Clinicals outside of EMS

[Trayos]

Slightly different from regular clinicals- I will be shadowing/sub-interning at NNMC/WRAMC over the summer (not involved with any EMS programs), and will be given the chance to
a. Shadow my PCP, in pediatrics
b. Upon gaining permission, shadow other fields.

My question is, would it be better to stick with one field, or try and focus mainly on pediatrics/ER? Any advice would be much appreciated, thanks!

 

[LucidResq]

You're just shadowing so why not take the chance to gain exposure to as many different fields as possible? It's not like you're trying to build up skills. You might find that you change your mind about what field you're most interested in. Medical students do it all the time as they bounce from specialty to specialty.

 

[Veneficus]

Slightly different from regular clinicals- I will be shadowing/sub-interning at NNMC/WRAMC over the summer (not involved with any EMS programs), and will be given the chance to
a. Shadow my PCP, in pediatrics
b. Upon gaining permission, shadow other fields.

My question is, would it be better to stick with one field, or try and focus mainly on pediatrics/ER? Any advice would be much appreciated, thanks!

See as much as [possible.

Medicine is a very big field, before you decide on something, look around, you may see ways in which you could help more people or get more satisfaction from what you may be doing in the future.

 

[Trayos]

See as much as [possible.

Medicine is a very big field, before you decide on something, look around, you may see ways in which you could help more people or get more satisfaction from what you may be doing in the future.

Well, to be honest, I don't see myself (at least at the moment) making my career out of EMS. I'd like to be a doctor, but still have connections to EMS for several purposes. At the moment, this is not going to be a long term thing over the summer, going from a few weeks to a month. In the future, I can get a more immersive experience, with longer internships and the like. At the moment, however, I'd like to both keep as many doors open as possible, but still try and prepare myself as much as possible for the immediate applications of EMS.

 

[busmonkey]

I'd have to agree as well. If your shadowing why not get as much coverage in all the fields as possible. I mean that is what shadowing is about (in my opinion) seeing where you would best fit and if it is right with you. I would want to move around as much as possible and see different sides of health care. Good luck with your shadowing, I wish I had had that opportunity!

 

[Dominion]

I would shadow peds, ER, OR and try to get into a cath lab at the very least.

 

[LucidResq]

I would shadow peds, ER, OR and try to get into a cath lab at the very least.

Yeah definitely try to get in to the OR if you can.

 

[TransportJockey]

Try to spread out as much as possible, and don't just stick to shadowing MDs. See if an RN will let you shadow them for a shift in various areas.

 

[Trayos]

I want to see as much as possible, of course, but I'm doubtful they'd let me go into a sterile OR environment, what with the fact that i'm not a medical professional and all.
I appreciate all of the suggestions, please keep em flowing

 

[LucidResq]

Don't be too quick to assume that. I was offered the chance to tag along with a neurosurgeon, actually go in to the suites and stand back and watch in high school. I kick myself for not taking him up on it. You could probably at least view from the outside.

 

[Dominion]

I want to see as much as possible, of course, but I'm doubtful they'd let me go into a sterile OR environment, what with the fact that i'm not a medical professional and all.
I appreciate all of the suggestions, please keep em flowing

My advice would be to possibly find a nearby teaching hospital or shadow an MD in a non-OR setting and talk to that MD about wanting to shadow in the OR and they may be able to pull some strings. The sterility of the environment doesn't matter, if it did you'd never seen camera crews or other students in there.

When I did my OR rotations at a teaching peds hospital it wasn't uncommon to have in one OR an Attending, a resident (or 2-3), a student technologist, a student RN, a denistry student, etc. Sometimes you could have 10+ people in the room for a tonsillectomy, it happens

 

[Trayos]

My advice would be to possibly find a nearby teaching hospital or shadow an MD in a non-OR setting and talk to that MD about wanting to shadow in the OR and they may be able to pull some strings. The sterility of the environment doesn't matter, if it did you'd never seen camera crews or other students in there.

When I did my OR rotations at a teaching peds hospital it wasn't uncommon to have in one OR an Attending, a resident (or 2-3), a student technologist, a student RN, a denistry student, etc. Sometimes you could have 10+ people in the room for a tonsillectomy, it happens

I'd absolutely love to get into the OR and watch for a while, but it would most likely happen towards the tail end of my shadowing at the hospital, if at all. They've been pretty busy lately, what with the movement of Walter reed and all, so it might be better to wait until things quiet down a little bit. ^_^

 

[TransportJockey]

I'd absolutely love to get into the OR and watch for a while, but it would most likely happen towards the tail end of my shadowing at the hospital, if at all. They've been pretty busy lately, what with the movement of Walter reed and all, so it might be better to wait until things quiet down a little bit. ^_^

It's very fun I got to stand in while a harvest team I was transporting was doing their thing. That was one hell of an experience that I wouldn't trade for anythign

 

[Trayos]

Well, everything short of a debridement would be fun. Otherwise, that's like jumping into the sea of medicine and cutting the floaties