Post by Rheumatology Elective on Aug 14, 2005 8:43:53 GMT -5
This was an excellent rotation to ease into 3rd year with, but I think would seem a bit unchallenging for anyone with very much 3rd year experience under his/her belt. However, as that's what many people are looking for in their elective month, it could be perfect.
Hours are 8-5, occasionally staying until 6 if the clinic is swamped, and you're usually out by 4 on Friday's. There is no call and no weekends. Four days a week are spent at MCG, one day a week at the VA. The attendings, Drs. Loebl, Moore, and Goeckeritz, are all excellent and are very interested in teaching. Drs. Goeckeritz and Moore will teach you on the fly as interesting cases pop up, whereas Dr. Loebl will usually take an hour or two once or twice a week to go through a formal lecture with you. All in all the attendings and two fellows were great, and as lots of 4th years rotate through on ambulatory care rotations, there are always students around.
The best skills I picked up were how to do a very thorough musculoskeletal exam and a lot of excellent experience in reading plain films, the latter being a skill that most 3rd years never pick up thanks to the heavy dependence on MRI/CT in most areas of medicine. In addition, you also get very familiar with the nuances of perscribing drugs for pain management, something which I've found pretty useful for subsequent rotations. I would observe/perform roughly 1-2 procedures a week, mainly aspiration of joints, and the attendings/fellows were always very eager to get you into the action.
In short if you are looking for a nice outpatient clinc month with relatively easy hours and a overall healthy patient population, this would be a great rotation for you. email me with any specific questions you may have, mp6771md@students.mcg.edu
Hours are 8-5, occasionally staying until 6 if the clinic is swamped, and you're usually out by 4 on Friday's. There is no call and no weekends. Four days a week are spent at MCG, one day a week at the VA. The attendings, Drs. Loebl, Moore, and Goeckeritz, are all excellent and are very interested in teaching. Drs. Goeckeritz and Moore will teach you on the fly as interesting cases pop up, whereas Dr. Loebl will usually take an hour or two once or twice a week to go through a formal lecture with you. All in all the attendings and two fellows were great, and as lots of 4th years rotate through on ambulatory care rotations, there are always students around.
The best skills I picked up were how to do a very thorough musculoskeletal exam and a lot of excellent experience in reading plain films, the latter being a skill that most 3rd years never pick up thanks to the heavy dependence on MRI/CT in most areas of medicine. In addition, you also get very familiar with the nuances of perscribing drugs for pain management, something which I've found pretty useful for subsequent rotations. I would observe/perform roughly 1-2 procedures a week, mainly aspiration of joints, and the attendings/fellows were always very eager to get you into the action.
In short if you are looking for a nice outpatient clinc month with relatively easy hours and a overall healthy patient population, this would be a great rotation for you. email me with any specific questions you may have, mp6771md@students.mcg.edu
