Surviving your internship | |
Advice for house officers. |
At last -- an
easy-to-read guide to help interns and junior residents
negotiate the difficult first few years of their careers. Its focus is
predominantly on the "non-clinical" side of the job -- in particular,
how to impress your seniors. For example, it advises what to prepare
for ward rounds, and how to put in a theatre list. But I thought it was
going a little too far with advice to "let the consultant choose the
right diagnosis from your list of suggestions" rather than come out
with a difficult missed diagnosis yourself.
The emphasis on establishing good relationships with non-medical staff is refreshing, and perhaps long overdue. It really does make your job easier! There is an excellent section of lists, such as standard preoperative investigations and what to do before discharging a patient or when a patient dies. This is followed by another terrific section for you to fill in with local protocols for the treatment and prophylaxis of important or common conditions. Although it does not attempt to be a textbook, this guide does offer a few important clinical reminders along the way. Unfortunately, there are a few times when these are not relevant to Australian practice -- usually in mentioning drugs or protocols not routinely used here. Also, the advice occasionally seems to be aimed at someone on their way to their first day at secondary school -- reminding you where to find tissues, and to carry any necessary personal medication in your pocket. Overall, however, there is no doubt that a quick read of its 100-odd pages the night before you begin internship would greatly enhance your ability to survive this difficult first year. Follow its simple advice and you may even enjoy your resident years. Ross C Lamplugh
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