Yes, that's right - a Spanish post title! That's all you're getting in Spanish though, lucky/unlucky for you (definitely unlucky for me, I feel I should be ace at this by now).
As you might, or might not, have gleaned from the extensive title up there ^^^ it's week 5 of 6 on the paediatrics rotation at good ol' Whiston. And just to prove how wrong I can be it's GREAT! Well, "GREAT" might be overstating facts ever... so... slightly... but I'm allowed to be enthusiastic considering how low my expectations were originally. I have now completed 2 clinic weeks and one ward week, and in the magical orange book I'm well over 75% complete. This deserves a loud "WooHoo!" and an air punch. If only I wasn't sat alone in my room, that would have been so much more fulfilling.
As I don't think I previously explained this magical orange book to you I will give you a brief overview now: Liverpool have a lovely way of making sure their students attain the targets they set. It's not by providing relevant teaching (although this occasionally happens by fluke), it's not by giving us a syllabus or course structure (this never happens by fluke, but apparently it should have happened on purpose by today - surprise of all surprises, no syllabus). It is by issuing us with beautifully coloured books, different hue for each year, and making us run around like crazy people, badgering all and sundry until each little space is occupied by a signature (firma if we stick with the Spanish theme).
Even more surprising to note is that, when it comes to kids, I am semi-OK at conversing with them. Not by any means brilliant, but semi-OK is all I ask for. Having spent a reasonable period of my life convinced that all children run from me in fear (yes, I was THAT Brownie leader) it's nice to know that only 50% of children actually do. Haha, of course I jest. It's more like 75%. Ah, got you again! It's only about 25%, and I'm working on the assumption that at least 25% of children have not encountered me yet.
Moving on from the current rotation, towards SSM 5. This one, so far, is not going to plan. I really should start writing it soon, but I get so distracted when it's only on one day a week. Damn this time management test.
On a more amusing note, we have now got our CTM peer appraisals to do. Either I am seriously deluding myself, or I shouldn't have any problems passing - if we ignore the sample size, which may or may not be a massive issue. Although I feel that now I've permanently revealed that train of thought to the blogosphere I am forever doomed to eat my words and FAIL FAIL FAIL.
And that is as far as life at Liverpool has taken me. This week is once again in the wards, fingers crossed that I'll be pushing 90% magical book completion by the end. And on Monday is my formative OSCE. Eugh. Death. Ah well, for now it's time to stop procrastinating and do some work, sweet work. Adios!
Monday 31 January 2011
Wednesday 12 January 2011
Paediatrics Rotation
So, I've been at Whiston for over a week now on a paediatrics rotation but I have yet to see a child. It's OK, at the moment, because it's organised into "clinic weeks" and "ward weeks". True to the form, after induction last week, I started on a clinic week. The only problem is, due to a lack of capacity, my first clinic isn't until tomorrow. Grrr-arg, as the mutant zombie used to say at the end of every Buffy episode.
In the meantime I've been busily trying to meet deadlines and get an acceptable amount of PBL done (having failed on the latter of those two objectives I should probably be working not blogging right now). The looming deadline of Friday 7th January for our first submission of the CTM proposal has come and gone - despite the plethora of "woe-is-me" FB statuses I haven't come across anyone who failed to meet the 4pm deadline. This may be due to a lack of enquiry, but I'm happy to keep it that way.
After booking flights for my elective, getting insurance and completing (to an acceptable standard) the risk assessment I feel like I have somewhat shot myself in the foot - it was difficult to justify the time spent browsing the Internet for lovely travel information before, now that I'm near enough finished with the preparations its downright impossible. However, in theory this should set me up nicely for free time to spend revising. I wonder if that will happen?
As 2011 marches on, so does the assault on the Bank of Me. What was a nice amount of money, put away to pay for all I could ever want or need on my elective, is slowly diminishing to an amount which barely deserves the term "savings". Factor in my recently increasing level of fancy regarding what I want to do on my elective, and it all makes for very sorry reading. Cue much teeth gnashing and general wailing whilst I contemplate increasing my debt by 24%, the maximum allowed at this stage from a Professional Loan. I agree, I am not professional! But according to the bank, having the promise of becoming professional at some point in the future is good enough. I won't be protesting against it!
So now I think I really do need to wrap this up and try to complete some PBL. It is likely to be a paltry effort in the face of the people in my group who undoubtedly work harder, but at this point in time it is the best I can offer.
Until next time!
In the meantime I've been busily trying to meet deadlines and get an acceptable amount of PBL done (having failed on the latter of those two objectives I should probably be working not blogging right now). The looming deadline of Friday 7th January for our first submission of the CTM proposal has come and gone - despite the plethora of "woe-is-me" FB statuses I haven't come across anyone who failed to meet the 4pm deadline. This may be due to a lack of enquiry, but I'm happy to keep it that way.
