Happy 2nd Birthday Blog!

I'm a day late but was too wiped out to write last night! I know I owe you a blog about my rotations and other things like the COMP but I am hoping that tonight I will get to it! Sorry for the delay! :D

Happy 2nd Birthday Blog!!!!!

7-29-06

I passed the USMLE Step 1!

My days of stress, at least for the meantime, are OVER! I had gotten my results July 16th (soooo sorry for the late entry) and I just couldn't help but cry of happiness! I didn't do amazing but I didn't 'just pass' either. 200/82 is my score and I am completely happy with it! I had already started my family med rotation and I was taking my lunch break at home when the email came saying my score was ready. Ugh, moment of truth! I cannot tell you how much I was shaking! But as I scrolled down I saw "PASS" and... well, eventually got the hint that it was all behind me. I just couldn't believe it at first.

So what now? I am now done with 2 weeks of family med and I love it. I really didn't think I would but I have a great teacher and she really gives me alot of freedom to do what I am comfortable with (which I never turn down an offer for a new procedure or task) and is giving me a great experience thus far. I can only hope that I am what she expected in a 3rd year and possibly even more! I will be writing soon about my past couple weeks and truly cannot believe after next week it will be half over! Usually I count down my days, but I am really not in a rush to finish this rotation. I am learning alot and am very glad I have this rotation first. Of course, I am sure there are benefits to having any of the rotations first but my perspective is that I am getting alot of patient contact and practice with a thorough interview for specific and common complaints and to me a way of working that makes it an easy transition into my clinical years. Next up will be back to Saginaw which the orientation begins August 25th and psychiatry will be my first rotation on my schedule there - yay!

I can't wait to write about my experiences, so many in just two weeks! I just wanted to finally pass on that my Step 1 is now over and time to look onward to Step 2 CK/CS! What a sigh of relief! Thank you for all your support and prayers, I appreciate it so very much!!!

Family Medicine is Underway!

I have just finished my second day in my FM rotation! I was so worried that it wouldn't be what I was hoping for but I know I am already getting some great experience. I am in an outpatient practice for the next six weeks with my preceptor and on my first day she asked if I would want to follow her around to learn the ropes or just jump on in and work up my own patients. I really wanted to be thrown into the mix and that's just what happened. We had about 15-17 patients my first day, 9 of which I worked up. My preceptor of course asked if it was alright for me to come in to do my exam and then the floor was mine! I took their histories (unless it was a complete physical, just a more directed history), did any exams that I thought were necessary, presented back to her and then re-visited these patients together with her to finish off the visit and fill in any gaps if needed. It was a great first day and really made me feel very comfortable right from the start to just knock, walk in the room and sit on that little doctor stool all by myself. Haha, I still think the stool is one of the coolest parts (weird huh?). I get to take in the charts write up my SOAP notes and even sign my own work. To me, it is very exciting - and I am so grateful to my preceptor for giving me such freedom on my first day. Most of my patients were pain: shoulder pain, headache, ankle injury, back pain. I also had some headcolds, possible kidney infection, spinal headache from an epidural and more. I write up lab orders but for now it is mostly by her discretion which is discussed while we visit together. I think though that very soon I will come out with my own orders as well. Anyhoo, all in all it was a great day.

Today was a bit slower but I didn't mind so much. I still got to do my own cases but was able to begin some procedures today. My preceptor is a "see one, do one" kind of doctor as long as patients are willing. I got to do an awesome ear flushing (haha) but then was able to draw up and administer 4 injections: 2 in the hip, 1 deltoid and 1 in the posterior arm. Only day two and with the experience thus far, I am just extrapolating that over the next 6 weeks. I am hoping though that I am making a good impression. Slowly the pimping is starting, some I get right and some I don't. She is very understanding and is very happy to teach me. I need to keep my nose to the grindstone and keep improving!

In the meantime, my scores are supposed to be coming out tomorrow. I don't want to delve into it to much but my Synergy deadline is tomorrow as well. I did all I could do and I hope that it comes on time. I know they are waiting on many students scores accepted into Synergy but I just hope the program doesn't drop us all because they have delayed our scores. Sigh, anyway - more to come! Stay tuned!

Feel 1/2 way there...

Well, yesterday went quite well. Long story short I will be allowed to begin my Family Medicine rotation on Monday! Why feeling half way there? I still don't know if I have passed my Step! There hasn't even been a chance yet for me to do the Oasis Trick. I feel like I will be soooo embarassed to start this rotation and then fail the Step, only to have to pull out of the rotation and begin studies again... I still don't even want to think about it.

At least I get the rest of this week to get my things together, get the house as clean as I can (cause I know I've been like the 'housewife' lately and I won't be around as much), just getting my mind adjusted to a new schedule. I am excited but confused with my new role that I will have in my clinical years. I'm not sure how my preceptor will want me to participate in the patient care. She is new as well to having clinical students, so it will be new to us both. If anyone has any advice from their FM rotation let me know!

Nothing much else is going on., but I guess it is time for more laundry and refreshing some Bates' in my head! :)

Crunch Time...

Well vacation is over and it is back to the real world. I am glad to get things going again though. Unfortunately to me, it seems like it might not be happening! I am still waiting for my scores and with Monday (the day I am supposed to start FM) being 5 weeks, I am finding myself in a bind. All my forms are in to start at this facility, including my health assessment form. The dates are set and ready to go. It seems like I just missed the right time to take the Step as people that took it just 2 weeks prior to me got their scores within 4 weeks. It seems like I might have to wait until the 16th to get them which cuts into my first week - of course. Luckily I have a very flexible preceptor and doesn't pose a problem but shifting a week forward then cuts into my orientation at Saginaw at the end of August! This is a bad game of Dominos.

Not only am I worried about starting FM on time but jeeze - I am still freaking about the Step! Did I even pass?? I must be rolling some dice because I feel like I am just setting up for a huge disappointment if I failed. That is alot of things to cancel in my near future. Ugh, I just can't think about that now.

Anyway, I have emailed some higher-ups just to get some advice, which I hope will be more than "tough luck". I just know I have busted my butt to get this far and to obtain the great opportunities that were out there and seeing it come to a screeching halt makes my stomach sick. It is just awful not knowing where I will be next week. I could be picking up Kaplan and beginning my Step 1 studies again or I could be starting my FM rotation. I hope and pray it is the latter, but I guess I am just on hold until I hear more. Until then, please pray as I am that I can move forward and stay on schedule...