Scc Guide 2014 Final

8/10/2019 Scc Guide 2014 Final

1/28


2/28

Gold Humanism Honor Society

Guide to Clinical Clerkships

Written by the Class of 2015Gold Humanism Honor Society Members


3/28

OSUCOM |GHHS Guide to Clinical Clerkships 1

ERIC ALTNEU

How to Mentally and Emotionally Survive Med 3

Med 3 is a fantastic year, but it can be scary initially. I think the first thing to realize is that everyone is

freaking out, even though some people hide it better. Ok, now take a deep breath; youll do great. All

anyone expects at first is for students to try their best. So as long as you are trying, you will be

succeeding. When you are in the hospital try to focus on the tasks you are given, but when you leave

take time for yourself. This could be the gym, TV, going out to eat, etc. Keep some of the routines you

made during Med 1 and 2 that helped you cope with the stress. And alsohave fun! This is a great

learning experience, and youll be seeing and doing things you may never have the opportunity to do

again.

Ward BehaviorEveryone has different techniques for working with the residents/attendings and balancing working

with studying. My one piece of advice is to always ask, Can I help with anything? Its the mostpowerful sentence for a medical student. Keep asking this throughout the day, and youll get a great

response from the docs with whom you are working.

Study TipsIdentify early on whether you are a textbook reader, a question taker, or both. Then pick one or two

resources from the beginning and stick with it. I am a big fan of questions, so for most of the

clerkships, I used PreTest. The exception being IM, where I used MKSAP. Below are my suggestions

from what Ive done thus far:

IMMKSAP, MKSAP, MKSAP(this was the best, most underutilized resource), and UWorld

NEURO

PreTest, UWorld

PSYCH

First Aid Psych, UWorld

SURGERY

PreTest, Dr. Pestana, UWorld

OBGYN

PreTest, Blueprints, UWorld

PEDIATRICS

PreTest, UWorld


4/28

2 GHHS Guide to Clinical Clerkships| OSUCOM

CLAYTON ANDERSON

Ward Behavior

At times (most of the time) you'll feel awkwardstruggling to find your role in a new work

environment with new people. The easiest way to smoothly involve yourself in the work flow and feelcomfortable is to just be yourself. The awkwardness is only compounded by trying to act or speak in

ways that normally you would not. Be professional, but be yourself.

RYAN BARSON

How to Mentally and Emotionally Survive Med 3Your Med 3 year is going to be filled with many highs and lows. You are going to finally be doing what

you came to medical school for, taking care of patients. Being involved in patient care is one of the

most rewarding experiences you are going to be involved in while in school. Of all the members ofthe patient care team, as a third-year med student, you are going to have the most time to really get

to know your patients and their families, and I would advise you to take full advantage of that

opportunity.

Although not all patient encounters are going to be positive ones, you will learn something from each

and every patient for whom you care. You will both laugh and cry, and you are going to see life and

death. Make sure you have someone to talk with about all of your experiences, whether that be a

fellow med student, family member, or close friend. Also, make sure you have an outlet for your

emotions and stress. Patient care and studying is going to consume the majority of your time, but its

imperative that you take time to decompress and think about/do something other than

medicine. Take care of yourself, and just enjoy the opportunity you have been given.

Book Suggestions and Study Tips

In general, I found it really helpful to go on UpToDateand research a different topic each day

while on the wards. By the end of the rotation, you will have already learned a great deal about a

bunch of different diseases, the differential diagnosis, and treatment options; all things that will

not only be helpful for your rotations (and pimping) but also for the shelf tests.

If you dont want to spend a bunch of money on UWorld, I found that the PreTestquestions were

a pretty good surrogate (especially for Peds, Psych, Neuro, and Family Medthe AAFP practice

questions are also very helpful for Family Med). The MKSAPbook that the school provides for IMwas similar to questions on the shelf and prepared me well.

Other helpful books are Case Filesfor Peds, Family Med, Psych, and Neuro. First Aidfor Psych was

great as well. The Finseth Reviewwas perfect if you want to go over the high points of Neuro the

week before the shelf.

Know that Meperidine is contraindicated in patients who are on a MAO inhibitor. It was on both

my Neuro and Psych shelf.


5/28


JIM COLLEN


Third year is going to be really fun and very emotionally stressful. You are going to have so many

highs and lows as you continue to learn and make strides. Please understand that third year is a

struggle for every student. Admitting things are tough or needing help from other students andfaculty isnt a sign of weakness.

Ward Behavior

The ward experience is very fun because youre finally a doctoror pretending to be. Its very scary

because you are constantly being evaluated and are worried that your actions will result in lower

scores on your evaluations. The best advice I can offer is to remember that you are always improving

as a clinician and student. Try not to let every missed question, plan of action, or someone

misunderstanding your thought process, get in the way of your attitude and performance. I also

recommend that you try to act as professional as possible every day and every moment. You may

have a bubbling personality, have cool bow ties, or have amazing boots you want to show off, but you

should save all that for when youre an attending. Right now, our job is to learn. Be as professional

and helpful as possible; I wish I learned this through listening to others rather than through personal

experience.


Third year is incredibly exciting! You will learn how to apply all the medicine you have learned over

the previous two years! Unfortunately, youre required to spend entire days in clinic and expected to

come home and study for examinations. Even more, the exams are really tough. There is no universal

resource that works best for the examinations. Depending on the rotation and study style, differentstudents prefer Case Files, Blueprints, PreTest, UWorld Qbank, or Step-Up to Medicine. The best

advice I can pass along is to familiarize yourself with the shelf-style questions early on in third year. I

spent $20 per exam on the NBME site and purchased exams for my first three rotations. I felt the

questions were very similar to the actual shelves, and my scores on those practices were similar to

my scores on the real shelves.


6/28


CHIGOZIRIM "CHIGO"EKEKE

Ward Behavior 101

1. Be PREPARED AND ON TIME (Be the first to the hospital).

2.

Be professional (attire, attitude, competence, common sense).3. Be ready to help at any times notice (Dont wander away from the work).

4. Be willing to accept critical feedback (good and bad).

5. Be humble, look at rule #4.

6.

Be willing to assist the nurses (They are teachers, too).

7. Be flexible in your schedule and expect the unexpected (i.e. surgery cases that last seven

hours even though it says three).

8. Dont whine, complain (that is why you have evaluations and clerkship directors).

9.

Be willing to assist your peers.

10.

READ, READ, READ, READ, READ, READ, READ...read every day, study, read the literature.

MICHELLE FAIERMAN

How to Mentally and Emotionally Survive Med 3Third year is a big adjustment from the first two years of medical school. Your "grades" are now

based on evaluations AND exam scores. In this way, it becomes a little more outside of your control.

While you used to be able to guarantee a good grade by studying appropriately, there's no guarantee

that someone will give you good scores on your evaluations (even if you show up and do all the right

things). This can be incredibly frustrating. The best way to figure out WHY you're not getting amazing

evaluations is to ASK your evaluators what it is you're doing well, and what it is you can improve on asyou go forward. Be proactive about eliciting feedback. I would often pull my resident aside after the

first week for just a quick, "hey, how's it going; anything I can do differently or be more helpful?" This

is especially useful on those two-week rotations.

