Professional Documents
Culture Documents
M3 Guide by GHHS PDF
M3 Guide by GHHS PDF
Ward Behavior
Everyone has different techniques for working with the residents/attendings and balancing working
with studying. My one piece of advice is to always ask, “Can I help with anything?” It’s the most
powerful sentence for a medical student. Keep asking this throughout the day, and you’ll get a great
response from the docs with whom you are working.
Study Tips
Identify early on whether you are a textbook reader, a question taker, or both. Then pick one or two
resources from the beginning and stick with it. I am a big fan of questions, so for most of the
clerkships, I used PreTest. The exception being IM, where I used MKSAP. Below are my suggestions
from what I’ve done thus far:
IM
MKSAP, MKSAP, MKSAP (this was the best, most underutilized resource), and UWorld
NEURO
PreTest, UWorld
PSYCH
First Aid Psych, UWorld
SURGERY
PreTest, Dr. Pestana, UWorld
OBGYN
PreTest, Blueprints, UWorld
PEDIATRICS
PreTest, UWorld
Ward Behavior
At times (most of the time) you'll feel awkward—struggling to find your role in a new work
environment with new people. The easiest way to smoothly involve yourself in the work flow and feel
comfortable is to just be yourself. The awkwardness is only compounded by trying to act or speak in
ways that normally you would not. Be professional, but be yourself.
RYAN BARSON
How to Mentally and Emotionally Survive Med 3
Your Med 3 year is going to be filled with many highs and lows. You are going to finally be doing what
you came to medical school for, taking care of patients. Being involved in patient care is one of the
most rewarding experiences you are going to be involved in while in school. Of all the members of
the patient care team, as a third-year med student, you are going to have the most time to really get
to know your patients and their families, and I would advise you to take full advantage of that
opportunity.
Although not all patient encounters are going to be positive ones, you will learn something from each
and every patient for whom you care. You will both laugh and cry, and you are going to see life and
death. Make sure you have someone to talk with about all of your experiences, whether that be a
fellow med student, family member, or close friend. Also, make sure you have an outlet for your
emotions and stress. Patient care and studying is going to consume the majority of your time, but it’s
imperative that you take time to decompress and think about/do something other than
medicine. Take care of yourself, and just enjoy the opportunity you have been given.
Ward Behavior
The ward experience is very fun because you’re finally a doctor…or pretending to be. It’s very scary
because you are constantly being evaluated and are worried that your actions will result in lower
scores on your evaluations. The best advice I can offer is to remember that you are always improving
as a clinician and student. Try not to let every missed question, plan of action, or someone
misunderstanding your thought process, get in the way of your attitude and performance. I also
recommend that you try to act as professional as possible every day and every moment. You may
have a bubbling personality, have cool bow ties, or have amazing boots you want to show off, but you
should save all that for when you’re an attending. Right now, our job is to learn. Be as professional
and helpful as possible; I wish I learned this through listening to others rather than through personal
experience.
MICHELLE FAIERMAN
In the end you may not be able to do anything about it, and you have to try and remember that
grades are not the be-all and end-all of Med 3. This year is difficult, but it's also amazing. Don't lose
sight of how lucky we are that we get to help care for so many amazing people. Because THAT'S what
it really comes down to. This year is about learning how to be a great doctor—not how to suck up to
or manipulate people into giving you all fives on your evaluations. Whenever I was feeling down,
burnt out or frustrated, I would make myself go sit down in a patient's room and ask them about their
story (or do some arts and crafts if you're on peds). This can really help put things in perspective.
LET IT OUT. Talk to your classmates, talk to your parents, and talk to your faculty resources. There are
so many new things happening this year. A great way to learn is to hear about other people's
mistakes AND successes. Vent to your roommate if you had a long day. Cry in your apartment if you
just saw a really sick patient, and it made you sad. LET IT OUT PEOPLE. This is a crazy, exciting, scary,
overwhelming experience. It's okay if you start to feel real emotions every now and then. That being
said, try to have the emotional vomiting happen outside of the hospital if at all possible.
Study a little bit every night. Even thirty minutes is beneficial. Doing a little each day makes the
studying way more manageable. If you find some downtime during the day on your rotations, study.
