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March 29, 2024, 07:14:15 am

Author Topic: Med school life discussion thread  (Read 76034 times)  Share 

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pi

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #45 on: February 28, 2016, 02:27:44 pm »
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Just to fanboy about Geelong, there's an awesome neurologist there called Dr Peter Gates, huge fan of his book (and accompanying video) "Clinical Neurology: a primer", must-read for med students with an interest in the neurological examination imo :D

I'm curious to know though, have you heard anything about the Epworth? I asked at the Richmond one yesterday which Unis were getting it, and they seemed to have no idea about it.

I take some informal tutes of the MD2s (and Monash MBBS IIIs) there, what do you want to know?

edit: I think I misread, and you mean Epworth Geelong, oops!
« Last Edit: February 28, 2016, 02:31:04 pm by pi »

Stick

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #46 on: February 28, 2016, 03:55:28 pm »
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I think deakin have a preference system in place, but beyond that it is random and not dependent on marks. Someone posted some stats on PD. Most people seem to get their first preference. Surprisingly, not many people from the deakin cohort 1st preferenced box hill. Geelong hospital on other hand seems really competitive. May reflect the number of locals in the cohort, and you'd be surprised how few melb kids are here.

Fingers crossed the new random preferencing system at Melbourne (it sounds the same as Deakin's) produces a similar result.
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Shenz0r

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #47 on: February 28, 2016, 04:01:54 pm »
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For Melbourne, after you preference the hospitals in your clinical zone, they assign a random number to each student. People are then plucked out of the lottery in order, and allocated to the hospital they want by going down their preferences.

Should be the case for clinical zones too this year.
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Stick

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #48 on: February 28, 2016, 04:06:01 pm »
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For Melbourne, after you preference the hospitals in your clinical zone, they assign a random number to each student. People are then plucked out of the lottery in order, and allocated to the hospital they want by going down their preferences.

Should be the case for clinical zones too this year.

Yep, that's correct. :)
« Last Edit: February 28, 2016, 05:27:21 pm by Stick »
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Shenz0r

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #49 on: March 01, 2016, 04:59:21 pm »
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Did our first cardiovascular examinations today! Things I learnt:
*For medical students, examinations = theatre (just nod and look like you're actually feeling/hearing stuff)
*God curse the JVP
*Screw landmark variability

We also got allocated our first GP placements. Anyone got advice on how to make the most of it?
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MelonBar

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #50 on: March 01, 2016, 05:06:41 pm »
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Did our first cardiovascular examinations today! Things I learnt:
*For medical students, examinations = theatre (just nod and look like you're actually feeling/hearing stuff)
*God curse the JVP
*Screw landmark variability

We also got allocated our first GP placements. Anyone got advice on how to make the most of it?

That's pretty neat, we haven't started physical exams yet. I also have solo GP placement this week :)
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pi

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #51 on: March 01, 2016, 05:10:12 pm »
+3
Ah yes, OSCE vs hospital clinical examination. Two very different skill-sets and mind-sets :P I always find it useful to pretend my pillow is a patient (can serve as a chest or an abdomen or a back) and practice on there to develop my routine. Sounds lame and sad af, but is more productive than finding a real person to practice on. Obviously during clinical years you have real patients so the pillow can be used solely for sleeping again :P

JVP is super important, the MDs in my tute last week seemed to have forgotten the basics of it, best to remember it! :D edit: the Monash students also forgot... -_-

I'd also refrain from nodding like you're hearing something. Reminds me of that patient we had once where three medical students claimed to have heard the heart but it was on the other side, looks very awkward. Be honest what you can and can't detect, so your tutors (and yourself) know what you need to improve on. Practice makes perfect!

We also got allocated our first GP placements. Anyone got advice on how to make the most of it?

What type of things can you do? I found, during my GP rotation last year, to engage in "parallel consulting" where I would take a patient in one room and the GP has another patient in another room. We'd both work the patients up during the consult, and then when the GP was done with their patient they'd enter my room and I'd discuss my management and get the scripts printed for them to sign. That might be a little above your level as a first year, but if you're able to take some histories (HOPC, PHx, FHx, Meds, SHx,etc.), take some blood pressures, give some shots, listen to some chests, that would be great experience :) Always try and be useful in any placement, if you're finding that you're not helping anyone, then you probably aren't helping yourself either.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2016, 05:18:35 pm by pi »

Studentxzc

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #52 on: March 03, 2016, 07:30:59 pm »
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What do you guys do when there are too many med students on the team and the doctors are always rushing off + it seems you don't really exist to them  :P When you ask questions - they give a really short reply!

