Finals

[Chuck Munyon]

In about four hours, I will be done with my first year of medical school. The next time I post, I will probably be drunk.
Right now, though, I'm just nervous as hell. I've been studying for 9-10 hours a day for about two weeks now, and I still don't feel like I know anything.

[monkeyboy_ssj]

You go for it mate!

Just remember, think things through and don't doubt your abilities ^_~

Ja,

[Vapour]

[fifthchamber]

Hi Chuck...
Well done sir...For the last few months around my University I have seen quite attractive people turn into old, grey spinsters with the exam stress they are facing....I was lucky....We had a final year show that runs until Tuesday..And it really came out well...Better than I had thought it would...And it was great fun..Honestly....But exams?....Unnnggghhhhh.....
Now I need a job.....Life's great....
Good luck on your next year too...I would like to say it gets easier...But it does'nt....Sorry!
Enjoy yourself sir...
Regards.

Med studnts make me glad I'm an arts bum.

I just got a passing grade in 2nd year of a three year degree. It feels so good to be free of exam stress, but keep your eye on the ball. You'll feel good when the achievement catches up with the effort.

Good Luck.

[Chuck Munyon]

A bad sign is when your test begins with:

1) Which of the following drugs has NOT been associated with the sequela of gingival hyperplasia?

a) a drug you've never heard of
b) a drug you've never heard of
c) a drug you're pretty sure they made up
d) phenytoin (a drug that can't be the right answer)

Fortunately, the rest was not that bad. Still not fun, though.

Ben, are you in theater?

Ev, congratulations!

[Cady Goldfield]

Go Chuck!
Go Chuck!
We wish ya lots o' luck! (and an equal amount of caffeine)

I'm looking forward to reading drunken posts from you later.

Thanks, Chuck.

Now it's time for me to enjoy a year out. No more college till september of next year!

I can highly reccommend ayone to do the same...

[j-lane]

Hey Chuck!
Congratulations! I've been there, so I know what you've been going through (I graduated Med School in 1991).

Now, just think- another year of classes and exams to go. Then part one of the USMLE (used to be called the National Boards when I was in school). Then the hard part really begins! Long hours during clinical rotations. Then residency (even more hours). Parts 2 and 3 of the boards. Maybe a post-doc fellowship. Then licensing exams in your specialty, and perhaps another exam for a subspecialty. Recertification every 8 years or so. But I'm sure you already know this!

Hang in there! I'm sure you'll do fine on your exams. Enjoy the summer.

Jerry

[Shitoryu Dude]

The conditions of doing residency needs to be reworked. I don't know what idiot came up with the hours those guys keep, but whomever it was needs to have their ass kicked. I certainly do no look forward to being treated by someone who may have been on duty for the last couple of days and now has to stitch me up. To hell with tradition - reform the program.

Watching people go through residency is what made me decide against med school!

[Chuck Munyon]

Bob,
I love Cold Comfort Farm! What a great flick! I never thought I'd see it quoted anywhere, though.

As for residency, they are in the process of scaling it back. Now, instead of 100hrs, the maximum is 80 hrs a week, and instead of 36 hour shifts, the max is 30 hours. In fact, Yale almost lost their accrediation for surgery residency because they were working their residents too hard.

Of course, those are the limits on what they can MAKE you do. They don't apply to the stuff they can "strongly suggest" that you do.

After watching the Surgery residents at Hopkins (I worked in the SICU as a tech while doing my MA in history at UMBC) I have to salute the dedication of those who choose that path. I am rather too fond of sleep, myself....

[Shitoryu Dude]

I think that legal limits of perhaps 5 12-hours shifts per week would suffice as long they are enforced. Tossing a few people in jail for a month for trying to force residents to work longer would most likely open a few eyes. I don't know how the residency program got into such a state of retarded working hours, but there is really no excuse for it.

The attitude everywhere I've been, and this includes military and civillian, has been one of: "We went through it, so it is only fair for you guys to go through it." There are some protective measures in place, usually an intern (R1) can't write an order without consulting his senior (usually a 2 or a 3), but even so, consider the fate of the poor medicine or sugery resident who comes in at 5:30 for pre-rounds, rounds at 7:00, sees patients in clinic all day (or sees patients on wards if rotating in house), then, if it is his call night, stays in house, sees all the admits to his service coming in via the ED, then repeats the previous days work, before managing to finally get home, with all the scut accomplished, by 11:00 the next night, only to repeat the experience in two days. Some places have gone from the every third night on call model to the every fourth night, but still...