In the end you may not be able to do anything about it, and you have to try and remember that

grades are not the be-all and end-all of Med 3. This year is difficult, but it's also amazing. Don't lose

sight of how lucky we are that we get to help care for so many amazing people. Because THAT'S what

it really comes down to. This year is about learning how to be a great doctornot how to suck up to

or manipulate people into giving you all fives on your evaluations. Whenever I was feeling down,

burnt out or frustrated, I would make myself go sit down in a patient's room and ask them about their

story (or do some arts and crafts if you're on peds). This can really help put things in perspective.

LET IT OUT. Talk to your classmates, talk to your parents, and talk to your faculty resources. There are

so many new things happening this year. A great way to learn is to hear about other people's

mistakes AND successes. Vent to your roommate if you had a long day. Cry in your apartment if you

just saw a really sick patient, and it made you sad. LET IT OUT PEOPLE. This is a crazy, exciting, scary,

overwhelming experience. It's okay if you start to feel real emotions every now and then. That being

said, try to have the emotional vomiting happen outside of the hospital if at all possible.


7/28


This year is busy in a way Med 1 and 2 are not. Early mornings, being on your feet for 12 hours and

weekend responsibilities can really wear you out. I went out less, saw fewer movies, and ate fewer

dinners out in Med 3 (but I still did those things every now and then). To me, sleep was more

important and more enjoyable. And I never let anyone make me feel guilty about not going to Pint

House. STAY IN AND WATCH TV IF YOU WANT. It's really ok.

Study a little bit every night. Even thirty minutes is beneficial. Doing a little each day makes the

studying way more manageable. If you find some downtime during the day on your rotations, study.

Download the UWorldapp on your iPad and do five questions while you're waiting for a surgery to

start. There's no way to cram it all into the last two weeks before the shelf. IM SERIOUSdon't even

try it. Take advantage of your weekend days off and do a few hours of studying then.

Ward Behavior

I think it's beneficial to sit back and observe the first day or two of a rotation to feel out your new

team. Are the residents formal with each other? Is everyone very laid back? How do they interact

with the attending? SPECIFICALLY, ask your senior resident/chief what his or her expectations of you

are on the service within the first day or two. They should elaborate on topics including: How manypatients do they expect you to follow? Should you write daily progress notes? Do you need to write

the hospital courses? How do you decide which medical student goes to which surgery? How formally

should I present on rounds?

Figure out how long it takes you to prepare a presentation for rounds (one-liner about the patient,

subjective findings/overnight events, vitals, Is and Os, physical exam findings, labs and images, DDx if

appropriate, assessment/plan) and give yourself enough time in the morning to do this for all of your

patients. Know your patients inside and out; come up with plans and present them confidently like

you're going to actually do that for the patient. The attending will correct you if they don't agree

and that's fine! They'll be impressed with your initiative.

For me, I would quickly peruse an UpToDatearticle on a patient to get some idea of where to start

with a plan and then customize it to my patient. Ask your resident (before rounds) to go over your

plan with you and make any suggestions. During rounds, keep your ears open for any changes to the

plan (of your patients) and any other tasks that the residents must do for your patients (find their

records from another hospital, schedule follow-up appointments in clinic, consult a different service,

make sure everything is ready to go for discharge). THESE are the things you should offer to do when

rounding is done. It helps them out a lot!

It's OK not to know the answer to a question. If you can come up with a logical guess, do it. If you're

really stumped, SAY SO. Respond with, "I really don't know the answer to that, but I will look into

it/look it up as soon as I get the chance." Attendings PIMP you because they want you to learn. So

learn. Go check UpToDate, open up your First Aidbook again...figure it out.


8/28


Book Suggestions and Study Topics

OBGYN

I used Blueprints(2 full passes), UWorldand uWISEquestions. This was enough information. You

don't need any other resources. If you prepare thoroughly for the oral exam (prepare for ALL

the potential topics), then you know pretty much everything you need to know for the shelf

exam.SURGERY

I used Dr. Pestana's Surgery Notesand the Pestana PDF(mini cases), NMS CaseBook, UWorld

questions, some of the sections in Step-Up To Medicine(Endo/GI/Emergency), some of the

sections in NMS Surgery(fluid and electrolytes, acid/base, peds surgery). You don't need to

know the intricacies of any particular surgeryonly to triage IF someone needs surgery (or not),

which diagnostic test to use in which situation, and how to diagnose certain clinical

presentations in general. This test is EXTREMELY broadit almost feels like a medicine shelf and

is particularly heavy on GI/hepatobiliary.

FAMILY

I read through the ambulatory section of Step-Up to Medicinea few times, did PreTest, some ofCase Files, all the AAFP questions and some random UWorldquestions. This test is also VERY

broad. It was particularly heavy in infectious disease/antibiotics.

PEDS

I read through Blueprintsonce, looked at most of First Aid for Peds, did PreTestVERY thoroughly

and did the UWorldquestions.

COLLEEN FLAHIVE


First of all, by the time you start third year, you will not only have completed your Med 1 and 2 years,

but you will also be done with Step 1 and that deserves a well-earned congratulations! So

CONGRATULATIONS! And welcome to your clinical years! It is so much more exciting to tell friends

and family that you are taking care of patients as opposed to listening to e-modules.

Third year truly is such an exciting time, with so many new experiences and opportunities, but at the

same time can be overwhelming and intimidating. You are going to be on services that you

absolutely love and on services that you dont particularly care for, but I guarantee that you will learn

something or see something that you werent expecting on each service you are assigned. Embrace

this. At no other point will you have the opportunity to be involved in the care of surgical patientsone month and the next month pediatric patients and the next psychiatric patients. Particularly

when you dont care for a specialty, and the end of the month cant come soon enough, I encourage

you to take a step back, remind yourself that in the big picture you are spending a snapshot of time

doing this. Try to make the best of the time you have. Try and put yourself in your residents or

attendings shoes and think like an obstetrician, or an internist, or a psychiatrist even if you have no

desire to pursue that, because I really believe it enhances your overall educational and personal

experience with that field.


9/28


Just because you are spending more time in the hospital does not mean that your personal life has to

be put on hold. Keep doing the things you enjoy outside of school. Yes, it is more challenging

because your time is no longer your own, but it is definitively doable and for me has helped manage

stress and prevent burn out. So work out, play music, read, hang out with friends; do whatever it is

that makes you happy outside of medicine. If you are happy outside of the hospital, it translates to

being happy, positive and engaged in the hospital.

Lastly, shelf exams are hard. Third year is a very different type of studying, and I still feel like Im

learning how to study for these exams. It is difficult to work 8 to 10 hours and come home excited to

study. My advice, therefore, is to start studying or reading early, even if its just a chapter at night. It

significantly lessens the stress the weeks leading to the test.


