Completing the didactic years of medical school is a huge accomplishment. You are now preparing to take your first board exam and transition to hands-on patient care! Clerkships are incredibly exciting but can present challenges. The best way to ease this transition is to be prepared. Below are some tips to help you find success throughout clinical rotations.
Months before rotations:
Board exams
- Ensure you have completed and passed the necessary board exams (COMLEX Level 1 and/or USMLE step 1).
- Life and personal logistics.
- Spend time with family and friends before your schedule gets hectic.
- Schedule and make necessary appointments ahead of time (doctor, dentist, vet, haircut, etc.)
Essential supplies
- Comfortable and professional shoes (some rotations you may sit a lot, and others you may not sit the entire day, be prepared!)
- Stethoscope.
- Pens - Always have 2-3 extra pens on you (I found using a multicolor pen to be very useful!)
- A small notepad that you can hold in your white coat.
- Pocket DO or any small reference book you prefer, these are very handy on just about every rotation.
- Download useful apps – See last month's post for an extensive list of apps to utilize!
Days before your first clinical rotation:
Review basic clinical skills.
No need to get too down in the details, but familiarize yourself with:
- SOAP note format.
- How to take a history and physical.
- Lab values/interpretations.
- Concise patient presentation (do not stress if you find this aspect difficult prior to rotations, with practice, this will become much easier!)
Stock up on healthy snacks.
- Lunches are not always guaranteed.
- Find snacks that are easy to eat that you can keep in your pocket throughout the day.
Reach out to your preceptor and introduce yourself via email or phone number.
- Review where and when to report on the first day.
- Ask for the dress code if you are unsure of it.
- Additionally, you can ask if there is anything you should read up on beforehand.
Get a good night's sleep.
During your rotations:
Be professional.
- Always be early (10-15 minutes).
- Dress appropriately.
- Be kind to everyone!
Stay engaged.
- Try to ask insightful questions, consider cases you saw the day before, or presentations you may see later in the week. Read up on these topics and find a few questions you can ask.
- Take notes to remember key details of patient encounters – helpful for when you need to write your notes!
- Always be prepared to help out.
Develop a study plan for clerkship exams early!
- Start studying from day one.
- Find your 2-3 trusted study resources and stay consistent.
- Practice questions!
Rotation-specific tips:
Surgery
- Consider practicing with a suture kit before this rotation.
- Familiarize yourself with sterile procedure processes and how to scrub in.
OB/GYN
- Review steps of pelvic and breast exams.
- Familiarize yourself with the terminology used in note-taking.
Pediatrics
- Stickers can be your best friend, purchase a few cheap packs from the dollar store and keep them in your coat pocket.
- Familiarize yourself with well-child check components and newborn examinations.
Psychiatry
- Review mental status exams.
- Familiarize yourself with common psychiatric medications and side effects.
Third year rotations are a critical component to developing into the doctor you aspire to be. There will be many wonderful experiences along with many challenging ones. All of which you can utilize to become a fantastic physician. Work hard and stay focused. Wishing you all the best of luck!
