Freedom….sorta

So my exams are over, by a full week (very up-to-date…not), and I’m now enjoying a well forgotten freedom.

The results are due out on Monday so I should probably be preparing either a pass or fail post. Based on how I felt they went I’d say it should be a pass - without being too confident - but I may just be a bit too hopeful. We were told quite firmly that nothing specific from 1st year that we hadn’t covered again this year would come up in the papers.

Oh how they lied!

There was a good many marks that came from purely 1st year material. Thankfully only 1 question really stumped me and I still managed to put something down for it.

The OSCEs were pretty good, hopefully haven’t failed them. I did have to do an exam on my girlfriend which was possibly the most nervous station out of them all. She says I passed though, guess that could just be to comfort me (although I doubt it!). The introductions of the spot stations was a bugger, two came from one cell biology lab right at the start of the year and pretty much everyone was pissed off by them. According to the guy who’s marking them however they haven’t changed results too much. I hope that means 250 passes.

Following the end of exams on the Friday (and an interesting weekend) I started work on the Monday morning. By noon on the Monday I had taken blood for the first time. It was quite a nervous attempt - on our trainer no less - but I got there in the end. The mornings for the rest of the week involved us taking it from patients for real on the wards. I struggled in a number of cases but on the whole I don’t feel I did to badly. I even had the delightful pleasure of taking blood from someone’s foot!

The last day of the week involved working in a clinic. My second patient to bleed was particularly interesting. Not only could I not manage it, neither could my trainer and indeed the consultant was struggling. He finally managed though and gave us a nice chat about it and his book (Medical Biochemistry, for those interested) afterwards.

I’ve also found out that this 2 week training is followed by 4 weeks of mentoring on-site. Considering I’m contracted to do 8 hour weekends this is a bit of a bugger for me. I can’t work a full day since the service only works in the morning. I can’t go home and work because I need to be there for a month. That said, I don’t want to be working for a couple of weekends following training anyway - T in the Park!. I’m not sure what the outcome of this will be. My mum’s amazed that anyone can make you work weekdays for 6 weeks so you can eventually do the weekends, which is what the contract is for. To be honest, I see her point. Although I have no actual contact…yet.

On the off-chance anyone reading this has any use for a PHP dev/tech support/general layabout in the UK, feel free to get in touch. I’d prefer to be paid but if you’ve got something remotely interesting then I might be tempted to get involved regardless.

Next post will like to be result related. Eek!

Tick tock

Two weeks this very day I will have finished the first paper of year two. I have jumped my revision into what I’d describe as 4th gear. Yesterday I managed to kill my personal record for revising in the SL - a whole 14 hours. Unfortunately this is probably a bit of an overestimate as I do need to eat, excrete and not forgetting procrastinate. I remain worryingly confident that all will be well. Even today, as I glanced over my least favourite of the blocks (gastro), I feel that come two weeks I will still be smiling - perhaps a little nervously.

At the moment I’ve been spending far too long looking at electives for the coming years - this assuming I will pass. Ideally, I’d love to spend my third year (junior) elective with the HEMS team in London and my senior one somewhere abroad. Unfortunately the competitiveness might be too much for me and I’m not generally too lucky. Still, it’s worth an email, I just want to wait till my exam results are in. I can’t really work out plans for my senior one until I know whether I will be intercalating or not. This is a big decision, probably bigger than it should be, and I’m still on the fence. I don’t even know whether I’d be allowed or not.

Three weeks today an I will have finished my first training session as a phlebotomist. Yes, I finally got some news. Apparently there was much of a mess up with recruitment and a few people have been having problems. The date is provisional, which is a bit of a problem come trying to work out a start date for the Safari Park. Hopefully the two should help avoid a financial hell-hole next year, combined with a much reduced rent.

Stressful time

With just over 20 days left to go till the exam week things are beginning to get a bit stressful. In comparison, however, I’m a lot less stressed than the great majority of others. I’m not sure whether that is a good thing or not, a little bit of stress would surely help me get some work done.

We’re largely expecting the exam this year to be a lot easier (or at least fairer) than the one last year. This is a bit of a kick for those resitting and I feel sorry for them. I’m also expecting this exam to be one of the easiest that will be coming up in the next few years, or maybe that’s just me hoping.