After booking flights for my elective, getting insurance and completing (to an acceptable standard) the risk assessment I feel like I have somewhat shot myself in the foot - it was difficult to justify the time spent browsing the Internet for lovely travel information before, now that I'm near enough finished with the preparations its downright impossible. However, in theory this should set me up nicely for free time to spend revising. I wonder if that will happen?
As 2011 marches on, so does the assault on the Bank of Me. What was a nice amount of money, put away to pay for all I could ever want or need on my elective, is slowly diminishing to an amount which barely deserves the term "savings". Factor in my recently increasing level of fancy regarding what I want to do on my elective, and it all makes for very sorry reading. Cue much teeth gnashing and general wailing whilst I contemplate increasing my debt by 24%, the maximum allowed at this stage from a Professional Loan. I agree, I am not professional! But according to the bank, having the promise of becoming professional at some point in the future is good enough. I won't be protesting against it!
So now I think I really do need to wrap this up and try to complete some PBL. It is likely to be a paltry effort in the face of the people in my group who undoubtedly work harder, but at this point in time it is the best I can offer.
Until next time!
Thursday 6 January 2011
Pre- and Post- Christmas Blues
It has been a long time since I last posted, mostly due to utter despair induced by getting NONE of my three top hospitals. Instead I'm being sent to Blackpool. I know, I know - it was only excluded because it meant I'd definitely get it. That doesn't change the fact that I DIDN'T GET ANY OF MY CHOICES! It could be worse, I could have got Southport or Warrington, my two least favourite. But it also could have been miles better by getting the Royal, or Chester, or Whiston. Still, every cloud blah blah blah. Blackpool is cheap - accommodation, insurance, living. Blackpool has a perfect record for passing finals (so far). In Blackpool I can live on site and be ultra lazy. I like to think of my wish to stay in bed until the last possible moment efficiency, but I can't kid myself effectively let alone other people. And on top of all that it's only an hour or so driving, or £10 on the train, back to Liverpool. In short, I'll cope. But... but... but. You get the point.
And now it's the return to reality after a lovely, but brief, Christmas break. Factor in the entrapment caused by a ridiculous amount of snow and it seemed even shorter due to not seeing much of anyone except the parentals. The first draft of our CTM proposal is due in tomorrow, and of course there was a grand total of 0 words added to the count over the holiday. Thankfully I was organised for once (more due to lack of funds for socialising than anything else) and my word count before the break was about 1000, so the situation could be much worse.
Add to the mix the start of SSM5 tomorrow, and the beginning of a new rotation - this time on paediatrics - and it's all very busy for a first week back. More similar to reality than I would like in truth. I was also very ambitious at the end of last year and elected for a student-led SSM, meaning that the whole thing is down to me. It would be great, if I had the first clue what I wanted to write about! And as this one is spread over 20 weeks, with one day a week dedicated to SSM, it's going to be touch and go whether I get it finished in time for the start of revision. Oh dear.
So there you have it, a short but sweet update on the woes of being a medical student (minus the revelation that we have formative OSCEs in less than a month and everyone is freaking out about it. Yuck). It's a wonder sometimes that we make it through with our sanity and ambition in tact, although of course there are those that fall on the battlefield. Fingers crossed they are few and far between.
And now it's the return to reality after a lovely, but brief, Christmas break. Factor in the entrapment caused by a ridiculous amount of snow and it seemed even shorter due to not seeing much of anyone except the parentals. The first draft of our CTM proposal is due in tomorrow, and of course there was a grand total of 0 words added to the count over the holiday. Thankfully I was organised for once (more due to lack of funds for socialising than anything else) and my word count before the break was about 1000, so the situation could be much worse.
Add to the mix the start of SSM5 tomorrow, and the beginning of a new rotation - this time on paediatrics - and it's all very busy for a first week back. More similar to reality than I would like in truth. I was also very ambitious at the end of last year and elected for a student-led SSM, meaning that the whole thing is down to me. It would be great, if I had the first clue what I wanted to write about! And as this one is spread over 20 weeks, with one day a week dedicated to SSM, it's going to be touch and go whether I get it finished in time for the start of revision. Oh dear.
So there you have it, a short but sweet update on the woes of being a medical student (minus the revelation that we have formative OSCEs in less than a month and everyone is freaking out about it. Yuck). It's a wonder sometimes that we make it through with our sanity and ambition in tact, although of course there are those that fall on the battlefield. Fingers crossed they are few and far between.
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