off days, but I hate when its a day-to-day normal for the person. There are such differences between residents on the same service it is unbelievable.
Or maybe I had a better rotation.