That literally happened to me during my clinical placements haha. Seems such a waste of time because I'm not learning much, and there are pretty much 4 students to a doctor!
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pi

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #53 on: March 03, 2016, 07:34:42 pm »
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What do you guys do when there are too many med students on the team and the doctors are always rushing off + it seems you don't really exist to them  :P When you ask questions - they give a really short reply!

That literally happened to me during my clinical placements haha. Seems such a waste of time because I'm not learning much, and there are pretty much 4 students to a doctor!

The curse of being in big city hospitals? I was lucky(?) to do my third year(med/surg year) at suburban hospitals where my largest ever team was 1 consultant + 1 reg + 1 intern/HMO + me + maybe 1 other student. So I always get plenty of chances to get involved.

Ultimately, you need to find someone who likes you. Whether that be staying after hours to impress or suck up to someone, or getting their early to help out someone getting things organised for the ward round, or something else. One of my wealthier colleagues used to bring in chocolates for the team every other day, perhaps that's more bribery though :P

I think it's a little unfair to be asking people to teach you if you don't help them in some way. So I always put in the hard yards first by helping them out before asking for any favours. Be keen, be helpful.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2016, 07:37:23 pm by pi »

Studentxzc

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #54 on: March 03, 2016, 07:41:20 pm »
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Oo thats lucky! I was in a city hospital (shared with another University who did Medicine!) There was even this occasion where there were 15 med students and 2 doctors in a ward round (when the doctors were on conference). Was pretty awkies :P

Chocolate sounds like a good idea  :P :P Bribe the doctors with sugar high!! :P

Hmm would you reckon going rural is a good idea for a year or two? (During med school)
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pi

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #55 on: March 03, 2016, 07:52:55 pm »
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Oo thats lucky! I was in a city hospital (shared with another University who did Medicine!) There was even this occasion where there were 15 med students and 2 doctors in a ward round (when the doctors were on conference). Was pretty awkies :P

15 students is absolutely ridiculous, definitely not a good learning environment of you guys or a welcoming environment for the patients. If rolls aren't marked or anything, I'd start a roster or something to ensure no more than 3 of you are on the ward at any one time.

Hmm would you reckon going rural is a good idea for a year or two? (During med school)

I personally haven't had much rural experience (spare the alcohol-fueled rural 2 week stint in Year 2 lol), but from my colleagues who have I have heard a lot of positive things. The student:doctor ratio is certainly better than 15:2, probably more like 1:1, and as a result you get much more involved. You do see less of the weird and wonderful (not that you need to see that at this stage!) and might get less structured formal teaching by hot shot Professors, but otherwise it's pretty good.

Shenz0r

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #56 on: March 11, 2016, 04:36:41 pm »
+1
Had tours of both St Vs and RMH this week. Still pretty torn over where to go. I think St Vs will be more comfortable for my learning style but I think that maybe I'll develop better self-directed learning skills at RMH which I'll need sooner or later anyway. The restricted after-hours access at St Vs is a bit disappointing though.
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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #57 on: March 11, 2016, 06:48:20 pm »
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The restricted after-hours access at St Vs is a bit disappointing though.

What do yo mean by this? You can't access wards after a certain time?
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pi

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #58 on: March 11, 2016, 08:46:50 pm »
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What do yo mean by this? You can't access wards after a certain time?

Well generally there's no need. Patients shouldn't be clerked at odd hours just because the med student has some free time.

I'm guessing he may mean libraries etc?

Russ

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Re: Med school life discussion thread
« Reply #59 on: March 12, 2016, 12:37:17 am »
+2
SVH restrict student access to wards/theatre/whatever and allocate students according to a roster. Other hospitals aren't as prescriptive and let you go wherever. You'll develop good independent learning skills anyway just of necessity. There are pros/cons to both models, although I'm not sure why you'd even want to be floating around after hours unless you had to. I tell my students to go home whenever they're there late but they never listen for some reason :(

e, although tbh i have lost all semblance of time and was really impressed that one of them was in on a weekend today
« Last Edit: March 12, 2016, 12:41:52 am by Russ »