An Introduction to Clinical Rotations
Written by Michael Galibov, DO
The jump from lectures and tests to showing up to rotations in a notably shorter white coat is intimidating. I remember being told that the didactic portion of medical school was like “trying to fill a Dixie Cup with water from a busted fire hydrant.” After finishing up Step/Level one, I’m pretty sure I was holding an empty cup. The time you spend in each specialty will produce its fair share of unique stories, adventures, patient interactions, and opportunities for personal growth; the biggest thing that kept me going was an understanding of my role as a third-year medical student.
Be SpongeBob. People still know about him, right? I’m not old or anything? Is this copyright infringement? Besides the way too on-the-nose parallel of absorbing information at the moment, he’s fun to be around, helpful to the best of his abilities, and not afraid to ask simple questions. More than anything he’s excited to be there. This can be a difficult balance to find, especially since you’ve probably been working harder in these past 24 months than any of the 240 months prior.
You’re granted a bit of a reprieve as a third-year medical student where the focus shifts now to relationships with patients, residents, attendings, and medical staff. Some months you’ll need to do more than others (COVID-related online rotations notwithstanding). Don’t lose your drive if your responsibilities shift slightly from month to month. Stay the course, and have some fun with it. You won’t get to be a third-year med student again.
There’s often some pressure on discovering a healthy equilibrium between rotations and studying for shelves/boards/personal knowledge. For me, I tried to always be present when at “work” and saved question banks for later. I have never been an Anki guy, and I know many of my friends would spend downtime flashing through cards. If that works for you, great, do it. But, don’t overwhelm yourself, and cut yourself some slack.
This is the time to take a deep breath, step back and see what you’ve been working towards. In a couple of years, you’ll be a doctor. But for now? Give me your Dixie cup and pick up a Jellyfishing net - have fun, fight the imposter syndrome and do what you can to help people. You’re there for a reason, and patients will be grateful to see the future of their care personified.
