Internal Medicine Over
It seems like forever ago that I was in a rotation that was NOT Internal Medicine. IM is, at 12 weeks long, the longest rotation we have in third year. It's not so much the length of each day that wears you [I should say, "me"] down, but more the sheer enormity of all those days, all in a row, all the time caring for patients with CHF and Type 2 Diabetes.
But, finally, today we took the exam that heralded the end of IM clerkship. This is kind of a big deal... it covers pretty much everything in medicine, since Internal Medicine is the sort of "gateway" into healthcare. They're the ones who refer you to specialists when they're in over their head because you've got some weird infection from touching rose thorns. (Editor's Note: Quit doing that.)
Now that this massively long rotation is just about over, I'm focusing on some relaxation techniques. I have a pretty brutal schedule, with OB/GYN and now Internal Medicine behind me and the big one, Surgery next.
You probably knew this already, but I'm kind of, sort of, mildly SUPER excited for my Surgery rotation.
The key during Surgery clerkship, so I hear, is to survive.
The challenge is that apparently, some the people you work for don't necessarily want you to do that.
So I hear.
We'll see, but if the rumors are true, I will be functioning on little to no sleep for the next 8 weeks starting the first week of December. But before that, we're going to the BAHAMAS, BABY! So hopefully I will get some rest, or at least some Bahama Mamas, or some such.
But while I'm on the subject of surgery, I will talk briefly about career choices I am now dealing with.
In a nutshell, to update:
1) I have always been fascinated by Orthopedics. I think this is a natural attraction for me, since I have been involved in all sorts of athletics at many different levels and have injured myself participating in most of them. This has led to much interaction with Orthopedists. They have healed me many times. That's +1 for them. Not just because of the selfish factor, though I'm sure that is playing a part with some kind of Observer's Bias, but also because it represents much of what they get to do, which is to restore function to young athletes and even non-athletes. They get to intervene, with their hands, and directly do something that can help otherwise healthy people become dramatically better, rather quickly. Even if you're Captain Neurology, or the Prince of the Pontificators, you can't honestly tell me that's not cool. That said, there is the drawback of it being more of a physical challenge, some say, than a mental one. This is a serious drawback, actually, if it is really true, as I wouldn't want to be just mindlessly operating on the same joint every day for the rest of my life. I guess I have to explore that.
Next, I have also been considering...
Um...
There should be something here.
Well, let's see...
So, third year is the perfect time for exploration, and I guess I will use this time to think about what's number two here for me.
I mean, I have at certain times considered Urology, but I don't really know much about it. So there's that.
Also GI, but I'd have to do an Internal Medicine residency, and honestly, I don't know whether I'd make it through, mentally. I feel like I'm just more of a surgical person. I don't know what it is, I was fine during the clerkship, talking about diseases and wondering whether this medication or that medication is better for the patient, and worrying about compliance... but I can't see myself dealing well with that in life. I know I'm not an incredibly patient person, even though I think I'm pretty good at talking to people, and that would probably work against me. The rest of the Internal Medicine specialties are pretty much out of the question for me. Something without procedures just won't do. And we already know I'm not doing OB/GYN or Psych. See prior post.
I have thought about Dermatology. It appeals to me in the way that a fresh garden salad appeals to a retired sumo wrestler. It is a good thing, on paper, I know it would be good for me to want it, and I have no real reasons NOT to want it, but then again, I don't really want it. Or do I? It's hard to say. At least the Internal Medicine portion of this would be only intern year... but the pimples and rashes part would be for the rest of my life.
But rashes can be interesting. (Ed's note: Right?)
Okay, time for sleep. My head hurts now. I hope to start writing a little more regularly since I'll be dealing more intimately with scalpels soon, and it only seems fitting that even though I'll likely be retracting mostly, I talk about surgery while I'm on Surgery for goodness' sake.
But, finally, today we took the exam that heralded the end of IM clerkship. This is kind of a big deal... it covers pretty much everything in medicine, since Internal Medicine is the sort of "gateway" into healthcare. They're the ones who refer you to specialists when they're in over their head because you've got some weird infection from touching rose thorns. (Editor's Note: Quit doing that.)
Now that this massively long rotation is just about over, I'm focusing on some relaxation techniques. I have a pretty brutal schedule, with OB/GYN and now Internal Medicine behind me and the big one, Surgery next.
You probably knew this already, but I'm kind of, sort of, mildly SUPER excited for my Surgery rotation.
The key during Surgery clerkship, so I hear, is to survive.
The challenge is that apparently, some the people you work for don't necessarily want you to do that.
So I hear.
We'll see, but if the rumors are true, I will be functioning on little to no sleep for the next 8 weeks starting the first week of December. But before that, we're going to the BAHAMAS, BABY! So hopefully I will get some rest, or at least some Bahama Mamas, or some such.
But while I'm on the subject of surgery, I will talk briefly about career choices I am now dealing with.
In a nutshell, to update:
1) I have always been fascinated by Orthopedics. I think this is a natural attraction for me, since I have been involved in all sorts of athletics at many different levels and have injured myself participating in most of them. This has led to much interaction with Orthopedists. They have healed me many times. That's +1 for them. Not just because of the selfish factor, though I'm sure that is playing a part with some kind of Observer's Bias, but also because it represents much of what they get to do, which is to restore function to young athletes and even non-athletes. They get to intervene, with their hands, and directly do something that can help otherwise healthy people become dramatically better, rather quickly. Even if you're Captain Neurology, or the Prince of the Pontificators, you can't honestly tell me that's not cool. That said, there is the drawback of it being more of a physical challenge, some say, than a mental one. This is a serious drawback, actually, if it is really true, as I wouldn't want to be just mindlessly operating on the same joint every day for the rest of my life. I guess I have to explore that.
Next, I have also been considering...
Um...
There should be something here.
Well, let's see...
So, third year is the perfect time for exploration, and I guess I will use this time to think about what's number two here for me.
I mean, I have at certain times considered Urology, but I don't really know much about it. So there's that.
Also GI, but I'd have to do an Internal Medicine residency, and honestly, I don't know whether I'd make it through, mentally. I feel like I'm just more of a surgical person. I don't know what it is, I was fine during the clerkship, talking about diseases and wondering whether this medication or that medication is better for the patient, and worrying about compliance... but I can't see myself dealing well with that in life. I know I'm not an incredibly patient person, even though I think I'm pretty good at talking to people, and that would probably work against me. The rest of the Internal Medicine specialties are pretty much out of the question for me. Something without procedures just won't do. And we already know I'm not doing OB/GYN or Psych. See prior post.
I have thought about Dermatology. It appeals to me in the way that a fresh garden salad appeals to a retired sumo wrestler. It is a good thing, on paper, I know it would be good for me to want it, and I have no real reasons NOT to want it, but then again, I don't really want it. Or do I? It's hard to say. At least the Internal Medicine portion of this would be only intern year... but the pimples and rashes part would be for the rest of my life.
But rashes can be interesting. (Ed's note: Right?)
Okay, time for sleep. My head hurts now. I hope to start writing a little more regularly since I'll be dealing more intimately with scalpels soon, and it only seems fitting that even though I'll likely be retracting mostly, I talk about surgery while I'm on Surgery for goodness' sake.
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