Timeline

Posted by Jenegie On March - 8 - 2009

For anyone interested in how long it takes to get through medical school

What a day....

Posted by jenegie On 4:42 PM
Our first lab today was a doctoring lab.  In these labs we learn how to be doctors by practicing on each other.  Thats right, our first time giving injections, drawing blood, listening to a heart, etc. is on each other.  Today we were learning how to do an abdominal exam.  Ok, no big deal right?  Listen with a stethescope, tap to listen for abdominal fullness, then feel for any abnormalities and any enlarged lymph nodes.  

Things seemed to be going smoothly.  My partner seemed to be a little tense while feeling his abdomen, but nothing excessive.  

To find the inguinal lymph nodes one must trace a line between the hip bone and the pubic symphysis.  Thats right, we need to find the "pubes".  Here is a diagram.
Pubic Symphysis of pelvic girdle picture used from 'Principles of Anatomy and Physiology' - Sixth Edition. By G.J. Tortora and N.P. Anagnostakos. Published by Harper & Row - 1990
The highlighting is pubic symphysis.  Actually, this we have found this spot on each other many times for various exams.  Slowly walk your hand down the belly until you hit bone, done, you have found the pubic symphysis.

 And, that what I tried to do.  When I came to the bone I poked in my middle finger to show that I had found it and my partner literally jumped off the table and yelled "ouchhhhhhhhhhhh".  Several nearby tables turned to look at my terribly red face and my partner grabbing his groin.  

The day proceeded in the afternoon with another lab in which we had to make case presentations.  3 pages of information about a patient were supposed to be presented to the class.  We were allowed a 3X5 to write down certain information on one side (such as lab values and medications).  They picked people at random but it was apparent that they were picking those students that didn't talk as much in class, the shy ones.  I knew I would be called.  And I was.  I don't think that I have ever been so nervous...I have given plenty of presentations.  I have taken two college speech courses.  But for some reason, I got up there and went numb.  Every other word was "um" and I stumbled to find words such as "diagnosis", "conclusion" and "patient".  Of course, this doesn't ease my concerns for the much larger presentation that I am supposed to give in two weeks.  


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