Again, start studying early! Having a book to read or use as a resource is helpful, but Ive found doing

questions the most helpful. Ive found U-World Step2 QBankfairly helpful and have utilized that for

all of my rotations thus far.

SURGERY

Dr. Pestanas Surgery Notes(its a little blue book)very high yield, short and sweet and to the

point. Practice questions at the end were easier than shelf questions.

http://som.uthscsa.edu/StudentAffairs/documents/High_Yield_Surgery_Compatible_Version.pd

f (PowerPoint with high-yield facts; there is an accompanying video as well on this website. Also

have PowerPoints for several other rotations as well.)

OB-GYN

Questions fromuWISE. I usedBlueprints and Case Files.

INTERNAL MEDICINEQuestions, Questions, Questions! The MKSAPbook (provided to you while on the rotation) was

helpful. I would not recommend reading Step-Up To Medicinecover to cover, rather I would

recommend reading sections about topics with which you arent as familiar.

NEURO

Questions, Step-Up to Medicine, Blueprintsyou can pay $25 to get 100 questions from the

American Academy of Neurology(at orientation they typically provide you with the link for this)

PSYCH

First Aidis sufficient.
http://som.uthscsa.edu/StudentAffairs/documents/High_Yield_Surgery_Compatible_Version.pdfhttp://som.uthscsa.edu/StudentAffairs/documents/High_Yield_Surgery_Compatible_Version.pdfhttp://som.uthscsa.edu/StudentAffairs/documents/High_Yield_Surgery_Compatible_Version.pdfhttp://som.uthscsa.edu/StudentAffairs/documents/High_Yield_Surgery_Compatible_Version.pdf


10/28


BRAXTON FORDE


Ok, so you are starting Med 3; its super fun but of course somewhat daunting, because it is schooling

unlike anything you have ever done before. All in all, it can really drain you. Here are a few quick

points that have really helped me throughout third year:

1.

Never forget, third year is about YOUR education. Do fun stuff, approach attendings, ask to do

procedures.

2.When a resident says, Go home. You say, Thank you, and then you GO HOME. There will be

times you stay late and times you work all night. Staying late for no reason when you could be

home enjoying other parts of life will take a toll on you. Also the residents will think youre weird.

3.Work as a team with the other med students, OSU or otherwise. The more of a team you and your

fellow med students can become, the less stressful it will be and the easier it will be to look good.

4.

Also introduce yourself to nurses and feel free to joke around with them. The nursing staff is your

best friend during third year. They look out for you, and if they like you, they will have your backand make third year so much less stressful.

5.Make use of your weekends off. When it comes to studying, do a little bit every day when you get

home from work during the week. On the weekends though, live life, enjoy your days off, go on

trips, and spend money (not like it will make a dent on the overall debt, right?) Being able to have

the breaks keeps you mentally fresh, and by staying mentally fresh, you will set yourself up to

enjoy all the moments, both professional and personal, of third year.

If a putz like me can survive, yall will be fine.

BRIAN ICHWAN

Ward BehaviorSmile. A simple smile goes a long way. No one wants to work with a grump! Whether you are talking

with your over-worked senior resident or with your patient, who is in severe pain, keep on that

sincere smile.

Teamwork. Go in with the mindset of a team member. This is not a competition. If the whole team

does well, chances are your grades will too!

Med 3 etiquette. While a small part of your grade is on medical knowledge, a lot of it is based on yourattitude and interaction with the team. So there is no reason to "gun" for the answers, and you don't

have to be the first one to answer every question. And most importantly, never correct or interrupt

another student especially during their presentationit will only make you look rude.


11/28


Book Recommendations

I am a big fan of doing questions and more questions. But for each rotation, I would recommend

reading a comprehensive/general study resource first (whether that is Blueprints, First Aid, Step-Up to

Medicine, or BRS) prior to pounding out those questions. This will take your understanding of the

questions/explanations a step further and maximize your knowledge base early-on during your

rotation.

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Books: UWorld, MKSAP Q-book, Step-Up to Medicine

This one and the family medicine shelf are one of the more comprehensive exams. Although the

IM shelf covers a wide variety of topics, these three resources should be more than enough to

do well on the rotation. Step-Up to Medicineis very comprehensive but covers the materials

you need to know for the exam very well. UWorldhad shorter and easier question stems but

with much more succinct explanations. MKSAPhad question stems that correlated more with

the exam.

Pearls: Regardless of what resources you use, this exam is one of the toughest! Make sure to

study from day one!

PSYCHIATRY

Books: First Aid Psychiatry, Lange Q&A, PreTest

This shelf was one of the easier exams. If you just wanted to pass, First Aidwould be all you

need. UWorldquestions were way too brief and basic; you would do much better with PreTest

and Lange Q&Abook. PreTest has more pearls; Lange Q&Ahad questions that were very similar

to the actual exam.

Pearls: Know your DSM criteria and drugs in First Aidwell!

NEUROLOGY

Books: Finsethreview, Blueprints, UWorld, PreTest

Finsethreview is very succinct and covers a lot of diseases that were on the actual exam.

Neurology Blueprints is one of the better books in the Blueprints Series. Its a bit dense but has

all the information you will need to do well on your shelf as well as on the wards.

Pearls: Pay close attention to Dr. Hoyles lecture on localization early on; its definitely helpful

for the shelf and your neuro differential during your wards experience. Finseth review is golden;

read it the last week and know it cold.

PEDIATRICS

Books: BRS Pediatrics, Case Files, PreTest, UWorld

This shelf has one of the best prep materials! It seemed like every single disease covered on the

exam could be found in BRS Pediatrics. I found BRSto be much more useful and succinct as

compared with Blueprints. Pediatrics Case Fileis one of the best of the series, and the questions

on PreTestwere very applicable to the exam.

Pearls: Because pediatrics is not well integrated in the Med 1/Med 2 curriculum, read the

corresponding BRS Pediatricsand Case Filesections prior to the start of your respective

rotation; it will help clarify and broaden your differential during the wards.


12/28


MIKE ISFORT

How to Mentally and Emotionally Survive Med 3Third year is a time of terrific experiences and significant learning. There can be stresses and

difficulties associated with transitioning from the classroom setting of first and second year to the

interactive and scheduled environment of third year. There are several strategies and tips Iveaccrued from personal experiences and residents that can make the conversion easy and

manageable.

First, realize that there are more commitments third year. Between the clinical hours, lectures and

various other meetings/activities, personal time decreases somewhat. So, make your free time count.

Planning fun things to do on the weekends, capitalizing on the breaks with trips or adventures, and

taking time to just relax will go a long way to getting you through the year. Keep participating in the

hobbies and activities you enjoy throughout the block to preserve happiness and allay stress.

Secondly, time management also comes into play when preparing for the shelf exams. The last thing

you want to do after coming home from work is crack open the books for a study session. Therefore,starting early in the block just spend a little time each night, typically just an hour or so, to study from

your resources. A long-term strategy for getting through the study materials helps to fend off the

need to binge during the last week. Realize too that your patients are a valuable resource, so reading

up on their conditions helps you to not only be prepared for rounds, but also be prepared for the

exam.

