Rookie Doctor Blog » Residency Tips

Great Advice for Med Students, Interns and Residents – From A Patient’s Family Member

Dr. Tori — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:47:52 +0000

Many of you know that I collect hundreds (maybe thousands, now) of pieces of advice for medical students, interns, residents, and really, anyone in healthcare. Most often, the best source of advice is the patient and/or a caregiver of a patient… a family member or a loved one.

Short, but quite needed post today:

I received this piece today from a resident who happened to also be the loved one of a patient. I would like to share this piece of advice with you since (a) it is so true, (b) it needs to be elevated from being “a tip” to being ingrained in every human being entering healthcare, and (c) if you heed this advice you will stand out in a big, big way.

Here is what he/she submitted for you today:

1. Try to approach your patients as if they are, in fact, people…as opposed to “a case”. Far too often people are treated as interesting cases rather than a individuals who need help.

2. Don’t forget to educate your patients. Some physicians get caught up in rounds and teaching residents that they forget to teach their patients! Helping them medically involves educating them as well (Why do you think show’s like Dr. Oz and the Doctors are popular?…people want to know!!!)

Are you a patient, a caregiver, a nurse? Give some advice to young doctors here.

Teaching Rounds At A Whole New Level

Dr. Tori — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:48:06 +0000

If you’re a medical student, an intern, a resident or a fellow, then you can skyrocket your learning and your Boards preparation without adding time to what you do already.

You already go on rounds with your attending. You already attend conferences, classes, and morning report. You already go to Grand Rounds. And you might already go to Boards prep courses.

Well, check this out… with one tweak, your learning experience can go from okay to phenomenal.

If you want to get this amazing pen, you can order it from Amazon.

If you are an institution (a medical school, a residency program, etc) and you would like to learn more about how this concept can help your organization go from good to completely awesome, then go to NapkinRounds.com.

By the way, if you haven’t seen the changes yet:

–> Tour the Members Area <--

Patients’ Advice to Med Students, Interns, Residents, & Physicians, in general

Dr. Tori — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 12:29:59 +0000

Several times a month, I receive emails from patients and nurses thanking me for some of the videos I post with tips for medical students, interns, and residents. Well, recently, I received a moving message from a patient via my YouTube inbox. And she gave me a direct call-to-action to create a means for patients to offer advice from their perspective.

Well, this is the first step in that process. If you are a nurse, a patient, a caregiver, or really anyone who comes in contact with physicians, this is your opportunity to offer some advice. Over time, depending on the response, I will make this into a more robust, far-reaching project. I will select the best of them and redistribute them.

A word of caution… This is for sincere advice only. This is not a mouthpiece for attacking specific individuals, the healthcare industry or for lumping people into groups and labeling them. (There’s plenty of that in the news media) This is for sincere advice from one human to another.

Med Student & Residency Presentations – Have A Backup

Dr. Tori — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:06:27 +0000

If you’re in medical school, internship or residency, it can be pretty stressful to give a presentation. Public speaking is tough as it is, but you’re presenting to a bunch of people who often know more than you… and worse, one or two of them (actually think they) benefit from having someone like you not do so well.

Well, one way to really set a poor tone for the talk is to get there and have the thing not load.

Here’s a look at some ways of backing up your presentations so you don’t find yourself in that situation.

RookieDoctor.com/dropbox

Med Students & Interns – How To Keep Your Pager Out of the Toilet

Dr. Tori — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:17:06 +0000

Now that everyone has switched over… 2nd year med students have started their clinical rotations, 3rd year medical students have become 4th years and are beginning the countdown to graduation, and new interns have started their stress-year…

I thought it appropriate to cover something you will never be taught about your pager… at least not formally, anyway. So here it is:

How To Avoid Having Your Pager Fall In The Toilet

It’s really quite simple. When wearing scrubs, you only have this semi-thin drawstring that doesn’t really hold a pager too well.

SCRUBS: If you wear your pager on your scrubs, it will flop around and sometimes unclip itself depending on your position.

