I can’t believe how many 4th year rotations I’ve done since my last post. I finished ophthalmology, did an externship at a clinic in town, went to AVMA Convention, visited the Captain for a week, did a 1 week elective small animal medicine rotation, and completed 2 weeks in oncology. Now I’m about halfway through my first week of emergency medicine. It’s been a wild ride. I’ve heard from multiple people that 4th year is the best of all. I have to say that so far, it has been the most terrifying and rewarding thing I have every done. Each time I go into a new appointment, I’m afraid that I’m going to look silly or miss something or do something wrong. But then when I leave the client and I talk to the resident or clinician, I can’t help but feel like I have some good ideas about how to proceed. It’s almost like I…know what I’m doing. I still have a long way to go, but I feel like I am well-prepared for this year.
Emergency med has been crazy and I’m only going in to my 3rd full day tomorrow. I technically had today “off” but I had a patient to examine and some paperwork to do before 8am. And then the resident wanted to do some rounds. Unfortunately, my patient was euthanized before I got there and instead of writing physical exam findings, I had to write a death report. I really wanted this patient to make it. He was a special cat who suffered a traumatic injury. And when I was taking him out of his cage to flush his wounds, he bit me and sent me to the human ER for antibiotics. I figure if he had that much pizzazz, he deserved another shot at life. Alas, you can’t save them all. I was a little shocked at how my ER visit went. I was triaged right away and I actually got called to be examined relatively quickly. I saw a nurse, a 4th year medical student, someone who I think was a resident or intern or something, and someone who was a senior clinician. Then I got to talk to billing, which was a woman with a rolling table and laptop who collected my insurance information. And then the nurse came back to give me my prescription and some ridiculous discharge instructions. I couldn’t believe the song and dance I put up with all for a piece of paper. They didn’t even clean the bite for me (which was probably fine because I had already washed it at school and soaked it for 10 minutes in chlorhexidine scrub and warm water. But that’s neither here nor there). I can’t imagine sending a client home with a bloody pet. So why did I get sent home with a bloody hand? Apparently good bedside manner is an art form.
After I finish emergency medicine (and provided I make it out with all of my appendages attached), I have a 2 week rotation in ambulatory practice. I was assigned to a large animal clinic in the area and I have to assist their vet on calls. It’s about 90 minutes away from my apartment so I may end up staying at the clinic during the week and just coming home on the weekend. I guess it will depend on what time I have to be there each morning. I don’t think I’d mind the drive if I got to sleep in my own bed each night. However, I would not be happy paying that gas mileage…We’ll see how it goes. After this rotation, I’ll be 2/3 done with my large animal requirements. Once I finish large animal surgery in February, I can promptly purge any horse and cow knowledge I possess (that is unless I don’t pass boards the first time and I have to take them again in April. Then I suppose I should retain my large animal knowledge until then, at least).
I can’t believe how quickly these rotations seem to pass. It’s scary and amazing all at the same time. I am counting down to so many great things in 2012 and it will be here before I know it. In the meantime, I feel like I have a lot of studying to do!
The expectations on the human side of ER are wholly different than on the vet side. “Fix my cat and make sure he never hurts again!” is the unsaid (sometimes said) thought. Good job keeping your head and scrubbing it right away. I tell my clients routinely that I’d rather get by by three dogs than by one cat. And I remember one of my rotation-mates getting bit by a frantic cat as we were carrying it to ICU. She, too, had to visit the ER, and our attending was royally miffed that she wasn’t given any pain meds. Apparently there is a script that all 4th Yr. students must follow, and you’re following right along!
And you’re LA Amb. will supply you with memories for a lifetime.
By: Ryan on August 18, 2011
at 7:18 am