Third, be confident in yourself and your presentations. As a medical student, you are not expected to

have all the answers. It goes a long way to step up to communicate ideas and venture guesses, even if

you are not sure of the absolute best response. This does not mean just go around spurting out the

first thing that comes to your head. Dare to make a wide differential and think outside the box when

confronted with clinical problems.

Finally, make sure to take a step back during the rotation to enjoy the experience. Oftentimes, youll

find yourself just trudging through the week, waiting for the end of the day. Take time to reflect on

the opportunities youve enjoyed and the clinical findings youve found interesting. Third year allows

you to meet interesting people, make contributions to a team and participate in impressive

endeavors. Take time to value these aspects. Hopefully these tips help you ease into third year; you

will get into the rhythm easily and be just fine.

LINDSEY JONES

Ward Behavior

My experiences on the wards have been some of the best parts of medical school thus far, and I think

finding success in third year is fairly simple. I would say some of the more important things while on

the wards are:


13/28


1. Be enthusiastic and eager to learn. You most likely will not know all the answers to the

questions the attendings and residents ask, but if you seem genuinely interested and willing to

learn, a positive attitude can go a long way.

2. Get to know your patients and their medical conditions. Third year is wonderful because

we do not have all the responsibilities as residents/attendings, and therefore we have extra

time to spend with patients. It really helped me to get to know the patient and their families

and learn about their different medical conditions.3.

Offer to help with miscellaneous tasks. The residents seem to appreciate if you ask if

there is anything that can be done to help out. It can make their job a little easier and give you

different tasks to do.

4. Be willing to ask for help and feedback.Presentations on rounds can be difficult because

each attending may have different expectations; however, I found that if you ask for

expectations up front, for feedback about your performance, or for help with your assessment

or plan, the residents and attendings will appreciate that you are trying to improve and often

have wonderful suggestions/advice.


Overall:Try and study a little bit each day, whether that means reading up on one of your patients,

opening up a textbook, or doing a few questions. I think it makes the shelf exams more manageable.

RESOURCES USED THROUGHOUT MED 3

UWorld QBank

University of Texas Health Science Center has several PowerPoint presentations on their

website under their Student Affairs link Third YearClerkship Reviews. I found these to be

helpful overviews of a variety of topics. (Psych, Peds, Surgery, and IM). Here is the link:

http://som.uthscsa.edu/StudentAffairs/thirdyear.asp

PSYCHIATRY

First Aid for the Psychiatry Clerkship

NEUROLOGY

Blueprints Neurology, Case Files Neurology

INTERNAL MEDICINE

MKSAP Question Book, Step-Up to Medicine

PEDIATRICS

Blueprints Pediatrics, Pediatrics: PreTest, Case Files Pediatrics

FAMILY MEDICINECase Files for Family Medicine, Step-Up To Medicine (Ambulatory Section)

American Academy of Family PhysiciansMembership is free to OSUCOM students, and they

have a multitude of free board review questions!
http://som.uthscsa.edu/StudentAffairs/thirdyear.asphttp://som.uthscsa.edu/StudentAffairs/thirdyear.asp


14/28


CHRISTOPHER KOBE


First and foremost, I would like to congratulate each and every one of you on your successful

navigation through the first two years of medical school! I encourage you to reflect on these two

years and appreciate all of your hard work, dedication, and accomplishments. As you reflect on these

years, remember the things that got you to this point in your life, e.g. family, friends,

passions/interests, and for some, faith. Never forget these as they will be essential to your well-being

and continued success during your third year and the rest of your life. Your third year of medical

school is unlike anything you have experienced. You are about to embark on a journey where you

slowly transition from being a student to your life-long dream of a physician (read: a person who has

developed a medical knowledge base through memorization to a critical thinker with spiffy threads

and fancy equipment who applies this vast knowledge base to first-hand experiences).

Some key points to keep your mind, body and soul fresh and ready to take on each day:

Dont let the small things bother you. Life in the hospital is no different than life outside the

hospital. Good days are followed with bad ones and vice versa. Celebrate the good with the bad

and most importantly squeeze the lemonade out of those lemons.

Did you give your patients 110% today? For the first time in many of our lives, we are no longer

only responsible for our own well-being. Our patients respect our abilities to provide them care,

and thus we need to give of ourselves wholly. You may not feel, at times, like you are making a

difference based on limited clinical experience/seniority, but the simplest gesture of a touch on

the arm/back or spending time listening to a personal story can absolutely make their day.

Did I take a little me time today? Your day will be physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing

as you experience the highs and lows of patient care. Take the necessary time each day whetherthat be working out, cooking a nice meal, watching an episode of your favorite show, going to bed

an hour earlier, etc. to keep you refreshed and able to give your absolute best.

Think like a resident. I have thought of this year as a dress rehearsal for the future where I will be

managing my patients care completely on my own. Your team of residents, fellows, and

attendings are there to assist in the development of your medical knowledge and plans of care,

but thinking and acting as independently as possible, will develop and hone your abilities while

gaining respect and appreciation from those around you. Bring at least one original idea to the

table each day; now is the time to be wrong and learn why!


I have found that shelf exams can be difficult to prepare for, as there is limited time after being on

service each day and more sources than one would know what to do with. However, there are few

high-yield options that can make a big difference in your success on each shelf and thus final grade

for a rotation (the shelf basically makes or breaks how you do for almost every one except IM).


15/28


FAMILY MED

I took this one first and it is by far the most difficult one to start with (hint: try to avoid as your

first rotation). Case Files, the AAFP questions/app, Exam Prepapp, and the patient care itself

will not be enough. I recommend studying for this exam as if it were the outpatient version of

Internal Medicine.

PEDS

I highly recommend BRS Pediatrics, High-Yield: Pediatricsslides that be found on TutorNet/online, USMLE2questions, and Case Files.

IM

USMLE2 questions, PreTestquestions, MSKAPquestions (read: questions, questions, questions).

Additionally, skim through Step-Up to Medicineat least twice and dont get weighed down by

the details. I also found patient care to be extremely high yield for this shelf.

PSYCH

First Aid, NBMEshelf form 2, Lange Q&Abook, High-Yield: Psychiatryslides, and PreTest.

Another rotation where your patients are extremely high yield for the shelf.

NEURORead the FINSETH REVIEW3-5x, Blueprints, both forms of the NBMEshelf exams, and the AAN

self-assessment exam.

OB/GYN

Personally have not been on but asked my peers who did well for advice. Online questions from

ACOG website, UWorld Qbank, and Case Files. Patient care is extremely high yield for this shelf

due to the limited scope of the examination and the experiences structured into the rotation.

Dont forget there is an oral component to the exam!

SURGERY

Again, have not been on personally, but recommendations included NMS Casebook, Pestanas

Review, and UWorld Qbankquestions in surgery and internal medicine. The shelf is very heavy

in medical management, thus a strong base in internal medicine goes a long way!