Download the UWorld app on your iPad and do five questions while you're waiting for a surgery to
start. There's no way to cram it all into the last two weeks before the shelf. I’M SERIOUS—don't even
try it. Take advantage of your weekend days off and do a few hours of studying then.
Ward Behavior
I think it's beneficial to sit back and observe the first day or two of a rotation to feel out your new
team. Are the residents formal with each other? Is everyone very laid back? How do they interact
with the attending? SPECIFICALLY, ask your senior resident/chief what his or her expectations of you
are on the service within the first day or two. They should elaborate on topics including: How many
patients do they expect you to follow? Should you write daily progress notes? Do you need to write
the hospital courses? How do you decide which medical student goes to which surgery? How formally
should I present on rounds?
Figure out how long it takes you to prepare a presentation for rounds (one-liner about the patient,
subjective findings/overnight events, vitals, Is and Os, physical exam findings, labs and images, DDx if
appropriate, assessment/plan) and give yourself enough time in the morning to do this for all of your
patients. Know your patients inside and out; come up with plans and present them confidently like
you're going to actually do that for the patient. The attending will correct you if they don't agree—
and that's fine! They'll be impressed with your initiative.
For me, I would quickly peruse an UpToDate® article on a patient to get some idea of where to start
with a plan and then customize it to my patient. Ask your resident (before rounds) to go over your
plan with you and make any suggestions. During rounds, keep your ears open for any changes to the
plan (of your patients) and any other tasks that the residents must do for your patients (find their
records from another hospital, schedule follow-up appointments in clinic, consult a different service,
make sure everything is ready to go for discharge). THESE are the things you should offer to do when
rounding is done. It helps them out a lot!
It's OK not to know the answer to a question. If you can come up with a logical guess, do it. If you're
really stumped, SAY SO. Respond with, "I really don't know the answer to that, but I will look into
it/look it up as soon as I get the chance." Attendings PIMP you because they want you to learn. So
learn. Go check UpToDate®, open up your First Aid book again...figure it out.
COLLEEN FLAHIVE
How to Mentally and Emotionally Survive Med 3
First of all, by the time you start third year, you will not only have completed your Med 1 and 2 years,
but you will also be done with Step 1 and that deserves a well-earned congratulations! So
CONGRATULATIONS! And welcome to your clinical years! It is so much more exciting to tell friends
and family that you are taking care of patients as opposed to listening to e-modules.
Third year truly is such an exciting time, with so many new experiences and opportunities, but at the
same time can be overwhelming and intimidating. You are going to be on services that you
absolutely love and on services that you don’t particularly care for, but I guarantee that you will learn
something or see something that you weren’t expecting on each service you are assigned. Embrace
this. At no other point will you have the opportunity to be involved in the care of surgical patients
one month and the next month pediatric patients and the next psychiatric patients. Particularly
when you don’t care for a specialty, and the end of the month can’t come soon enough, I encourage
you to take a step back, remind yourself that in the big picture you are spending a snapshot of time
doing this. Try to make the best of the time you have. Try and put yourself in your resident’s or
attending’s shoes and think like an obstetrician, or an internist, or a psychiatrist even if you have no
desire to pursue that, because I really believe it enhances your overall educational and personal
experience with that field.
Lastly, shelf exams are hard. Third year is a very different type of studying, and I still feel like I’m
learning how to study for these exams. It is difficult to work 8 to 10 hours and come home excited to
study. My advice, therefore, is to start studying or reading early, even if it’s just a chapter at night. It
significantly lessens the stress the weeks leading to the test.
SURGERY
Dr. Pestana’s Surgery Notes (it’s a little blue book)—very high yield, short and sweet and to the
point. Practice questions at the end were easier than shelf questions.
http://som.uthscsa.edu/StudentAffairs/documents/High_Yield_Surgery_Compatible_Version.pd
f (PowerPoint with high-yield facts; there is an accompanying video as well on this website. Also
have PowerPoints for several other rotations as well.)
OB-GYN
Questions from uWISE. I used Blueprints and Case Files.
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Questions, Questions, Questions! The MKSAP book (provided to you while on the rotation) was
helpful. I would not recommend reading Step-Up To Medicine cover to cover, rather I would
recommend reading sections about topics with which you aren’t as familiar.
