Apparently I find out on July 1st what’s happening intercalated wise.

Or not - today in fact:

Due to the high number of applications this year your ranking is such
that we are unable to offer you your first or second choices on the BSc
(Med Sci) Clinical Medicine.

Here comes 4th year!

A bit shocked but I also kind of expected it. My grades were not exactly brilliant and that is what they generally go on.

Apparently I find out on July 1st what’s happening intercalated wise.

I was pretty pleased then when I heard the iPhone 3Gs announcement and even more pleased with the price drop of the current iPhone 3G down to $99.

This didn’t last long though when I found out how much of this price cut O2 will be passing on - a whole £2.

Not impressed, I want an iPhone but nothing has really changed following the keynote. Sigh.

Guardian Tech - which has been running an excellent WWDC coverage - has this wonderful reply from O2:

…you’re not going to find a better deal anywhere else.

Funny that, considering they are the only (real) carrier in the UK.

Generally the days have consisted of me turning up around 9am (earlier than that is pushing it) and joining the ward round. This lasts a variable length of time usually finishing by around 11am with a plan for all the patients on the unit. The rest of the morning is spent following up on any tasks needing done with a break for lunch slotted in somewhere. Early afternoon a rather brisker round takes place to catch up on any developments and again tasks from these are dealt with.

Typically around this time there seems to be something happening elsewhere in the hospital which needs attention such as a transfer into the unit or someone wanting advice.

Today’s highlight was my ability to bleed a patient on a general ward that neither the FY1 or Reg could find a vein on. Finding somewhere to put a cannula was a bit more awkward, it finally ended up on a thumb - thankfully by the anaesthetist and not me!

I’m certainly enjoying the week so far, probably far more than if I were doing an SSM from a set list. I’m hoping to try, by the end of my stint in ITU, to get a good grip of how to cope with a patient going poorly. This seems to be a struggling point for FY1s so hopefully my time now will actually help in the future.

After this I will have only 2 SSMs (and another elective) left to pick things like this. I was considering doing some more of anaesthesia/critical care but I’m now thinking that wouldn’t really help me. Will be a tough decision over doing something sounding interesting or something that’ll be useful (not that they are mutually exclusive…).

Today was probably the best day of the week since I knew what was coming up. The only thing that really threw me was the breast examination. I was expecting a manikin but instead had an actor with some strap on breasts.

Heading to the Apple store now to try and see if my iPod is fixable then it’s drinking time! Won’t last long though before I head home to start an intensive care module.

Considering all that I’ve heard about 3rd year (”oh it’s so much easier than 2nd year”) I’m pretty surprised at how difficult I’ve found this week. I certainly felt better coming out on Tuesday than Monday - but not by much. Wednesday wasn’t great either and I’ve been continuously going over my worst station in my head which doesn’t help.

Tomorrow then I really have to deliver a decent performance. The advantage being that I have a fair idea of what will be coming up. Apparently this makes no difference, but I’m sure I’d have done better on Wednesday afternoon than at 9.

Either way, I have Saturday off work so no excuse not to enjoy myself tomorrow night.

I think I’ll agree with the majority of people that it was quite a fair paper - nothing (much) was thrown in that was tricky. Personally though I don’t think it was brilliant, there were quite a few topics that I ended up writing utter waffle about. Have I done myself justice? Probably not, I certainly didn’t feel it was the best exam I’ve sat as I looked back at the end.

After strolling around rather unimpressed with myself for a bit I found out I’ve been invited to join the admissons committee. This should be quite interesting. I offered to do it back in year 1 when it was a first come basis but I wasn’t fast enough. I’ll be keen to see what input I can have (if any).

Interestingly, speaking of things coming back around, the SRC IT co-ordinator job has been advertised again. This was something that caught my eye back in April 07(!). I went and applied for it and the process stretched until November before I was finally unsuccessful after interview. The fact it’s being advertised again suggests the person they found has also now left. Could I see this advertised again before I graduate? I haven’t applied this time, my name should be on file if they are really struggling!