Hope these thoughts help. Most importantly, learn as much as you possibly can from your patients;

they will serve you well in your future encounters!

JAYNE LU

How to Mentally and Emotionally Survive Med 3Between the feeling of, "I have no idea what I'm doing right now!" and, "I have no idea what I want to

do for the rest of my life!" Med 3 can be very stressful. I think what I've found most helpful is to

remember to set aside time every day for my own thingswhether that's 30 minutes a day of a

podcast I enjoy (shout out to RadioLab!), a good book, a visit to the gym, or a rant to a friend

prioritizing my own happiness has helped me find solace. And take it one day at a time. Sometimes it

is about the "x more days until the weekend" mentality.


16/28


I think one of the most stressful parts of Med 3 is The Question, Do you know what kind of doctor

you want to be? And mixed in with this is just so much emotional curmudgeonfeelings of

inadequacy, guilt about not liking things, fear of committing to any one thing, "for the rest of your

life." I think the best thing I've done about this question is try to be content that I can't force it to be

answered. And now I try to avoid it entirely. There are definitely some attendings I have really

admired on my rotations, and I think, "Wow, it would be great to do what you do for patients!" I think

taking note of spontaneous feelings like that is very important. On the other hand, I have not gained awhole lot out of sitting down and thinking about my rotations. There have been days when I feel like I

have enjoyed all the rotations I've had, and days when I hate every single one of them. This may be a

poor strategy, but I have tried to just be content not knowing for sure and just trying to enjoy all my

patients. One day at a time.

Bad things happen in Med 3. You may do poorly on a test, you might give a really terrible

presentation, and you might lose a patientnot to mention all the things that happen still manage to

happen in the world outside of the hospital. Don't let all this bad news business bum you out though.

Lots of good things and personal growth happen during Med 3. Patients get better and leave the

hospital. Teamwork with your classmates and residents/interns can be very fulfilling. Learning how to

take care of patients can be very satisfying!

Ward Behavior1. Be early. Especially the first day, as I have found that I always manage to go to the wrong place

and look up the wrong stuff.

2. Be helpful. Ask interns, nurses, and patients how you can help them.

3. Be curious. I sometimes find it helpful to think, "If I came in with this patient's problems, what

would I want to know?" and start researching from there.

4.

Be connected. I heard this from an M4 I worked with and am trying to put it into practice. If youthink you're even remotely interested in a department, talk to the department chair/assistant and

director/attending with whom you enjoyed working. Chances are they'll have some great advice

about what the specialty is like, their own experiences, and how you can be a better applicant.

5.

Be kind. To everyone, even if you're busy and even if they're not your patient. A hospital is a

terrifying place to be.

PRIYA MEHTA


Congratulations!!!Youve made it to third year. This year is extremely rewarding, and you finally get

to do what you came to med school fortake care of patients. However, it is a whirlwind of a year

that will at times be challenging and exhausting. Try to keep some perspective, maintain a positive

attitude, accept change, and lean on those around you, and you will surely make it through! Here are

some tips that have helped me survive the year thus far:


17/28


Be flexible.Each service is very different. And each group of residents/attending has different

expectations of you while you are a part of their team. It takes time to adjust to each new

environment and figure out how to be a useful addition to the team, especially during the first

few rotations. Typically, youll finally feel like you fit in with your team just in time to switch to the

next service and be totally clueless all over again. Its ok to be clueless. Just be flexible and accept

that things will be in constant flux as this will make transitioning much easier.

Use residents as a resource. Having great residents that help orient you to a new service is alwaysa plus. Most residents are very willing to helponly some will sit you down and outwardly give

you, orientation to the service, or general third-year survival tips. If they do not, when there is

some down time, make it a point to ask for advice. I found that interns are great to ask for this.

They were med students less than a year ago and can often give great perspective.

Take you time. The hours are long, the days are stressful, and sleep is hard to come by. But it is

so important. As is taking time for personal activities. Spend time with friends, visit family, and

watch a movie, cook dinner, SLEEP. And dont feel guilty about it.

Ward Behavior Be good to your fellow med students. On most services, you will have one or more classmates on

your team. Coordinate with one another. Plan in advance what time youll all come in, how many

patients youll each pick up, which cases youll go to, etc. You can and should be each others

greatest allies.

Be present. Both physically and mentally. You will be exhausted having to show up at the wee

hours of the morning, but if you can show you are mentally present by paying attention on

rounds, asking insightful questions, and following up on small tasks you are given, your residents

and attendings will feel that you want to be there. They will in turn feel more excited about

teaching you and will involve you more in the team. Its a win-win.

Practice presentations.Write down what you are going to say in a systematic fashion. Everyone

expects information in the same SOAP order, so dont veer from that. When its your turn to

present, dont rush. They expect med student presentations to be lengthier and more detailed

than those given by residents. It is ok to read what you have prepareddont feel like you have

to memorize these. ALWAYS work on coming up with your own assessment and plan. Sometimes

you will have time to share that and sometimes you wont. Sometimes your plan will be right,

oftentimes it will not. Regardless, it is a great learning tool to get you thinking past just the

information gatherer phase and onto the patient management phase.

Get to know the whole team.Introduce yourself to everyone, including the nurses, NPs,

pharmacists, scrub techs, etc. Not only does it make you a more active member of the team, butit is unbelievable how helpful all of these people can be to a lost and clueless med student.

Get to know your patients. Both on paper and in person. Reading as much as you can about your

patients will help you learn a lot. It will also be evident that you really know the patient well when

you are presenting, which residents and attendings love to see. Even more important though

get to know them on a personal level. Go hang out with them in the afternoons when things are

less hectic, and you are looking for something to do. As the medical student, you are often the


18/28


only one on the team who has time to check in with them throughout the day, and you will realize

that patients come to rely on you being there. These relationships are often the greatest

reminder of why we entered this profession and the most gratifying part of third year.

Ask for feedback. And be open to accepting criticism. It is a great way to learn from your

rotations and grow into a better med student as the year progresses.

Be kind. Be yourself. Smile. Relax!

STEVEN NIEDERMEIER


Well, this is probably the secret that everyone spends the majority of the year trying to find. I think

that the most important thing is to not overdo your life this year. What do I mean by that? I mean

you need to, without a doubt, take care of yourself and not spread yourself too thin. This year is a lot

of work, both in the hospital and outside of it, but it is undeniably the most fun you will have yet.

Dont take for granted the things that you know help you relax whether that be exercise, Netflixing,exercise whilstNetflixing, etc. Make sure you maintain your friendships because you all are the only

ones that know exactly what each other are going through. Utilize your support systems. Just like

your first two years, there will be easier times than others, so make sure when those not-so-easy

times come about, youve got your friends, family, stuffed animals, pint(s) of ice cream (and by pint(s)

I mean gallon(s)), or whatever to make yourself smile and feel relaxed, even for just a little while.