In comparison the OSCE is beginning to scare me. Clinical exams are fair enough, I can practice them to hell before the days of the exam. However they’ve promised us 5 “spot” checks which will be unstaffed stations with some sort of item to identify. The item, we gather, could be some sort of x-ray (fair enough, make it simple please), barium swallow (we’ve seen a few of them, not in the mood for interpreting one though), ECG? I hope not, and then the threat of some histology slides - bugger!

Throw in the communication skills stations, one of which will be an ethical case, and then I really start feeling nervous. Worse, they’re spreading the torture over 2 days, the first in a peripheral hospital and the second in the med school. I’m not really expecting many people to fail it so that offers a bit of reassurance. Thankfully we also get the results relatively soon after (especially compared to school exams!).

In true avoiding revision style I’m spending this afternoon doing a moving and handling (part 2) course. Sounds like fun…ish. In fact, I might be giving up the next 2 Saturdays to go to the cup final and part 3. Perfect timing!

Still haven’t heard anything from either job. Apparently the safari park aren’t the best with online applications so I’ve got a form back home to fill out. Seriously need a job….

Fresh blood

So yesterday I was around for the Applicant’s day again. I think it was a bit busier than last year, but doesn’t really compare to the Open Days which are far busier. Managed to get a couple of people around for tours, hopefully they helped some people make their mind up about where to go. Someone had heard of this blog, which is quite interesting to me as it gives me an idea of who’s reading.

We also talked to the admissions secretary about a certain admissions forum which she wasn’t even aware existed. She was googling her name when she found it, so we started discussing certain cases. So I can almost certainly say that Uni staff are aware of what’s going on online.

Perhaps more relevant was a general discussion about immediate/pre-hospital care I had with a 3rd year who’s quite interested in the topic (and a BRC first aider, and a phlebotomist…) as well as a paramedic/ALS trainer. I have a view that there will be a change in immediate care in the future where a greater number of doctors will be involved in pre-hospital medicine, similar to a recommendation I read today (as opposed to revising) in a report. Neither of my colleagues agreed, the paramedic keen to get out of pre-hospital care and the 3rd year considering moving to somewhere with a greater emphasis on the topic.

Following on the subject we had a practice drill for our annual inspection next week at training. I personally find it both embarrassing and highly amusing at the same time. To make volunteers parade in a military drill so their uniform can be inspected is a bit over the top if you ask me. Fair enough, if people turn up on duty without reasonable uniform, deal with it, but lets get out of the military eh? That’s great in theory but when our inspecting officer and chief are all from a military background, it’s not happening any time soon.

I’m not looking forward to the inspection, but anything could happen.

When is something “urgent”?

So there I was, dashing from shop to shop in the rain (although, thankfully, nothing like that’s been hitting our friends down south) when I receive a text message from my commandant. Normally when I receive a message at this time of day when we have training at night it is to tell me it has been cancelled. However, not so on this occasion.The message read something along the lines of “please attend tonight, letter received, urgent”.

My companion at the time started asking me what I had done wrong, assuming the message had been sent to just me. I racked my previous duties to consider if I had done anything worthy of a letter from above. They best I could come up with at the time was this poor blog. I wondered if someone somewhere had found it and had a problem with what I was writing.

As we pondered, I dropped a quick message in to one of my colleagues who also happens to be a Glasgow medic. They eventually got back to me to let me know that they might struggle to make it, being out of Glasgow and having a fair bit of work to do and I inferred (correctly) that she too had received the message. I also had a lot to be getting on with as my essay at that stage was far from finished. However, being urgent, I attended dutifully.

Was it urgent?

No.

I don’t think so anyway.

It was referring to the possible increase in insurance that might happen due to a lack of people attending moving and handling courses. This fee might even have to be paid by members! However, if that was to happen the company would pay it on our behalf. So all in all the letter was meaningless.

My colleague was really annoyed at this, as she could’ve been doing her work due in tomorrow. I was only mildly annoyed as I hadn’t really expected anything big. However, it raises a point.

If this is to keep happening for trivial matters (we have an AGM in 3 weeks, could’ve waited till then, no?) then when something that is actually urgent occurs I may be inclined to ignore it.

That said, something positive did take place which fully justified attending. We each received a new and improved first aid bag. They’re only about a month and a bit behind, but that’s not too bad I guess. Here’s a snap of the new (left) and old bag, with a pen for size comparison.

