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How much of medschool is like first aid class?


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I took first aid last week and it was a bigger struggle for me than all of undergrad. Im seriously deficient in practical skills when it comes to doing slings for broken limbs,  using an aed or anything like that. The instructor would show an example and expect us to do it, but it takes me way longer than that do learn a practical skill. I need to read the instructions and try it on my own and learn that way. 

im starting to be scared im going to seriously struggle in medschool

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1 hour ago, ysera said:

im starting to be scared im going to seriously struggle in medschool

Everyone struggles at some point. Every single person.
Those that don't are either incredibly talented, extremely disciplined or have a high-tolerance to prolonged stress.
They have my admiration.

One thing to remember is that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. 
Every student doctor has a way to learn, abilities and areas to improve.
My advice is to have confidence in yourself.
Remember that you were selected for a reason.
A university believes you have the abilities required to be a physician.

Don't compare yourself to others.
Learn about yourself.
Accept your weaknesses.
Work on them.
And don't give up.

 

Good luck! :)

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On 6/16/2019 at 10:05 AM, ysera said:

I took first aid last week and it was a bigger struggle for me than all of undergrad. Im seriously deficient in practical skills when it comes to doing slings for broken limbs,  using an aed or anything like that. The instructor would show an example and expect us to do it, but it takes me way longer than that do learn a practical skill. I need to read the instructions and try it on my own and learn that way. 

im starting to be scared im going to seriously struggle in medschool

You’ll get shown and then asked to do things all the time. But no one reasonable is expecting you to do anything anywhere close to perfectly right away. What they do expect is that you take guidance and feedback, and try to improve with each attempt. 

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On 6/16/2019 at 2:46 PM, circlecircledotdot said:

At my school in Ottawa, These types of skills are usually part of extra curricular workshops. Had I not gone to any of them (like suturing, intubation, cast setting, dissection, etc.) I would have had 0 procedural experience.

This sounds like a major gap in Ottawa's medical curriculum...

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3 hours ago, frenchpress said:

You’ll get shown and then asked to do things all the time. But no one reasonable is expecting you to do anything anywhere close to perfectly right away. What they do expect is that you take guidance and feedback, and try to improve with each attempt. 

What sort of things will we be shown and expect to do? I know I'll have plenty of time to practice things like sutures, but will we have to do things like shoulder slings or a makeshift tourniquet? Or anything that is similar to doing the aforementioned things? God I hated it so much, and also learned something new about myself (that I'm terrible at working with my hands)... 

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9 hours ago, ysera said:

What sort of things will we be shown and expect to do? I know I'll have plenty of time to practice things like sutures, but will we have to do things like shoulder slings or a makeshift tourniquet? Or anything that is similar to doing the aforementioned things? God I hated it so much, and also learned something new about myself (that I'm terrible at working with my hands)... 

Anything. Steps of a procedure or whole procedures, doing exam maneuvers, patient interviews, dictations, etc. Medical school just exposes you to a subset of the things you might do if you specialized in something though. In emerg or family practice as a student you may sometimes be in situations where you want to make someone a sling or do other more ‘practical first aid’ type things, but again, people will show and help you. The nurses and residents are a goldmine of practical skills and information - if you are nice to them, they will help you. And staff will help you too.

I am also pretty awful with my hands! But it has gotten easier with practice.

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On 6/16/2019 at 4:25 PM, freewheeler said:

You'll be ok. Eventually you'll literally Google a YouTube video for something and then do it for the first time on actual patients.

Hell, I'm a staff surgeon and I have learned how to do new aspects of surgery from YouTube. Lots of us have.

Don't worry about procedural skills. You just need to practice after you learn how to do them. You can teach a monkey how to perform a task with enough practice. And if you don't enjoy procedures, you can just do a specialty with little to no procedures.

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1 hour ago, NLengr said:

Hell, I'm a staff surgeon and I have learned how to do new aspects of surgery from YouTube. Lots of us have.

Don't worry about procedural skills. You just need to practice after you learn how to do them. You can teach a monkey how to perform a task with enough practice. And if you don't enjoy procedures, you can just do a specialty with little to no procedures.

 

Im sure ill learn more as i do observerships and such, but what are some of the non-procedure specialties?

 

radiology (not IR), anesthesiology, pathology, ?

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Seriously don’t worry. Every single time I’ve taken CPR (and I’ve done it like five times) I fail at the sling etc. Medical school is totally different. 

I don’t particularly enjoy doing procedures which is part of how I ended up in psychiatry and I wouldn’t say I’m great with my hands (things like speculum exams and blood draws took me a long time to learn) but I was fine in medical school. Just needed to practice and get some help. 

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1 hour ago, ysera said:

 

Im sure ill learn more as i do observerships and such, but what are some of the non-procedure specialties?

 

radiology (not IR), anesthesiology, pathology, ?

Anesthesia is very procedural, you have to intubate and do epidurals/blocks while impatient surgeons "joke" about how long you're taking.

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1 hour ago, ysera said:

 

 what are some of the non-procedure specialties?

 

Depends on what you consider "procedures."

Psychiatry is the most procedure-free, unless you consider ECT a procedure...which it is. Lab specialties would be next in line. Family medicine maybe (you won't be doing emergent cricothyrotomies like you've seen in the movies), but you'll do as much or as little procedures as you want.

Anaesthesia is hugely procedural...difficult lines and airways is your bread and butter! 

You'll have to do some procedures as a trainee, at least attempt them.

Don't stress now. Enjoy starting med school!

 

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2 hours ago, JohnGrisham said:

I honestly dont know what CPR classes people are doing that shows you how to do slings. Still dont know how to properly sling or cast or do complex sutures. 

Youll be fine.

Every one I’ve ever been to has done it. It’s annoying and I can never get it right 

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8 hours ago, ysera said:

 

Im sure ill learn more as i do observerships and such, but what are some of the non-procedure specialties?

 

radiology (not IR), anesthesiology, pathology, ?

 

7 hours ago, LostLamb said:

Depends on what you consider "procedures."

Psychiatry is the most procedure-free, unless you consider ECT a procedure...which it is. Lab specialties would be next in line. Family medicine maybe (you won't be doing emergent cricothyrotomies like you've seen in the movies), but you'll do as much or as little procedures as you want.

Anaesthesia is hugely procedural...difficult lines and airways is your bread and butter! 

You'll have to do some procedures as a trainee, at least attempt them.

Don't stress now. Enjoy starting med school!

 

Public health and preventative medicine has less procedures .... lol =P 

- G

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6 hours ago, Lactic Folly said:

Sorry - you'll need to be able to do biopsies, injections, etc. under imaging guidance as a general radiologist.

I dont think I'd have a problem with biopsies or injections, I didn't have a problem with dissections in undergrad. All these comments were helpful, I don't think I'll have too much trouble as long as I stay away from surgery - not for me unless something changes in medschool. 

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On 6/18/2019 at 6:31 PM, ploughboy said:

Congratulations on you acceptance.  I see you're getting a head-start on developing some "imposter syndrome"  ;)

 

Just saw a funny meme and had to share it.

 

When you get accepted into medicine after working towards it for years but have no money, no future direction and a bad case of imposter syndrome:

 

2pkhlsx9z8331.jpg

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