I am a senior resident in Orthopedics who has kept an eye on this site for a while. The topic of 'how do I do well on my away rotations' comes up quite a bit and here are just my two cents. I have had a lot of medical students who have rotated on my service, and I think most residents can tell on the first day who will be good and who will just get in the way.
First, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Establish yourself as a hard worker from day one. If you start off as a slacker, it will take you a long time to dig yourself out of a hole. Residents talk amongst each other and with their faculty. Don't get off to a bad start because everyone will know very quickly and it will be hard to change that perception. If you establish yourself as a hard worker right away, that reputation sticks with you also. Go the extra mile. Don't just wait for your resident to ask you to do something. Show some initiative.
Second, you MUST read for the cases that you are involved in. Don't come to the OR without knowing your anatomy, because that is invariably the only thing that most faculty will pimp you on. If you know the other stuff, that makes you look better. If you don't know your anatomy, you are digging a hole.
Third, make the life of your residents easier, NOT HARDER. I can't tell you how many medical students rotate through our service that make things MORE difficult. They are the ones that never seem to help out when you are most in need. Here are a few ways you can be helpful:
--Write notes on all your patients. Any patient that you admitted, or operated on is your patient. If you have extra time, write notes on patients that are not yours (BUT NEVER on another student's patient). I can't tell you how happy I get when I go to the chart and the note is already written. My favorite students are the ones that I tell to meet me at a certain time, and when I get there, most of the work is done. I understand no one wants to get up at the crack of dawn or stay late, but that is how you get noticed.
--work efficiently, not redundantly. If your resident is putting on a splint in the ER, help with writing the note or putting in the orders. It is frustrating to have you WATCH us put on the splint, then WATCH us write the note, then WATCH us write the orders...get the idea
--write the post-op orders (ask how to do it the first time, then take some initiative) and help wheel the patient out of the room. Don't just stand there.
--see as many patients in clinic as you can. Trust me, it is noticed by both the residents and the faculty. The worst thing you can do is chart-pick. For those of you who don't know, that is picking up the chart, seeing that it is something complicated or undesirable (e.g. infection), and putting the chart down. All the residents notice and it does not make a good impression. We all love the students who see a patient, present and move right on to the next one. It make our lives easier!
--finally, and most importantly, be personable. All of us want to add people to our program that we will get along with. If you are constantly kissing ass, answering questions for other students, and always in a bad mood, then no one is going to want to have you there. Your away rotation is a one month long interview. Be yourself, but always put your best foot forward. In the long run, the best medical students are those that are hard workers, know their S#*T, and are fun to be around.
Hope that was helpful.
