Stepping Ahead- Transitional Clerkship

There is some comfort in knowing that we are not quite starting just yet. Two weeks of transitional clerkship is exactly what we need to ease back into the whirlwind of the clinical core post-boards.

It's a step by step. Ok, more like- baby step process.

On the first day back, our professor compared medical school to skiing down a steep hill. In the first two years of medical school, we have climbed the mountain. Now, we've made up to the top and are looking down.

The view can either be extremely scary or spectacular. I can appreciate both views.
Regardless of how we see the challenges ahead, our goal is to simply learn how to ski down that hill without falling. In transitional clerkship, we will learn how to put on our equipment to prepare us for the next two years.

We spent the first day learning about the patient interview (again) and presentations. This time, I think we all paid closer attention, since in less than two weeks, we'll be delivering patient presentations to groups of superiors in white coats. Like anything else in life, we need to "practice, practice, practice."

I spent this afternoon drawing blood, performing a blood ABG, inserting peripheral lines, learning basic life support and suturing. All procedures were performed on mannequins and the suturing was done using pig's feets. Our blood sample was red Koolaid. Somewhat realistic.

We also celebrated the essential core by acknowledging the lecturers, small group instructors and clinicians that have made an impact on our education. In doing so, we close the chapter of classroom learning as we move to learning on our feet in the wards. I had the privilege of introducing the award for outstanding lecture series to a physician that taught us everything we need to know about parasites. We may never look at pork, beef or sushi the same way- but we did learn a great deal about these interesting creatures that have complex life cycles and cause so much harm globally.

As we go through the next two weeks, we are constantly reminded that third year requires a serious paradigm shift. During the first two years, we showed up with a "backpack, ipod and whenever in a controlled environment." And now, things change, we become professional and show up for a job. The student goes from being the center of the academic universe to becoming the bottom of the totem pole. Third year is a time of learning, but it may also be a "spectacular opportunity for failure."

We were told that it's normal to be anxious. In fact, you're probably abnormal if you're lack nerves. I'm definitely nervous (an understatement). Yet, I'm curious about the unknown.

We'll see how this transition goes. I'm slowing making those steps forward.