NEURO
Questions, Step-Up to Medicine, Blueprints—you can pay $25 to get 100 questions from the
American Academy of Neurology (at orientation they typically provide you with the link for this)
PSYCH
First Aid is sufficient.
1. Never forget, third year is about YOUR education. Do fun stuff, approach attendings, ask to do
procedures.
2. When a resident says, “Go home.” You say, “Thank you,” and then you GO HOME. There will be
times you stay late and times you work all night. Staying late for no reason when you could be
home enjoying other parts of life will take a toll on you. Also the residents will think you’re weird.
3. Work as a team with the other med students, OSU or otherwise. The more of a team you and your
fellow med students can become, the less stressful it will be and the easier it will be to look good.
4. Also introduce yourself to nurses and feel free to joke around with them. The nursing staff is your
best friend during third year. They look out for you, and if they like you, they will have your back
and make third year so much less stressful.
5. Make use of your weekends off. When it comes to studying, do a little bit every day when you get
home from work during the week. On the weekends though, live life, enjoy your days off, go on
trips, and spend money (not like it will make a dent on the overall debt, right?) Being able to have
the breaks keeps you mentally fresh, and by staying mentally fresh, you will set yourself up to
enjoy all the moments, both professional and personal, of third year.
BRIAN ICHWAN
Ward Behavior
Smile. A simple smile goes a long way. No one wants to work with a grump! Whether you are talking
with your over-worked senior resident or with your patient, who is in severe pain, keep on that
sincere smile.
Teamwork. Go in with the mindset of a team member. This is not a competition. If the whole team
does well, chances are your grades will too!
Med 3 etiquette. While a small part of your grade is on medical knowledge, a lot of it is based on your
attitude and interaction with the team. So there is no reason to "gun" for the answers, and you don't
have to be the first one to answer every question. And most importantly, never correct or interrupt
another student especially during their presentation—it will only make you look rude.
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Books: UWorld, MKSAP Q-book, Step-Up to Medicine
This one and the family medicine shelf are one of the more comprehensive exams. Although the
IM shelf covers a wide variety of topics, these three resources should be more than enough to
do well on the rotation. Step-Up to Medicine is very comprehensive but covers the materials
you need to know for the exam very well. UWorld had shorter and easier question stems but
with much more succinct explanations. MKSAP had question stems that correlated more with
the exam.
Pearls: Regardless of what resources you use, this exam is one of the toughest! Make sure to
study from day one!
PSYCHIATRY
Books: First Aid Psychiatry, Lange Q&A, PreTest
This shelf was one of the easier exams. If you just wanted to pass, First Aid would be all you
need. UWorld questions were way too brief and basic; you would do much better with PreTest
and Lange Q&A book. PreTest has more pearls; Lange Q&A had questions that were very similar
to the actual exam.
Pearls: Know your DSM criteria and drugs in First Aid well!
NEUROLOGY
Books: Finseth review, Blueprints, UWorld, PreTest
Finseth review is very succinct and covers a lot of diseases that were on the actual exam.
Neurology Blueprints is one of the better books in the Blueprints Series. It’s a bit dense but has
all the information you will need to do well on your shelf as well as on the wards.
Pearls: Pay close attention to Dr. Hoyle’s lecture on localization early on; it’s definitely helpful
for the shelf and your neuro differential during your wards experience. Finseth review is golden;
read it the last week and know it cold.
PEDIATRICS
Books: BRS Pediatrics, Case Files, PreTest, UWorld
This shelf has one of the best prep materials! It seemed like every single disease covered on the
exam could be found in BRS Pediatrics. I found BRS to be much more useful and succinct as
compared with Blueprints. Pediatrics Case File is one of the best of the series, and the questions
on PreTest were very applicable to the exam.
Pearls: Because pediatrics is not well integrated in the Med 1/Med 2 curriculum, read the
corresponding BRS Pediatrics and Case File sections prior to the start of your respective
rotation; it will help clarify and broaden your differential during the wards.
First, realize that there are more commitments third year. Between the clinical hours, lectures and
various other meetings/activities, personal time decreases somewhat. So, make your free time count.