Ignoring the fact it’s a really bad picture, you can see why it’s such an improvement. Now all I need is some stuff to put in it. I think I’ve bought enough so I’ll just keep my eye of for free supplies.

Another benefit of attending was the chance to put my name down for a rather big event at the end of the month. Not 100% sure I can make it, but I’ll hopefully find a way to get there. All I need to try and do now is get a hard hat and blue suit before then. Heh, one can dream.

Busy and stressed

Quick post before I head off to my bed.

I’m having a hell of a week, trying to finish essays and presentations before Friday. I’ve also got 3 birthdays on Thursday and Friday which needed sorting.

Despite all of this, however, I’ve managed to spend time signing up for things like Twitter. I’ve got absolutely no friends on there at the moment (very sad!) so if you’ve got an account please feel free to add me. If not, why not? No possible excuse not to sign up for yet another social networky thing.

I finally got a new first aid bag! But that’s another post I’ll hopefully get to sooner rather than later.

Oops!

So I managed to ignore all the many emails and let this domain expire. Thankfully no-one cared enough to steal it off me so I’ve got it back safely. This means it must be a year since I set this up, doesn’t seem that long at all.

I also have a job!

Kind of. Technically it’s all depending on references and a(nother) Disclosure. I’ve lost count of what number I’m up to now. I may have to pay for this one though, grr.

That aside, the job is based at the Southern General, which is actually a bit of a trek for me. Thankfully, the night subway bus goes right next to me to close to the hospital, so it shouldn’t be too bad. When do I start? Who knows! May take a while due to Disclosure and references, plus I need to find training time in there somewhere. I’m wondering whether, during the summer, I could work part of the week in Stirling and the weekends doing this. Either way, I aim to be pretty rich come September and not waste it on something like a laptop. Or an iPod touch….

Or a car.

A few good days

Quite rare, but they do happen.

Just yesterday, when I talked to my mum and decided not to work at all over Easter and instead face financial mayhem, do I hear about an interview for a phlebotomy job. Considering I’ve applied for that about 3 times in the past, it’s progress. It’s next Wednesday and I just so happen to be free that day. Call it fate. We’ll see.

Even more impressive was my mum taking me to see cars and end up buying one. Sadly it’s not for me but I was still amazed at the abruptness of her decision.

Pain management is rolling along nicely. We have only one more clinical day outstanding and it’s paediatrics, which should be excellent. I have so far this SSM seen - people in pain, gynae day surgery, more people in pain, impressive surgery involving blood with colourful stuff in it, difficult intubations and difficult sedated patients, 2 caesarian sections (both girls, all well), fractured femurs and difficult hips, knee replacements and acupuncture. Quite a lot for 2 weeks! It’s been an excellent module and now I have to start thinking more about the report. I’ll probably stick with PCA as it’s quite a wide topic. Not sure if I’ll get it buffed up to the size required for the essay competition - it’s possible.

We have a tutorial tomorrow to discuss it with our supervisor so I’ll see what’s mentioned then. Following that I have what can only be described as a weekend of first aid - kids hockey, adults boxing (both Friday), Saturday football and helping out at a first aid class on Sunday. I didn’t quite plan it to happen like that, but if phlebotomy goes forward I may not have many free weekends left!

In times of stress

A 2000 word essay, a 3000 word essay, a presentation and revision(!!). All to be done in the next couple of weeks. Add on the clinical visists, a couple of first aid duties, the prospect of a job interview (heh) and not forgetting the girlfriend all means I’m feeling exhausted.

Worst of all though is I’m now in severe money problems. Hopefully I’ll hear this week about an interview for phlebotomy which would be ideal. If not, I’m faced with a dilemma - either work during easter (and possible fail due to lack of revision) or suck it up in my overdraft. I’m going to discuss it with my mum this week, I really don’t know any more.

If I do work and fail my exam, it means I won’t be keen on working as much in the summer. However, if I pass the exam I could work almost full time in the summer. According to my counter, I have 3 and a half months to go…I might be able to make it. Obviously, if I get a phlebotomy post then this doesn’t matter. I know what I’m hoping for.

Valentine’s….

Valentine’s day is here. I don’t agree with it on so many levels but feel like I should kind of celebrate it. Therefore….

Happy Valentine’s Day

If you happen to be alone this year then I suggest you go out and live dangerously.