Ward Behavior

Despite what everyone says, clothes are optionalfor patientsor so some of them think. Clothes are

DEFINITELY required for students. For gents, shirt, tie (bow tie acceptable fo sho), slacks, shiny shoes,shaven, or a Dr. John Davis-ly (PhD, MD) groomed beard. Scrubs and sneakers you dont care about

for OB/GYN and surgical specialties. LadiesIll be honest; you have too many clothing options for me

to know, but from what I have seen I think skirt, blouse (are they still called blouses?), button-up shirt

(are those blouses?), professional dresses (I think thats what theyre calledyou probably know what

I mean even though I dont), dress pants, shiny shoes (or not?). Same attire as above for OB/GYN and

surgical (thats not sexist; its just facts (-; ).

Respect, respect, respect! If all else fails, respect everyone around you. Even when youre having a

crappy day because the attending threw a placenta across the room since you didnt hold the

laparoscopy camera correctly (aside: no one will EVER hold that blessed camera correctly, so dont

worry). But if you respect your attendings, residents, classmates, nurses, PCAs, EVERYONE, you will berespected in return, and that makes everyones day, including yours, much more better-er.


19/28


Dont be late. Punctuality is more than half of the battle. Even if youre there before the resident by

like a half of an hour, that looks a heck of a lot better than showing up two minutes late. First

impressions go a really long way, and its really easy to make a good first impression if youre on time.

And always ask the residents toward the end of the day if there is anything else you can help with.

Or, Is there anything that I can do for your guys? DO NOT, I repeat, its a big NO-NO to say, Im not

doing anything. Can I go home? You pay like $200 or something everyday for this experience. Do as

much learning as you can in the hospital. You just spent two years learning from books, and learningfrom books is lame sauce.

Always ask for some feedback. Residents are there to teach you how to be good residents, so if you

feel unsure about something, ask! It shows you care, and it looks great if you put that into action the

next time you get the opportunity. For real though.

Book Suggestions and Study TipsLets face it, medical students by this point know precisely how to study the best way for their own

individual style. So dont really deviate from how you study. The biggest difference is finding the time

to study, because for two years thats like 90% of your responsibility (mixed with like LP and all thoseweird acronyms we people from the old curriculum dont understand). During the week, try to find an

hour or so to read at whatever time during the day whether its down time during clinic, between

cases in the OR, or at home after work. Use your weekends for two things: (1) catch up on studying

and (2) mentally and emotionally recharge your batteries. Its hard getting used to working and

studying at the same time, but most of the residents and especially the interns remember what its

like being a medical student. They wont do anything inhumane to you and will remember you need

to study. Here are the resources I used for the rotations, but using what works for you is most

important:

IM

Step-Up to Medicine, Qbank, and that book of questions they give youPSYCH

First Aid Psychiatry& Qbank

NEURO

Blueprints Neurology& Qbank

OB/GYN

Blueprints OB/GYN& Qbank

SURGERY

Case Files: Surgery, First Aid Surgery, & Pestana(but to be honest do IM questions for GIT,

hepatobiliary, electrolytes from Qbanks. The shelf is SO medicine heavy.)

FAMILY MEDThe question thingy they give you

PEDS

First Aid Pediatrics& Qbank

Have fun, guys! Third year, or Part 2, or whatever you call it, is the best year so far. Its amazing.


20/28


PETE POW-ANPONGKUL


Take care of yourself.This can be difficult because we have a lot of pressure to perform well and

secure a good residency. But youre going to make your experience miserable if you dont eat well,

exercise, make time for friends, and get a good nights rest. Taking care of yourself will also enhance

your performance.

Getting help does not mean you are weak; it means you are courageous.Life can affect us in ways

we could never anticipate. And theres a good chance you will go through a rough time. If you ever

have problems with stress, depression, substance abuse, family issues, or anything else, go get help.

Many of your colleagues, myself included, have done it at some point. It takes a lot of courage to

admit you have a problem when you put pressure on yourself to be perfect. You are not perfect; you

are human, and thats okay!

Ward Behavior

Take ownership of your patients.Your patients can also be your teachers. Learn everything you can

about them, and everything will fall into place after that. You will be able to confidently present the

patient on rounds. When nurses ask you if your patient will be getting fluids instead of saying, Uh, I

dont know; Im just a medical student! Dont ask me anymore questions; you will say, Due to his

leukemia, we are worried about tumor lysis syndrome, and so he will be on 2 x maintenance for the

time being. When a concerned patient asks you about the plan concerning her increased creatinine

one month after her kidney transplant, instead of saying, Hmm Im not sure; let me go ask the

doctor! Im only a medical student; you can say, There are many reasons why your creatinine can

be elevated. We want to keep you hydrated as much as possible while we determine if you have an

infection, obstruction, rejection, or even just simple dehydration. By taking ownership of your

patients, you will be an important member of the healthcare team.

Dont stare at the clock waiting for your shift to end! You did not make sacrifices your whole life just

so you could make it to medical school and leave early every day to [insert activity here] at home. You

will learn something every day, and you will be a much more productive team member if youre not

waiting for your shift to end. Immerse yourself in this experience, and be thankful that you are

pursuing your dream, because another person who did not get into medical school would gladly take

your spot without staring at the clock.

Smile!Lets face it; you are at the bottom of the totem pole as a medical student. You will make

mistakes, you will run into doctors and nurses who dont treat you with respect, and you may have a

patient who refuses to have you see them. When things like that happen, just let it roll off your

skinand smile! Just because someone treats you poorly doesnt mean you should continue that

cycle of animosity for some poor future medical student. Be patient and know that it will get better.


21/28


ERIC REED


Half of the battle of getting through Med 3 is being okay constantly living in flux. You may change

services as frequently as every week or two. Every service works differently, and the first few days of

every rotation will mostly be figuring out how things work. Part of that is making a lot of mistakes up

front, and being okay with that. But the biggest key to thriving in Med 3 is to get excited. This learning

environment is substantially more interesting than book learning, and it is not an exaggeration that

your patients are your best resource. If you can associate a face with a syndrome, it will make

studying and exams far easier.

Ward Behavior

A lot of teams can be very big, and it can be intimidating to find your place in it. It is helpful to be

frank upfront and ask your residents what exactly they want from you. An efficiently running

team where you are an asset and not a hindrance makes your life way more pleasant, efficient,and allows you more time to focus on your own learning.

Dont make your peers look bad. There will be times where you know the answer that someone

else is getting pimped on. Dont blurt out the answer and dont jostle yourself around to show

that you have an uncontrollable itch to answer the question. Nobody will be impressed, and youll

look like a jerk. Having poor team dynamics can be toxic. Also, if your resident tells you a time to

be there dont show up early, nor lateboth look bad. Especially if you feel the urge to show up

early, go to the student lounge or somewhere else to get ahead on your work. Showing up early

to your team will just look like you are trying to out-gun your peers. But if youre the type to do

this such sagacity is probably falling on deaf ears.