Planning fun things to do on the weekends, capitalizing on the breaks with trips or adventures, and
taking time to just relax will go a long way to getting you through the year. Keep participating in the
hobbies and activities you enjoy throughout the block to preserve happiness and allay stress.
Secondly, time management also comes into play when preparing for the shelf exams. The last thing
you want to do after coming home from work is crack open the books for a study session. Therefore,
starting early in the block just spend a little time each night, typically just an hour or so, to study from
your resources. A long-term strategy for getting through the study materials helps to fend off the
need to binge during the last week. Realize too that your patients are a valuable resource, so reading
up on their conditions helps you to not only be prepared for rounds, but also be prepared for the
exam.
Third, be confident in yourself and your presentations. As a medical student, you are not expected to
have all the answers. It goes a long way to step up to communicate ideas and venture guesses, even if
you are not sure of the absolute best response. This does not mean just go around spurting out the
first thing that comes to your head. Dare to make a wide differential and think outside the box when
confronted with clinical problems.
Finally, make sure to take a step back during the rotation to enjoy the experience. Oftentimes, you’ll
find yourself just trudging through the week, waiting for the end of the day. Take time to reflect on
the opportunities you’ve enjoyed and the clinical findings you’ve found interesting. Third year allows
you to meet interesting people, make contributions to a team and participate in impressive
endeavors. Take time to value these aspects. Hopefully these tips help you ease into third year; you
will get into the rhythm easily and be just fine.
LINDSEY JONES
Ward Behavior
My experiences on the wards have been some of the best parts of medical school thus far, and I think
finding success in third year is fairly simple. I would say some of the more important things while on
the wards are:
Some key points to keep your mind, body and soul fresh and ready to take on each day:
Don’t let the small things bother you. Life in the hospital is no different than life outside the
hospital. Good days are followed with bad ones and vice versa. Celebrate the good with the bad
and most importantly squeeze the lemonade out of those lemons.
Did you give your patients 110% today? For the first time in many of our lives, we are no longer
only responsible for our own well-being. Our patients respect our abilities to provide them care,
and thus we need to give of ourselves wholly. You may not feel, at times, like you are making a
difference based on limited clinical experience/seniority, but the simplest gesture of a touch on
the arm/back or spending time listening to a personal story can absolutely make their day.
Did I take a little “me time” today? Your day will be physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing
as you experience the highs and lows of patient care. Take the necessary time each day whether
that be working out, cooking a nice meal, watching an episode of your favorite show, going to bed
an hour earlier, etc. to keep you refreshed and able to give your absolute best.
Think like a resident. I have thought of this year as a dress rehearsal for the future where I will be
managing my patients’ care completely on my own. Your team of residents, fellows, and
attendings are there to assist in the development of your medical knowledge and plans of care,
but thinking and acting as independently as possible, will develop and hone your abilities while
gaining respect and appreciation from those around you. Bring at least one original idea to the
table each day; now is the time to be wrong and learn why!
Hope these thoughts help. Most importantly, learn as much as you possibly can from your patients;
they will serve you well in your future encounters!
JAYNE LU
Bad things happen in Med 3. You may do poorly on a test, you might give a really terrible
presentation, and you might lose a patient—not to mention all the things that happen still manage to
happen in the world outside of the hospital. Don't let all this bad news business bum you out though.
Lots of good things and personal growth happen during Med 3. Patients get better and leave the
hospital. Teamwork with your classmates and residents/interns can be very fulfilling. Learning how to
take care of patients can be very satisfying!
Ward Behavior
1. Be early. Especially the first day, as I have found that I always manage to go to the wrong place
and look up the wrong stuff.
2. Be helpful. Ask interns, nurses, and patients how you can help them.
3. Be curious. I sometimes find it helpful to think, "If I came in with this patient's problems, what
would I want to know?" and start researching from there.
4. Be connected. I heard this from an M4 I worked with and am trying to put it into practice. If you
think you're even remotely interested in a department, talk to the department chair/assistant and
director/attending with whom you enjoyed working. Chances are they'll have some great advice
about what the specialty is like, their own experiences, and how you can be a better applicant.
5. Be kind. To everyone, even if you're busy and even if they're not your patient. A hospital is a
terrifying place to be.