WHITE COAT (side pocket): If you put it in your white coat side pocket, you will leave it on during conferences or you will not feel it vibrate. You also run the risk of it slamming into a door or wall as you walk.

WHITE COAT (top pocket): If you put your pager in your top pocket of your white coat or of your scrubs, well, that’s just inexcusable… it will fall out when you bend over & it will be impossible to reach if you wear a gown.

So here’s what you do (see the video at http://youtube.com/RookieDoc):

1. Tuck in your shirt – all the way – even in your underwear
2. Face your pager in towards you (not outward like you would if you were using a belt)
3. Clip the pager around your scrub bottoms drawstring AND your underwear

That’s it. I hope it helps

Which Pharm Book For An Intern’s White Coat?

Dr. Tori — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:39:48 +0000

(In the interest of full disclosure: some of the links in RookieDoc posts are affiliate links, meaning that I might get a small commission if you purchase them through my link.)

One of the RookieDoc members shot me an email asking me about the pharmacology references I recommend to carry around in your white coat as an intern or a resident.

Here was a portion of our exchange:

Question:
I noticed you recommended Tarrascon Pocket Pharm – which edition is better, shirt pocket or lab coat pocket? I know the shirt pocket is a lot smaller, but will that be enough? It would be nice not to have to tote around a bigger book…if you could let me know what you think that would be great! Thanks again! I appreciate you getting back to me so quickly.

Answer:
You’re right, it’s better to carry around the smaller book.

Heavy stuff in your pockets eventually causes neck pain, back pain & headaches… and it usually takes people 6 months to a year to realize that that’s the problem.

Too many sources of information can be distracting.

Too many sources of information can be a time suck & leads to inefficiencies.

The more you can learn to use the resources around you, without depending on a single resource, the better… this isn’t necessary early on, but eventually, when you’re out in the working world, it will be priceless.

Internet access is everywhere – check to see if your program has access to some of the online resources – the online version of ePocrates, UpToDate, etc.

If you have a phone or a PDA, I’d skip the book & get ePocrates (even if you just get the free one)

Lastly, along the way, stay conscious of those times you say “Darn, I wish I had such&such”. If that occurs more than once, go out and get such&such.

Whatever you buy, save the receipt… and submit it for reimbursement if you have an education stipend.

I hope that helps

Dr. Tori
RookieDoctor.com

First Day of Internship – What It Feels Like

Dr. Tori — Sun, 16 May 2010 11:31:18 +0000

Recently, the following question was submitted through AskRookieDoc.com:

How does it feel in my first day of internship, at the end of the 1st week of my internship and at the end of the internship?

Here’s my response on YouTube:

Like it? Tweet this video.

Between the Match and Starting Residency – What To Do

Dr. Tori — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:53:04 +0000

What should you do now that the NRMP Match is over and you’re preparing for your internship and residency? Well, I just posted some quick residency preparation tips for things you should do (and things you should not do). Here’s the video from YouTube:

Like it? Tweet this video.

Didn’t Match for Residency? What Should You Do Now?

Dr. Tori — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:39:24 +0000

The NRMP Residency Match process just ended for this year and the most common question I’ve received in the Ask RookieDoc survey is “I didn’t match… What should I do now?” While I can provide some general advice about what to do if you didn’t match, it really depends on your personal situation. There is no one-size-fits-all advice for people who didn’t match. For some of you, it’s your scores, for others it’s communication skills, and for others it’s something else.

Well, here’s some advice I recently gave… in case it helps:

(and if you think it’s helpful Re-tweet it)

I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t match.

This, of course, is not the end of the world. But it will require some work and strategy.

The big picture steps:

Scramble process
Honestly assess the potential reasons for not matching
Set goals
Monitor for openings (ongoing)
Improve your credentials (ongoing)
Re-apply

So let’s look at these things one-at-a-time:

Scramble process: I assume you are doing this now… If so, remain active, and at the same time (most importantly) be patient. These 2 days of scrambling are loaded with rejections. Don’t get a few and then stop… keep plugging along.

