Things are getting real :/
So, as many of you know, I am a 3rd year medical student. Well, this month is my second to last rotation of 3rd year. This means that things are starting to get real serious, real fast.
This month I am on my second month of General Surgery. I really don't like the surgeon I'm with all that well - he's a bit of a narcissist (but that's pretty common in gen surg). That said - I absolutely LOVE surgery. At the end of this month, I will have my surgery shelf exam. Shelf exams are basically board prep exams designed to encourage medical students to continue studying while on rotations.
Next month I will have an outpatient internal medicine rotation, for my final rotation of 3rd year. At the end of that month, I will have two more shelf exams - one in psychiatry and one in ob/gyn. I will also have my clinical skills workshop (which is practice for the PE Board Exam).
June is a study month -- at the end of June is my Step II Board Exam. This is an exam that is of extreme importance. First of all, passing this exam is required in order to graduate medical school. Secondly, the board exams scores are very important for securing a residency after graduation. Thirdly, it's an 8 hour exam with a little over 400 questions on it.
July is technically my vacation month - but, because of having kids, I can't do that many "away" or "audition" rotations. So, instead of taking the month off, I will be using this month to do an "audition" rotation at a hospital near my parents. I will be doing this audition rotation in general surgery. So, on top of studying for boards and my shelf exams, I need to be reviewing basic anatomy, medical management of surgical patients, surgical technique and practice suturing all while board studying.
Also, July is when ERAS opens. ERAS is the centralized, online, residency application process. This is basically like applying to medical school all over again - but, this time, it's applying for a residency. I have to finish writing my CV, uploading my transcripts, releasing my board scores, writing a personal statement, gathering and uploading letters of recommendation, etc., etc.
The bad thing about this -- I'm not 100% sure what I want to do for the rest of my life. I loved ob/gyn; hate the lifestyle. I love pulm/critical care; there isn't enough cool procedures to be done. I love gen surg; it has a 5 year residency that is considered one of the toughest to get through. The only things I know for sure: I do NOT want to do family medicine, pediatrics or psychiatry.
Then I will start 4th year rotations -- I've been told this will go pretty quickly. However, it's full of waiting. First, waiting to get invitations to interview for the residency programs I apply for. Followed by deciding my rank order list, while stressing about how the programs will rank me on their rank order list. Then waiting for match day (the day I will find out where I will be spending the next approximately 5 years after medical school as a resident).
OMG, this medical school thing is getting down to a crunch time....and I have to start making some major decisions here quickly.
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Sorry - just venting and stressing. Anyone else have anything stressful going on right now? Anyone have any suggestions for me?
Thank you, so much. I appreciate that.
You are right - it's all prepping me for the actual tests to come.
Lol, yeah - how is it that surgeons become narcissists? To be honest, all physicians have to be confident in their knowledge and skills - but, it's balancing it with knowing when something is outside of their knowledge and skills AND being willing to turn it over to another physician who has the knowledge and skills. To be fair to the surgeon I'm with now, yes, he's narcissistic - but, if something is outside his area of training he doesn't hesitate to send the person to another physician that has the training in that area. He's also not one that will take every patient to surgery - if it's not surgical, he doesn't find a reason to do surgery. I respect that.
lol, no, I wouldn't be able to do cosmetic surgery - it just seems so superficial. Now, reconstructive plastic surgery would be cool.
Summer way to go!
You've come a long way and your hard work, brains, and perseverance are the reason. You CAN do this, and you will!
Oh, thank you, Larry - that's very nice of you.
Look how far you've come! You've done GREAT-- and will continue to do so!
All of us reach these 'crossroads' in our lives, where we have to make big career decisions, when we really don't know what we may be letting ourselves in for, either way.
Is there any particular field of medicine that really turns your crank? Is there anything that you are naturally drawn toward?
For me, following my own gut was always the answer. I think you know there are things you don't want to do, and things you may love. Follow your instinct, and you'll be fine. No one knows you like YOU.
All this looming ahead can be very daunting-- and we're here for you if you just need to vent. You know, I hope, that we all care about you and want what will make you happy. I know that you are very smart-- and that your heart will tell you what to do. And I have no doubt that you will accomplish all of your goals!
BEST of luck to you!
Thanks
I'm working toward it!!
I love surgery. I love being in the OR, I like being able to "fix" someone right away - rather than just giving them meds to make them better eventually. I like the actual work of surgery.
I also like that there are clinic hours - a chance to talk to the patients before and after their surgery. Just an example, but recently we did a palliative mastectomy on a patient w/ triple negative breast cancer that has metastasized to her lymph nodes and lungs. We aren't going to save her life - but, we bought her time, probably about a year extra, that she can be with her family. It's not perfect, but now, between the surgery and the chemo (that she's finished with), she has a little more time with her family than she would have. Before the surgery, she was nervous - but a very brave woman. After the surgery, she kept saying "Thank you for giving me more time with my family. This means the world to us." I wish it were a more perfect result - but, it feels good to have given her more time with her family.
Thanks for the encouragement and words of advice.
Thanks, everyone for listening to me vent for a bit - it's appreciated
Shoot, all of us need to vent! You've surely heard US venting!
Yeah - true. I don't mind listening to people vent - as long as they aren't in the midst of a borderline personality, bipolar psychosis rant. Man, those are exhausting!!
Hey, finding a good orthopedic surgeon is important. I've had them put my knees and wrists back together.
Sweetie, it is hard to encourage perfection! LOL! You do great!
Maybe surgery is the answer for you! I think the one thing that was hardest for all of my doctor friends to deal with is that sometimes, all you can do is buy time. A year to this lovely lady was a lifetime-- and a time when she could do other things that meant something to her.
I was just reading an article about more women choosing double mastectomies voluntarily, and I have to be honest. If that were me, that's probably what I would do. To have one giant boob on one side, and no boob on the other side, would be like nailing one foot to the floor. I'd never get any where, just spin in circles. I once had a cyst drained and ran into doors afterwards for days-- no anesthesia, just off balance.
You'll make a fabulous doctor!
I hope you stay with it and do well....I married a nurse,..the best thing to ever happen to me,..imo. as for stress,..I am almost ashamed to say the most stressful thing in my life is deciding to have eggs n grits or chicken fried steak for breakfast....
Yeah, it is hard to just buy someone time. I'm glad that this woman got another year, but I wish it could have been a lot longer.
Yeah, many women that are BRCA positive are choosing elective double mastectomies rather than risking getting breast cancer later in life. But, for those that wait and then have a mastectomy of only one breast -- there is a lot that can be done to prevent the lopsided effect anymore.Prosthetic breasts, mastectomy brasand reconstruction.
Haha, I've had a few surgeries - and I know what you mean about running into walls. I had my knee reconstructed in 8th grade and my wrist done in 10th grade - and I was really unsteady after these surgeries. After my 1st c-section, I was in the hospital for 4 1/2 mos due to serious complications -- I could barely stand for a while after that, needed to go through physical rehab from being in a hospital bed for so long.
Thanks - I love medicine, it's why I decided to go into this field. The decisions are tough - mainly because there are so many things I like, and it's what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my career.
I agree - it's not just finding a doctor that is confident in their abilities, but has good communications skills. No one likes a doctor that may be technically sound, but is rude, condescending or just plain awkward.
lol, I think there are a lot of people that would love to have that be their only stress.
In my opinion - go with the chicken fried steak. Eggs smell funny.