PRIYA MEHTA
Ward Behavior
Be good to your fellow med students. On most services, you will have one or more classmates on
your team. Coordinate with one another. Plan in advance what time you’ll all come in, how many
patients you’ll each pick up, which cases you’ll go to, etc. You can and should be each other’s
greatest allies.
Be present. Both physically and mentally. You will be exhausted having to show up at the wee
hours of the morning, but if you can show you are mentally present by paying attention on
rounds, asking insightful questions, and following up on small tasks you are given, your residents
and attendings will feel that you want to be there. They will in turn feel more excited about
teaching you and will involve you more in the team. It’s a win-win.
Practice presentations. Write down what you are going to say in a systematic fashion. Everyone
expects information in the same SOAP order, so don’t veer from that. When it’s your turn to
present, don’t rush. They expect med student presentations to be lengthier and more detailed
than those given by residents. It is ok to read what you have prepared—don’t feel like you have
to memorize these. ALWAYS work on coming up with your own assessment and plan. Sometimes
you will have time to share that and sometimes you won’t. Sometimes your plan will be right,
oftentimes it will not. Regardless, it is a great learning tool to get you thinking past just the
information gatherer phase and onto the patient management phase.
Get to know the whole team. Introduce yourself to everyone, including the nurses, NPs,
pharmacists, scrub techs, etc. Not only does it make you a more active member of the team, but
it is unbelievable how helpful all of these people can be to a lost and clueless med student.
Get to know your patients. Both on paper and in person. Reading as much as you can about your
patients will help you learn a lot. It will also be evident that you really know the patient well when
you are presenting, which residents and attendings love to see. Even more important though—
get to know them on a personal level. Go hang out with them in the afternoons when things are
less hectic, and you are looking for something to do. As the medical student, you are often the
STEVEN NIEDERMEIER
Ward Behavior
Despite what everyone says, clothes are optional…for patients…or so some of them think. Clothes are
DEFINITELY required for students. For gents, shirt, tie (bow tie acceptable fo sho), slacks, shiny shoes,
shaven, or a Dr. John Davis-ly (PhD, MD) groomed beard. Scrubs and sneakers you don’t care about
for OB/GYN and surgical specialties. Ladies…I’ll be honest; you have too many clothing options for me
to know, but from what I have seen I think skirt, blouse (are they still called blouses?), button-up shirt
(are those blouses?), professional dresses (I think that’s what they’re called…you probably know what
I mean even though I don’t), dress pants, shiny shoes (or not?). Same attire as above for OB/GYN and
surgical (that’s not sexist; it’s just facts (-; ).
Respect, respect, respect! If all else fails, respect everyone around you. Even when you’re having a
crappy day because the attending threw a placenta across the room since you didn’t hold the
laparoscopy camera correctly (aside: no one will EVER hold that blessed camera correctly, so don’t
worry). But if you respect your attendings, residents, classmates, nurses, PCAs, EVERYONE, you will be
respected in return, and that makes everyone’s day, including yours, much more better-er.
Always ask for some feedback. Residents are there to teach you how to be good residents, so if you
feel unsure about something, ask! It shows you care, and it looks great if you put that into action the
next time you get the opportunity. For real though.
Have fun, guys! Third year, or Part 2, or whatever you call it, is the best year so far. It’s amazing.
Getting help does not mean you are weak; it means you are courageous. Life can affect us in ways
we could never anticipate. And there’s a good chance you will go through a rough time. If you ever
have problems with stress, depression, substance abuse, family issues, or anything else, go get help.
Many of your colleagues, myself included, have done it at some point. It takes a lot of courage to
admit you have a problem when you put pressure on yourself to be perfect. You are not perfect; you
are human, and that’s okay!
Ward Behavior
Take ownership of your patients. Your patients can also be your teachers. Learn everything you can
about them, and everything will fall into place after that. You will be able to confidently present the
patient on rounds. When nurses ask you if your patient will be getting fluids instead of saying, “Uh, I
don’t know; I’m just a medical student! Don’t ask me anymore questions;” you will say, “Due to his
leukemia, we are worried about tumor lysis syndrome, and so he will be on 2 x maintenance for the
time being.” When a concerned patient asks you about the plan concerning her increased creatinine
one month after her kidney transplant, instead of saying, “Hmm I’m not sure; let me go ask the
doctor! I’m only a medical student;” you can say, “There are many reasons why your creatinine can
be elevated. We want to keep you hydrated as much as possible while we determine if you have an
infection, obstruction, rejection, or even just simple dehydration.” By taking ownership of your
patients, you will be an important member of the healthcare team.