Back to tomorrow I’m hoping to come out feeling happy with my attempt. Then I need to focus on the OSCE…whatever that is again.

As I type this I’ve been looking back at how I’ve been in the years previously. I certainly feel a bit similar to last year, today I contemplated going to the gym before my exam. Think I’m going to pass on that. Unlike last year I’m not totally convinced I’ve done as much as I possibly could’ve done. And yet, for some reason, this doesn’t worry me. I can’t explain it - I should be panicking right now.

Indeed this year I feel strongly that I must do better than last. This is the one I’ve always been told is “easy” and “nothing to worry about”. Have I taken that too literally?

I feel the need to prove to those around me that I’m not just “getting by”. I do this freqently on the wards when I act very much like the geek I am. I distinctly remember the look of hatred I received earlier this year as I managed to answer about 3 questions on my own. I do care how I’m perceived by my peers and I’m glad when they know more than I do. It makes me learn. At the same time I don’t want to been seen by those teaching us as just another blank face. Especially when I know the answer.

This week is not just proving to others that I know something important, I also need to prove it to myself. There is nothing wrong with “just’ passing but to me I feel I can do more. Maybe not, I don’t know, but this week I have a chance to see. And can I, should I do poorly, act as confident as I do? What right do I have? Such questions I’ll need to answer after the results.

More is riding on this than just my pride - my career too is in the balance. To have any chance of studying for an intercalated I reckon I need at least a B. Such a thing I have never achieved so far. Can I do it this week? We’ll see.

Wait until you know which book you need and like before buying any

I say this many times to prospective medical students, it saves both money (quite important!) and wasted space. However, being only a 1st year, I took the advice of my tutor and ran out to buy Macleod’s Clinical Examination, It’s a popular book, no doubt about that. Mention it to most medical students or doctors and they’ll generally nod approvingly. There is a new edition due out in June (on my brother’s birthday, possible present? probably not) which will no doubt be just as popular. Anyone who wants to go buy a copy would probably be best waiting until the new version. I say this not only to gain the benefits of whatever the refresh will contain but also because Student Consult becomes unusable after an update is published.

I kept my Macleod’s happy on my bookshelf for the better part of 2 years. Recently, however, I noticed something funny - I hardly used it. In fact, I was using it less than I was using a similar book from the library. Which book? This one:

Oxford Handbook of Clinical Examination and Practical Skills

It’s a great book. Instead of aimless rambling that I found prevalent in Macleod’s this book is very focused to the detail required. Don’t think this is lacking some of the basics either - each chapter begins with relevant anatomy and physiology which is a very useful summary. I have found things explained here which would take much searching in Macleod’s or that aren’t even there to begin with.

The book is part of the Oxford Handbook Series (like the cheese and onion) and will therefore be familiar to the majority of students. Being a handbook is particularly useful and means it’ll fit in most pockets without trouble.

Still, one of the best features has to be the latter part of the title. Practical skills include everything from hand washing and cannulation to pericardial aspiration and airway management. This is interesting for me but surely could be extremely useful for junior doctors. Don’t try looking for anything like this in Macleod’s, by the way.

To finish of this excellent piece of work, Thomas and Monaghan have included a chapter on interpretation - going through most of radiology, clinical chemistry and not forgetting the dreaded ECGs.

The book is relatively new (May 07) and so far seems pretty scarce. For Glasgow students there are only 2 across campus at time of writing (and none in the SL!). If you can track it down though, give it a glance and see what you think. Not all books are for everyone though, so don’t forget my original advice.

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I don’t get any commisson from this book, by the way, despite what it sounds like above. I also don’t get anything from the Amazon links.

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In the end - I sold my Macleod’s.

Forth Bridges from helicopter

Great picture! Just the kind of thing you’d see on a helicopter tour. Just like mine this morning.

Except, it was cancelled.

Apparently due to low cloud, although I’m about 30 miles away and it’s blue sky here.

Oh well, day off work to relax…and write some rubbish essay.