patient contact in first year?

[Medically_Challenged]

Hi ,
I was wondering if there are any current medical students out there who could let me know how much patient contact there is in first year at Glasgow. I know at Edinburgh, the main patient contact is through the ‘Working with families’ (where you meet a new mother) and ‘Care of the Elderly’ projects – is this similar to Glasgow?

Thanks

[scohoust]

Not sure exactly what those are like in Edinburgh, but there is plenty of contact over at Glasgow.

At the start of block 2 (6th week) you'll visit either a GP practice or a ward. Then 3 weeks later you go to the other. What you get to do here varies, but you should get to speak to patients on at least one of these.

In block 3, you visit someone in their home (they'll have some sort of chronic illness) and you need to interview them in order to write up a report. We're doing this right now and certainly the interview part is really enjoyable. The patients selected are really easy to talk to, and quite happy to tell you lots. You'll visit them twice to make sure you get enough to write it up.

In block 4 your group will work together to interview different members of a community. You'll give a 10 minute presentation on the community, which will come from varying other sources plus the interviews. Block 4 (and first week of block 5) should ideally give you the chance to visit an A&E and hospice.

In block 6 you'll visit the GP practice again with a look at diabetes.

You'll usually stay with 1 GP practice throughout the year, but that could be anywhere in the west of Scotland so you'll get out and about

[heed]

and if you feel like you want more exposure, some friendly GP tutors will arrange extra sessions at the practise or whatever - remember if you dont pester and annoy, you dont get

[TSN1984]

how big are these clinical groups, and do you ever feel you don't get a chance at things, e.g whilst at the hospital/GP etc

[scohoust]

You'll be in groups of 8ish for the off campus stuff. For other clinical skills (eg blood pressure) it's a larger group.

What you do really depends on the consultants/GPs who're taking you around. In hospital we talked to the patients and watched minor procedures.

[An-can-you-dig-it-drew]

Originally Posted by TSN1984

how big are these clinical groups, and do you ever feel you don't get a chance at things, e.g whilst at the hospital/GP etc

Once you get into second year, you are in groups of 4 and are expected to take part in respiratory/cv/nuero/GALS examination of patients.

[Medically_Challenged]

Thanks for all the replies - they've been really helpful !
Is second year when you're taught to take a patient's history and perform basic examinations then? Or would that possibly be taught in first year - depending on which GP/ consultant you were with?
Also, which hospitals are most of the first/ second year teaching taught at? Is it generally at the Western/ Gartnavel General/ Stobhill/ Victoria Infirmary/ etc. or is it possible to be taught at say Monklands General or further away?

[TSN1984]

So im guessing in 1st year individual patient contact can be quite limited, but in 2nd year it improves??... hopefully

[scohoust]

Generally, as you move up the medical school you'll get more patient contact. The idea of patient contact in first year is really to "acquire a better understanding of people, patients and the communities in which they live".

You can be sent pretty much anywhere in the west of Scotland. The lucky ones walk down to the Western, the unlucky ones (of which I was one) go for a 30 minute train journey. Just your luck

[heed]

the main examination and history taking (what to look for, what to ask etc) starts at the beginning of second year - but you do learn other clinical skills (suturing, respiratory system exam, BP, some musculoskeletal, resuscitation....) in first year. How much practise you get is up to you - if you feel u need more, then ask. You can also book out clinical skills rooms to practise on your friends or unsuspecting volunteers....

In first and second year the hospital teaching takes place in the main Glasgow Hospitals - but also in places like Crosshouse DGH (kilmarnock), Ayr, Paisley, Greenock and the lanarkshire hospitals. Later on, you can be sent to Dumfries and other such amazing places for 4 weeks on the trot (lovely accomodation is of course provided lol)