Assessing your reasons for not matching: This is a 2 part process… 1 internal & 2 external. The internal self-assessment is to take a look at your application, your skill set, your CV, your scores, relationships, etc.

Before reviewing your stuff… ask this very important question: What does your gut feeling tell you – Why didn’t you match?
Then while reviewing these things above, put yourself in the mind of someone reviewing your application. Why should they take you? What about you is easy to sell to them? What about you would be a red flag?
Take a look at the relationships you’ve developed at various institutions – everyone from attendings to residents to nurses to residency program coordinators & secretaries. Ask yourself if there were any that were great. If so, what made them great? Were there any that didn’t go so well? If so, why not?
Take a look at your CV. What’s great about your CV? What’s not so good? What could be better?
How about the places you’ve done rotations… Which ones did you perform well in? Which ones not so well? Why? What relationships can continue to be nurtured now?

The external portion is to have someone examine some of these things for you. Ask the programs you thought you had a good chance at for some insight into why you were not chosen and what you can do now to improve your application. Send me your CV and personal statement for review (this is for RookieDoc members only). I can take a look at them. (Although I cannot offer immediate help for this application year, I can provide some helpful insights for what needs to be improved for next time.) But also, have others review them and give you feedback (just make sure they’re honest & not just trying to avoid the hard conversation – it’s not easy to tell someone about their weaknesses).

Set goals: Now don’t blow this off. Setting goals is ultra-important… and not only that… write them down. Even tell some people (friends/family) your goals for this upcoming year. They’ll help you stick to them.

Your goals should specific with specific dates. “I want to get a research position at XYZ University with Dr. ABC by April 30th” “I will have 3 people review my CV by April 10th” “I will get a job in XYZ hospital as a phlebotomist by May 1st” … or whatever you think will improve your application for next time.

Monitor for openings: The best way to monitor for openings is to be involved in the places near where you have the best shot at getting in. Sometimes people have visa problems when they get started & programs can wait only so long before they find a replacement. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out for one reason or another – behavior problems, etc. If you have befriended someone on the inside, they can let you know that something has happened in the program.

Another way to monitor for openings is to use services like FindAResident (https://services.aamc.org/findaresident/ ). Some programs even send out notice on Twitter, so you should have a Twitter account and follow them.

So as you’re carrying out your plan/fulfilling your goals, if a position opens up, you pounce on it.

Improve your credentials: This possibility is endless… most people think research is the only way to go. Although research is good, maybe even great, it really depends on what you identified in #2 (your assessment of why you didn’t get in). Sure research may be good for some, but if you find that your reason for not getting in is communication skills – then research won’t help, but maybe being a phlebotomist or an EKG tech would. You see? So, whatever your reason for not getting in was, you need to be able to counter that objection next time.

Another way to improve your credentials is to “strengthen your strengths”. If there’s something that you’re particularly good at that is a valuable skill, then maybe you take that skill from good to great. Maybe you work in research during the day, but work on writing a book at night, or whatever.

Again it all depends on #2.

Re-Apply: Map out the important dates for next year now. Get your papers/files in order now. Your re-application starts now. Along the way, you may have an opportunity to jump in if a spot opens up. Have all of your stuff ready for a moment’s notice.

Again, I’m sorry that you didn’t get in, but I hope this advice helps. Send me your CV & your most recent personal statement if you want me to look at them. (again… RookieDoc members only)

Also, tell me your answers to the above questions… your honest, gut feelings as to why you didn’t get in, etc. Also, are there any extenuating circumstances – family, visa, medical, financial, addiction recovery, language proficiency, etc.

Dr. Tori
RookieDoctor.com

(Again, if you found this helpful Re-tweet it)

In the next post, I’ll cover what to do if you got in… What should you do between now and starting residency?

How To Insert Central Lines – A Collection of Resources

Dr. Tori — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:40:13 +0000

Central Lines for Medical Students, Interns, & Residents

Placing central lines can be a pretty stressful part of medical school, internship, and residency… especially early on. Well, I’ve collected a bunch of videos and PDF files that you might find useful as you prepare for putting lines in yourself.

Let me know what you think of it.