Be nice to everyone, no exceptions. As a Med 3, you are at the bottom of the totem pole in the

hospital, and it is a good chance to work on humility. What you are doing is not inherently more

important than anyone else, and a lot of times what you need to do hinders what someone else

needs to do, and talking it out will always be more productive than presumptuously thinking you

hold a trump card. Besides, if you burn bridges with others in different healthcare roles, it will bite

you in the butt when you really do need their help. If you are just kind and forthright with

everybody, your life will be a lot easier, and people will respect you a lot more.

Most importantly, your patients are your biggest asset. No matter how good you are at chart

review, you can get so much more information by talking to patients. Every disease or symptom

or sign that I can truly remember is due to seeing it and hearing about it first-hand. If there is

always one role for you on every team, its to know your patients inside and out, including all

their past records, tests, but especially their narrative. Talking to your patients will give you a

distinct advantage over most other team members, and there is no substitute for good rapport

with your patients. A lot of patients dont think they get listened to enough, so if you spend extra

time with them, they will gush about you to the team, which will always leave a good impression

with the team.


22/28


Books and Study Tips

I dont think specifics are that helpful, as everyones learning style is so different and so is the

approach of each book series. Generally, First Aidis usually good if you like bullet format and

something that is arranged in discrete quanta of facts. Blueprintsis good if you like a more classic-

textbook orientation with paragraphs and a cover-to-cover reading quality. Case Filesare good if you

like learning via specific cases or something with a narrative. PreTestis good if you like questions, butthis should never be a primary resource as it is not comprehensive nor the most logically structured.

UWorldis a good resource that should still be mostly supplemental, as for some rotations in

particular the UWorldquestions are very different than shelf questions.

WIL SANTIVASI

How to Mentally & Emotionally Survive Med 3

I think the most important thing is to have a positive attitude across all rotations. Even if you know

you will never be a surgeon/psychiatrist/internist, use the rotation to learn what that field does, theconditions those docs manage, and how to incorporate some of their knowledge into your own

practice. Every rotation/experience will teach you important things about medicine and life in general

if you just let it.

The phrase work-life balance gets thrown around a lot in medicine as if its a solid, discrete thing.

The truth is that its much more fluid. On some rotations, you will have free time that you can use to

pursue hobbies, catch up on Netflix shows, sleep (!), or hang out with friends. On others, you will feel

as if all you have time to do is go to work and then come home and pass out. In hindsight, try your

best to stick to a workout schedule, because it can be a great outlet for stress and help you avoid the

Med 3 15." While you should take your clinical responsibilities seriously, dont let the new

environment and its demands stop you from being the person you want to be and taking care of

yourself. If you ever feel overwhelmed, talk to someone, whether its someone in the College, a

friend, or a family member. Also, ask your Med 4 friends for advice and guidance. We were just in

your position, and we are happy to help answer any questions you have!

Ward Behavior

First and foremost, be excited! This is the time youve been preparing for over the past 2 years. Youll

be helping take care of real patients! Approaching each day/week/service/rotation as a learning

experience and a chance to make a difference in peoples lives will make your experience even

better. Being enthusiastic and humble is the best way to be on the wards.Also, be grateful about theexperiences you will have; there are very few people who will get to deliver a baby, close a surgical

incision, make a patient smile, help a family cope. Keep in mind the privilege you have been given to

care for your patients.


23/28


DO

Genuinely care about your patients and get to know who they are.

Check in with them in the afternoon and convey any new information to your team.

Follow up on the labs/procedures/imaging that you discussed on rounds.

Offer to handle administrative tasks for your team (get info release forms signed, fax records, talk

to outside offices and hospitals).

Let your residents know when you have didactic/meeting requirements more than once. They willforget. Its nothing personal; theres just a lot going on, on the wards.

Take this opportunity to get to know classmates that you didnt know as well during Med 1 and

Med 2.

DONT

Fabricate lab values/vitals/physical exam findings.

Show up late or leave early for no apparent reason.

Show disrespect members of your team or other hospital staff.

Answer questions that are not directed to you.

Be afraid to answer a question with I dont know, but you should immediately follow it up with

But I will find out and get back to you, and then actually get back to the person who asked.


A general word of advice on studying, force yourself to study a little bit every day. It will be a little

painful, but definitely worth it. Even if its not your style during Med 1/2, itll do you a lot of good

during Med 3. Its much easier if you choose to read/study topics that are related to the patients that

you are actively following (and, if you have time, the other patients on your service). Youll remember

the information better because of the human connection, plus it will help you prepare for rounds.

Also, buy the 12-month subscription to the Step 2 UWorld Qbankearly on in your first rotation.

OB/GYNThe department will give you free access to questions written by APGO. Theyre highly

representative of shelf questions. UWorldones are easier than what youll see on the test. As

far as books go, people seem to generally like Blueprints, but Im not much of a book guy. Take

advantage of your assigned preceptors offers to quiz/prepare you for the exams; it will help.

The oral exam in and of itself is actually a great study tool for the shelf.

SURGERY

They call it the surgery shelf, but in reality, there is very little surgery on it. NMS Case Filesand

Pestanas Revieware helpful for the high-yield surgery material, but you should really focus

on learning as much medicine as you can. Great ways to do this are Step-Up to Medicineand

UWorld IMquestions, as well as completing all the surgery questions. Surgery Recallis a goodbook for OR pimping questions, but will have virtually no impact on your shelf score.

PSYCH

First Aid for Psychis a must. Everything on the shelf is somewhere in that book. The quiz review

sessions built into the rotation are very helpful if you study and do the questions in advance.

Know the DSM diagnostic criteria and pharm inside and out. Because this shelf is one of the

lighter ones, you should use some of your psych rotation study time to cover Neuro material.


24/28


NEURO

Blueprints for Neurois the most popular book for this shelf. It will do a good job preparing you.

There is also a decent medicine component to this shelf. Buying access to the practice test put

out by AAN (NeuroSAE) is worth it (its even better/cheaper if your attending or resident already

has access to it and will go over its questions with you).

LAURA SCOTT

Congratulations on finishing second year! Third year is a completely different animal, and you will

finally start feeling like a physician. Embrace it!

Ward Behavior

Some of you may know what field you are going to pursue while others may be starting third year

completely undecided. Wherever you lie on the spectrum, keep an open mind! Each rotation will

teach you something new, and you will stay engaged if you keep this attitude at the forefront. The

residents are often inundated with checklists while the medical students have more free time. Takeadvantage of this time to get to know your patients and nurses. The nurses have a lot of experience

and wisdom to offer. On L&D, the nurses will help you choose patients to follow and will allow you to

take part in more deliveries. Finally, be a team player. Help your fellow classmates and take initiative

to assist the residents. Dont answer a question directed at another student/resident. Wait until you

are asked. You will shine if you work well with others and keep a positive attitude!

