The medical school curriculum is divided into two parts. Clinical rotations form the latter part after the basic science program. Lasting for semesters six to ten of the MD program, clinical rotations are an integral part of your medical studies and have a major role in the type of doctor you become.
The clinical medicine program is designed to provide adequate practical experience for students before they enter the residency program. Although clinical rotations are a stressful time in the life of a medical student, you can overcome this stress with the right amount of hard work, support, and commitment.
Here are a few tips to help you succeed during the clinical medicine program.
Maintain an organized lifestyle
Being organized is the first step to completing your clinical rotations stress-free. Create a study plan and stick to it every day no matter how hard it is. Having a specific plan will help you to stay motivated during tough times.
One tip to stay organized is to assign a topic for each day and complete it by the time you wrap up the day. Whether you study in the morning, during your shifts, or after a day’s duties, make sure you cover a specific topic area each day. This will remove a lot of stress and help you stay focused during your shifts.
Try to keep a notebook handy during your rotations so that you can write down important lessons and skim through them whenever you get some free time.
Build connections
Having a strong network around you is the best way to navigate through the challenging periods of the clinical medicine program. You should establish good connections with the support staff and seniors to pursue the rotations on the right note.
Support staff at hospitals such as nurses and assistants have years of experience working in patient care facilities. Maintaining a good connection with them will help you learn a lot from their experiences.
Find time to interact with your fourth-year seniors as they have already completed the core rotations and can help you with vital information. They can give you useful insights on how to interact with others, what to expect from each rotation, and how to successfully navigate the two years.
Clinical rotations are challenging and working as a team can ensure that you complete them successfully.
Learn from your patients
Clinical rotations are all about applying your textual knowledge in real-world scenarios. The primary objective of the clinical medicine program is to get you clinical exposure and hands-on experience before you graduate.
Your patients are the best teachers you will ever find, besides doctors. Interact with them well and get to know their medical history. Carefully study what your patients say and imbibe lessons from each of their experiences.
Patient communication can teach you so much outside the textbooks including professionalism and medical ethics.
While shuttling yourself between hospitals and classrooms, never forget to take time out. Indulge in activities that you love and spend time with your loved ones to relieve the stress of clinical rotations.
Following these tips religiously will help you succeed in your clinical medicine program.
