Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Spring Cleaning

Judging by my desk, I think it is safe to say that everything needs to be tidied up once in a while, if only to restore function. It was high time that this blog was sharpened up, and put into some semblence of focus.

And in a more appropriate way of reorganising something, that means to start from the ground up again; most of the posts were horrendous, trite wafflings of an over stressed, naive, student. Some of them were useful, and so remain. Things that weren't wholly relevant to a running commentary on the state of play in medical education in this country have been deleted, in a vague attempt to get back to some sort of message.

The three posts that remain, post-purge, are useful as a reminder for those that follow after. A dutuful reader would remember that the OSCEs usually change some things around, but in the early clinical years - at least - they aren't going to throw in the huge surprise. Patients are stable, with clear signs. Actors are simply that - and have a script. Just jump through the hoops and you should be set.

Whether or not this becomes a Dr Rant-esque site, or attempts to bridge the divide between the vehement and the reasoned, remains to be seen. Given the way my medical school - as an entity - continues to be one of the more poorly organised groups of professionals, it is only a matter of time, one feels, before this site is overtaken by the vitriolic and the desperate.

Having said all of that, it must countered by the fact that this is an opportunity to refresh one's outlook on the future.

Friday, April 18, 2008

OSCE (2)

Neurology, Orthopaedics, & Psychiatry:

  • Lower Limb Exam
  • Lower Limb Present &Viva
  • Antidepressants discussion with patient
  • X-ray - OA hip.
  • Alcohol Hx
  • Alcohol Presentation and Viva
  • Shoulder Exam
  • History Lower back pain
  • Present Histroy Lower back Pain
  • Ethics of homicidal patient
  • Hand exam
  • Panic Disorder Viva
  • Psychotic symptoms Viva
  • ???

Sunday, April 06, 2008

A weekend at work


Lets call the man Bob.

Bob is 68 years old, and has been going to my church since before I moved to the area. I haven't really spent any time talking to him before today. Bob collapsed today in church, during the sermon.

My church is lucky, in the way that it has a resident GP, and a Sister as well. So when Bob collapsed during the sermon (one of the minister's more entertaining ones, in all honesty), there was a team of people to look after him.

I wasn't the first up to help, though when I did, the doctor took a step back, and basically let me run the first aid. Bob was talking, probably suffering from his "funny do's, doc, going to hospital tomorrow". He just keeled over, pale and clammy, and very quickly recovered. The fact that he was talking immediately made me jump through the ABC, and I started to feel more in control of the situation. Having a senior partner at a GP surgery as back up is obviously a nice safety net to have as a med student, starting to get more confidence in treating a new casualty.

After we got him sorted out, he had a second funny turn, and from sitting and talking to me (Pulse 60, Cap refill <2sec),> like a vaso-vagal episode, which Bob was due for testing for in the Cardiology department the next day.

Looks like Bob is getting his tests early, this time as an inpatient.