Books and Study Tips

It can be difficult to balance studying with the wards. Take time each night to review, and you will

not be as overwhelmed. I recommend choosing one main text and doing as many questions aspossible for each rotation. For Family Medicine, the question banks include PreTest (which they will

give you) and AAFP questions. For the rest of the rotations, you can use USMLE World, PreTest, Case

Files, and uWISE(for OB/GYN). You will find what system works best for you. Good luck and you will

do great!

KELLY TIERNEY


Congrats, you made it! You finally get to crawl out of your Step 1 cave and enter the real world ofmedicine. The start of third year is beyond exciting, but for many students, it can also be intimidating,

overwhelming, and uncomfortable at first. The key to surviving Med 3 mentally is learning how to

balance and manage your time. Your days are now spent in the hospital, taking care of patients.

There are no longer endless hours of the day to study and live in Prior Hall. The key is to realize that a

large amount of your learning will happen during the day, as you take care of patients, not in the hour

or two you may have to study at night.


25/28


This is a big change from first and second year, but the important thing is to take time to read up on

your patients and their illnesses, and make sure you understand their care plan for the day and the

reason behind the various tests/procedures that they have had done. It is this kind of learning that

will stick with you well beyond the shelf exam. Another thing to remember is maintain your sanity!

You will be working long hours. Anyone who thinks they can work a 12+ hour day and then go home

and study all night will go crazy. After work, make sure you take time to have a life and relax. Go hit

the gym, cook a fun dinner, or just take some time to sit back and relax. If youre able to startstudying early in the rotation, and aim for an hour or two of studying a night, you will be prepared for

the shelf.

Ward Tips

Dont panic. Getting thrown into the wards on day one of third year is overwhelming for

everyone. Nobody knows where to go or what to do. Grab your fellow students and ask the

residents on your team what to do. Your residents are your best resource for asking questions

in regards to what youre expected to do as a third year.

Dont be a gunner. Medicine is a team sport, not a competition. You will be working longhours with your fellow students, and you need to be able to rely on and respect one another.

Nobody likes that student that blurts out answers when other students are getting pimped, so

dont be that person.

Go into each rotation open-minded. Even if you know youre not interested in a given field of

medicine, make sure you continue to put the same level of effort and interest into your

patients. Ive heard many physicians say that they only enjoy teaching students that want to

learn, so maintaining interest in your patients will only help you learn and further your

education in the end.

Give a little extra time to your patients. As medical students, we have the luxury of having more

time to devote to each patient. If you have some down time, use it to check in on your patients.Taking a little extra time to sit down with a patient that wants to talk can have a huge impact on

their well-being and how they view their overall medical care.

Always show up on time. Split up the patient load fairly, and dont continuously give the

complicated patients to your fellow classmates. Check in with your residents throughout the

day to see if there is anything you can help with, and help your fellow med students if someone

is struggling with something, such as presentations or notes.

Last but not least, have fun! Third year is an incredible experience. Make sure you take time to

step back and appreciate where you are, the opportunities you are being given, and the impact

you can have on patients life.


26/28


Book Suggestions

OB/GYN

Blueprintscovers all of the key material for the rotation/shelf, then use the ACOG questions and

USMLE World Step 2questions for practice.

SURGERYNMS Case Bookand Pestanas ReviewNotes are solid resources to study from, and then use the

USMLE World Step 2questions for practice. I also used NMS Surgerywhen there were specific

topics that I needed help understanding. Dont attempt to read it all, its way too

dense/overwhelming.

PEDIATRICS

Blueprintsis a great resource for the content you are expected to know for the rotation/shelf,

and USMLE World Step 2questions were great for practice.

FAMILY MEDICINE

Case Fileswas a great review of the key problems faced in family medicine, and the PreTest

questions (given to you at beginning of rotation) were great for practice.

MAELEE YANG


Three words: Sleep. Snacks. Friends.

Be sure to always get enough sleep, not just for you but also for the sake of your fellow classmates

and residents; leave the cranky pants at home. I was always sure to carry around snackswhat else

are white-coat pockets for? Hanger is a real thing, and it needs to be controlled. If you ever forget to

grab something, just remember the nutrition rooms always have graham crackers and ice cream and

the tenth-floor nurses station of Doan = snack heaven for a mere 50 cents. Always make time to hang

out and talk to your friends. Not only can you complain about how unfair grading is, but also you can

get tips on other rotations and find out if the sun really still exists.

Ward Behavior

It is all about learning preferences; forget memorizing a presentation template because each

attending hates what the other likes. On the first day, just listen to the residents presentation and

copy that format. Ask if the attending wants to know all the numbers or if, vital signs stable and

within normal limits, is okay, but always have the numbers. Always ask the residents questions; they

are more than happy to answer them because when you look good, they look good.


27/28


Initiative and humility are huge. If you see a hospital course not done, do it and dont feel the need to

announce it. The resident will notice its done, and they know it didnt magically complete itself.

Rounds go a lot faster when you have everything on hand and ready for dressing changes. Never be

too proud to ask for help, whether its from an attending, resident, nurse, or fellow classmate. When

you get pimped or asked a question, answer with confidence, or else you might get, Mae, I know the

answer already, I want to know if you know the answer. If you dont know then say you dont know.If they want you to guess, they will ask.

Patient care is really big, especially Peds. When you have nothing to do, grab a wagon and take a

patient on a ride or stop into that scorned, rebellious teens room and try talking to them about

anything else than why they are there. Relive some high school glory days. It definitely gets noticed,

and it will get mentioned on your evaluations.

Book Suggestions and Study TipsTry and read an hour a night. Share books. Kaplan Step 2 Lecture Notes. And who doesnt love a great

mini notebook?


28/28

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS. LOOKING BACK WITH PRIDE, LOOKING FORWARDWITH PURPOSE.

100 years ago in 1914, The Ohio State University opened our College of Medicine integrating medical educationwith innovative research and science-based care. Led by the areas leading practicing physician-educators, studentslearned scientific lessons in classrooms and labs, then trained at the patients bedsides in the 21-bed on-campushospital. The College of Medicines humble beginnings formed the foundation of the rich legacy of medical leadershipand excellence.

Today, Ohio States College of Medicineis a national leader in preparing physicians, scientists, educators, policyleaders and allied health professionals. More than 800 students are working toward MD degrees through our innovativecurriculum, Lead.Serve.Inspire.Some students combine medical education with a professional degree in healthmanagement, law, business or biomedical research. Another 800 young physicians from around the world come to OhioState to complete residency training alongside clinical experts. Through the years, Ohio States 21-bed hospital hasgrown to the inspiring five-hospital Wexner Medical Center including the James Cancer Hospital, which in togetheradmitted more than 56,000 patients in 2013, and more than a million patients were cared for at Ohio State multispecialtyoutpatient settings.

In 2014,we look back with pride on a century of excellence and achievement, and we look forward united in our singular

purpose to improve peoples lives through advancements in medical education, research and patient care.
http://medicine.osu.edu/students/lsi_curriculum/pages/index.aspxhttp://medicine.osu.edu/students/lsi_curriculum/pages/index.aspx

Documents

Scc Guide 2014 Final