So, this is it.
Clerkship.
This is the part where I finally get to feel like a doctor.
Is it possible that the past two years (of pre-clerkship) have dragged on but also flown by at the same time? The status of “clerk” always felt a little out of reach, like it was that level in the game that you needed a gazillion points to unlock. But it’s unlocked and it feels like I still need more points.
Given the fact that I like to feel prepared before doing something I’ve never done before, over the last few weeks, I asked EVERYONE I knew (4th year med students, my physician assistant friend, residents, staff) for advice/words of wisdom/tips & tricks. Everyone said this is the fun part; “it’s a different style of learning but you’ll have fun” “you’re finally part of the patient’s circle of care.”
I am both excited and terrified, a common coupling of emotions among my classmates, which has been quite comforting.
Excited because we now have legit responsibilities (sort of), we get to work with doctors, nurses, and other allied health staff. The histories we take and the physical examinations we do matter now, they are no longer scripts acted out by SPs (standardized patient) or stations staged for OSCEs. Now it matters. The information we gather ultimately determines the patient’s course of care.
Terrified because it feels like I’ve completely forgotten everything I’ve learned over the last 2 years and even though my upper-year friends and staff have told me this is pretty much the norm, I can’t help but feel a little apprehensive. I mean, we’re now part of our patients’ healthcare team, doesn’t that mean we should be as knowledgeable as we can be?
But then I have to remind myself that I’m barely a CC3 (3rd year med student). Technically, clerkship is still a part of my learning, it’s just the next level. It’s designed so I don’t have to know it all or be solely responsible for the care of my patients. Which means, my safety net is still here! I get to practice my skills on real patients, learn new procedures, all while figuring out how to be a doctor.
That being said, there are expectations of us as CC3s, some of which include, knowing the basics (i.e. how to conduct histories & do physical examinations). We’re expected to become more independent and proactive in our learning, and by the end of 3rd year, to have put into practice, a lot of what we were taught during pre-
clerkship.
Clerkship is a pretty significant step in our medical education, at least it feels that way to me. I would say I’ve been moderately studious over the past 2 years, but I feel like there were times where I just studied to pass exams. Clerkship doesn’t feel like something I need to get over with to pass the year.
I want to take each core block seriously, regardless of whether I’m interested in the specialty or not. I know the best way for me to learn is by taking care of patients and being involved in their care.
There are times when I’ll feel tired, uninterested, or burnt out. I know that it’s normal to have these moments and I just have to try to remind myself I only get to be a CC3 once.
This is it.