On-call for Medical Students?

[cj09]

Why thank you!

Denial must be a bitch; I'm glad you finally got over it!

[Clarkey]

Can we stay on topic please?

[cj09]

I know night shifts are intended mostly for third year med students, but could you volunteer during a night shift in your first year even?

[melon]

I know night shifts are intended mostly for third year med students, but could you volunteer during a night shift in your first year even?

I'm afraid the only volunteer night shifts a first year medical student is capable of is exactly that - working as a volunteer making tea and coffee for patients in A&E for example.

You need a fair bit of clinical knowledge to get anything out of it really, as nobody will really be able to hold your hand as they will be too busy, or asleep.

[Lizzie-Beth]

A lifetime ago, someone asked me how many students actually do nights. Most of them, actually. On some rotations, it's compulsory (and has to be signed off), on other rotations it's billed as compulsory - but in reality no one checks. The majority of students I know also do the un-checked ones. I have only stayed through the entire night during Obs & Gynae and A&E. However, I have received the best teaching and the most clinical opportunities out of hours. I've actually just swapped my day shifts on A&E for night shifts - not because of some heroic personality trait, but because I have finals coming up and I have found them to be more useful.

Thank you to whoever accused rjm of not being a doctor. I enjoy a good joke of a Monday lunchtime.

[Martigan]

I think it would be a good idea to get out of hours experience as part of the clinical training.

a) as the whole feel of a hospital changes out of hours; and
b) any thing that preps you for the impact of the F1 year can't be a bad thing IMHO.

On the first point at the DGH that I volenteer at the whole pace and feel of the place is materially different between week days and weekend and between day, evening and night. (Not that I know nights that well as I've not been there past 1.30 am)

For the latter point, most F1's I've spoken to have found the uni/ F1 transition hard. To me anything that can prep for that can't be a bad thing.

However practically I'm not confident I would have the time to volenteer for OOH shifts on top of formal study, top up study and trying to earn a little.

Anyway, for me, I still need to get a place...

[rjm]

Why thank you!

Denial must be a bitch; I'm glad you finally got over it!

Exactly, like you I am just a dreamer, one that resuscitates small babies in my dreams, my dreams are so vivid that sometimes it seems to blur with reality, but then I must tell myself that all that bleeping noise I also hear in my sleep and the nurses asking me to resite cannulas and write up iv fluids must just be my auditory hallucinations that go along with my indistinction of reality and my dreams. I am glad though CJ that I am not alone in this state and that you are experiencing it too!

[rjm]

Can we stay on topic please?

No Clarkye, this is far more amusing

[cj09]

You're a bit slow. I obviously wouldn't know what it's like to be in denial, or that if denial is a bitch (hence the "must be" bit).

Anyway, anyone (besides rjm) read "Trust Me, I'm A Junior Doctor"? I can't believe how many night shifts (oncalls) he had to do back then. He says at the end of his book that the hours for junior doctors have changed since 2007. Is this true?

[Gizmo says -]

No Clarkye, this is far more amusing

and i prefer Bounty bars meself