Don’t stare at the clock waiting for your shift to end! You did not make sacrifices your whole life just
so you could make it to medical school and leave early every day to [insert activity here] at home. You
will learn something every day, and you will be a much more productive team member if you’re not
waiting for your shift to end. Immerse yourself in this experience, and be thankful that you are
pursuing your dream, because another person who did not get into medical school would gladly take
your spot without staring at the clock.
Smile! Let’s face it; you are at the bottom of the totem pole as a medical student. You will make
mistakes, you will run into doctors and nurses who don’t treat you with respect, and you may have a
patient who refuses to have you see them. When things like that happen, just let it roll off your
skin…and smile! Just because someone treats you poorly doesn’t mean you should continue that
cycle of animosity for some poor future medical student. Be patient and know that it will get better.
Ward Behavior
A lot of teams can be very big, and it can be intimidating to find your place in it. It is helpful to be
frank upfront and ask your residents what exactly they want from you. An efficiently running
team where you are an asset and not a hindrance makes your life way more pleasant, efficient,
and allows you more time to focus on your own learning.
Don’t make your peers look bad. There will be times where you know the answer that someone
else is getting pimped on. Don’t blurt out the answer and don’t jostle yourself around to show
that you have an uncontrollable itch to answer the question. Nobody will be impressed, and you’ll
look like a jerk. Having poor team dynamics can be toxic. Also, if your resident tells you a time to
be there don’t show up early, nor late—both look bad. Especially if you feel the urge to show up
early, go to the student lounge or somewhere else to get ahead on your work. Showing up early
to your team will just look like you are trying to out-gun your peers. But if you’re the type to do
this such sagacity is probably falling on deaf ears.
Be nice to everyone, no exceptions. As a Med 3, you are at the bottom of the totem pole in the
hospital, and it is a good chance to work on humility. What you are doing is not inherently more
important than anyone else, and a lot of times what you need to do hinders what someone else
needs to do, and talking it out will always be more productive than presumptuously thinking you
hold a trump card. Besides, if you burn bridges with others in different healthcare roles, it will bite
you in the butt when you really do need their help. If you are just kind and forthright with
everybody, your life will be a lot easier, and people will respect you a lot more.
Most importantly, your patients are your biggest asset. No matter how good you are at chart
review, you can get so much more information by talking to patients. Every disease or symptom
or sign that I can truly remember is due to seeing it and hearing about it first-hand. If there is
always one role for you on every team, it’s to know your patients inside and out, including all
their past records, tests, but especially their narrative. Talking to your patients will give you a
distinct advantage over most other team members, and there is no substitute for good rapport
with your patients. A lot of patients don’t think they get listened to enough, so if you spend extra
time with them, they will gush about you to the team, which will always leave a good impression
with the team.
WIL SANTIVASI
The phrase “work-life balance” gets thrown around a lot in medicine as if it’s a solid, discrete thing.
The truth is that it’s much more fluid. On some rotations, you will have free time that you can use to
pursue hobbies, catch up on Netflix shows, sleep (!), or hang out with friends. On others, you will feel
as if all you have time to do is go to work and then come home and pass out. In hindsight, try your
best to stick to a workout schedule, because it can be a great outlet for stress and help you avoid the
“Med 3 15." While you should take your clinical responsibilities seriously, don’t let the new
environment and its demands stop you from being the person you want to be and taking care of
yourself. If you ever feel overwhelmed, talk to someone, whether it’s someone in the College, a
friend, or a family member. Also, ask your Med 4 friends for advice and guidance. We were just in
your position, and we are happy to help answer any questions you have!
