It takes a lot of work to get into medical school. The application process has been compared to anything from a meat grinder to a cut throat rat race. There's nothing more (a) relieving, or (b) exciting than finally getting that acceptance letter. I jumped up and down like a crazy woman (well, I was at work when I got the news, so I didn't actually. But DEEP DOWN INSIDE I was doing the Riverdance). I couldn't stop smiling. Someone actually stopped and asked me if anything was wrong (I guess I must have looked a little off). But after the initial euphoria wore off, my first thought was "I wonder how long it'll take for the admissions committee to realize they've made a mistake". Ah, pessimism. My friend.
I had this concept that since med schools are so hard to get into, that medical students must be incredibly intelligent, capable people. And don't get me wrong, most of my classmates would fall into that category. What surprised me was that most doctors didn't expect much from us at all. Case in point: the following is a slide from our respiration block.
AIRWAY ASSESSMENT: FIRST DETERMINE...
1) Is the patient dead?
2) Is the patient dying?
If the patient is not dead or dying, take a history.
Yes. The attending felt it was necessary to instruct us NOT to attempt a history on a deceased patient. Perhaps they have run into problems in the past regarding that particular concept...
Picture the earnest medical student clutching a patient chart in sweaty palms, standing at the head of a body bag.
"MR SMITH??? MR SMITH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU TELL ME IF YOU'RE ON ANY MEDICATIONS? WHEN DID THIS PROBLEM START??? ARE YOU IN ANY PAIN? WHAT PRECIPITATES THIS PAIN? TELL ME ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE PAIN. DOES IT RADIATE? MR SMITH?? HELLO??? WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GET OUT OF THIS INTERACTION?"
Anyways. Bottom line. Most doctors' opinions on the intelligence level of the average medical student: low to very low.
The Mr. Smith thing cracks me up. Um but wouldn't you feel worse if these doctors expected too much from you, at least this way they know you don't know much and will teach you every single thing you're supposed to know. Med school is for learning after-all and not for a display of intelligence because getting into Med already means you're definitely more than average.
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