first real clinical day

nilepoc · Oct 16, 2002

jealousy is oozing out of my pores, some times I wonder if front loaded was the way I should have gone.

too late now.

Congrats, have fun

Craig

CoreyB · Oct 16, 2002

I'd like to hear some opinions on front loading, especially from those of you who are well into your program or have graduated.

thanks

Brenna's Dad · Oct 16, 2002

Nilepoc,

I just read your blog entry. I too was very surprised when I first learned that exams in med school were multiple choice. But, I am from Canada and though that perhaps it was a Canadian thing.

g8rlimey · Oct 16, 2002

Craig:

I hope you and yours keep sane and safe during this insanity. I have a friend who lives ~200 ft from the Home Depot.

By the way, great blog this month. Very interested to hear about your ethics class--oh, to be a fly on the wall during that class. Also good to hear about the educational differences. An 84% vs 70% is a profound difference. I wonder if the grade req's to stay in med school are the same as what GU requires to stay a SRNA.

I have often wondered if nsg. school and/or CRNA program should have more sciences as prereq's much like med school? Possibly MCAT prior to CRNA application--a bit more useful than the GRE. Any thoughts...?

Anyway, wish me luck, GRE @ 0900 tomorrow. Late but not out of the game--new essay portion. Come on 1300!!!!

Tenesma · Oct 16, 2002

Most med schools have multiple choice as a way of grading - it is a good way of standardizing questions... and i hated that format. Those multiple choice questions remain as part of mini-board exams, and then continue with our USMLE (licensing boards) as well as for our board certification. Thank god the grades only revolve minimally around those multiple choice questions, because the most important classes/rotations are based on a composite of performance based on those multiple choice exams/supervisor evaluations/clinical skills/etc...

I think the MCAT would be far more accurate in assessing cognitive skills for the medical professional then the GRE (i used to teach both - so i know).

Tenesmus

meandragonbrett · Oct 16, 2002

Congrads bug! Stick with it!

Brett

alansmith52 · Oct 17, 2002

very nice, I wish I were there now. I keep thinking. If I get accepted theres is now way I am going to be able to wait until next fall start.

matt

TexasCRNA · Oct 17, 2002

Hey bug, what type of blade were you using? I know when I started it took a while to get used to looking down the mouth and trying to ID landmarks. It pretty much all looked the same but over time it got easier. My program made us start out only using the mac3 and then when we got better we could then experiment with any other blades that we wanted to use. Now I can use just about anything.

I look at my job( one of the ways) as an airway specialist and feel I should be good using just about any type of blade.

Good luck and hang in there and enjoy the ride. Lee

AL bug · Oct 18, 2002

I was using a Mac 4, but the guy was a Mallampati 3 and even when I thought I was going in enough, all I could see was soft pallate. I was trying to be so gentle as to not alter the man's dental features (wasn't that nice of me), that I wasn't aggressive enough. I think it's such a new skill to me that I will have to learn how gentle and how aggressive to be. And I am not sorry I am starting on the gentle side. You don't get sued for having to have the CRNA take the blade and manipulate it for you. So I am looking forward to next Tues. We have clinical every Tues until Christmas and the start several days a week in Jan.

Thanks for the encouragement. I haven't had to learn new skills in quiet some time and it is a very strange feeling. I am so accustomed to knowing exactly what to do that this feeling of being somewhat inept is pretty annoying.