Ward Behavior
First and foremost, be excited! This is the time you’ve been preparing for over the past 2 years. You’ll
be helping take care of real patients! Approaching each day/week/service/rotation as a learning
experience and a chance to make a difference in people’s lives will make your experience even
better. Being enthusiastic and humble is the best way to be on the wards. Also, be grateful about the
experiences you will have; there are very few people who will get to deliver a baby, close a surgical
incision, make a patient smile, help a family cope. Keep in mind the privilege you have been given to
care for your patients.
DON’T
Fabricate lab values/vitals/physical exam findings.
Show up late or leave early for no apparent reason.
Show disrespect members of your team or other hospital staff.
Answer questions that are not directed to you.
Be afraid to answer a question with “I don’t know,” but you should immediately follow it up with
“But I will find out and get back to you,” and then actually get back to the person who asked.
LAURA SCOTT
Congratulations on finishing second year! Third year is a completely different animal, and you will
finally start feeling like a physician. Embrace it!
Ward Behavior
Some of you may know what field you are going to pursue while others may be starting third year
completely undecided. Wherever you lie on the spectrum, keep an open mind! Each rotation will
teach you something new, and you will stay engaged if you keep this attitude at the forefront. The
residents are often inundated with checklists while the medical students have more free time. Take
advantage of this time to get to know your patients and nurses. The nurses have a lot of experience
and wisdom to offer. On L&D, the nurses will help you choose patients to follow and will allow you to
take part in more deliveries. Finally, be a team player. Help your fellow classmates and take initiative
to assist the residents. Don’t answer a question directed at another student/resident. Wait until you
are asked. You will shine if you work well with others and keep a positive attitude!
KELLY TIERNEY
Ward Tips
Don’t panic. Getting thrown into the wards on day one of third year is overwhelming for
everyone. Nobody knows where to go or what to do. Grab your fellow students and ask the
residents on your team what to do. Your residents are your best resource for asking questions
in regards to what you’re expected to do as a third year.
Don’t be a “gunner.” Medicine is a team sport, not a competition. You will be working long
hours with your fellow students, and you need to be able to rely on and respect one another.
Nobody likes that student that blurts out answers when other students are getting pimped, so
don’t be that person.
Go into each rotation open-minded. Even if you know you’re not interested in a given field of
medicine, make sure you continue to put the same level of effort and interest into your
patients. I’ve heard many physicians say that they only enjoy teaching students that want to
learn, so maintaining interest in your patients will only help you learn and further your
education in the end.
Give a little extra time to your patients. As medical students, we have the luxury of having more
time to devote to each patient. If you have some down time, use it to check in on your patients.
Taking a little extra time to sit down with a patient that wants to talk can have a huge impact on
their well-being and how they view their overall medical care.
Always show up on time. Split up the patient load fairly, and don’t continuously give the
complicated patients to your fellow classmates. Check in with your residents throughout the
day to see if there is anything you can help with, and help your fellow med students if someone
is struggling with something, such as presentations or notes.
Last but not least, have fun! Third year is an incredible experience. Make sure you take time to
step back and appreciate where you are, the opportunities you are being given, and the impact
you can have on patient’s life.
MAELEE YANG
Ward Behavior
It is all about learning preferences; forget memorizing a presentation template because each
attending hates what the other likes. On the first day, just listen to the resident’s presentation and
copy that format. Ask if the attending wants to know all the numbers or if, “vital signs stable and
within normal limits,” is okay, but always have the numbers. Always ask the residents questions; they
are more than happy to answer them because when you look good, they look good.
Today, Ohio State’s College of Medicine is a national leader in preparing physicians, scientists, educators, policy
leaders and allied health professionals. More than 800 students are working toward MD degrees through our innovative
curriculum, Lead.Serve.Inspire. Some students combine medical education with a professional degree in health
management, law, business or biomedical research. Another 800 young physicians from around the world come to Ohio
State to complete residency training alongside clinical experts. Through the years, Ohio State’s 21-bed hospital has
grown to the inspiring five-hospital Wexner Medical Center including the James Cancer Hospital, which in together
admitted more than 56,000 patients in 2013, and more than a million patients were cared for at Ohio State multispecialty
outpatient settings.
In 2014, we look back with pride on a century of excellence and achievement, and we look forward united in our singular
purpose – to improve people’s lives through advancements in medical education, research and patient care.