abyssalchicken Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 I'm finishing up my first clinical rotation this week in outpatient cardiology. I didn't do so well with cardiology during didactic, especially cardiology meds. The doc I've been with this month is a phenomenal doctor, very well-respected, and all the patients adore them. However, this doc is very blunt and intimidating. I've worked with intimidating surgeons in the past, but this one has me feeling like I'm lower than a doormat. I have a hard time remembering things and feel stupid because doc doesn't exactly teach. They just expect us to know what to do and they don't discuss anything to try to help us understand. It's just, "You need to know this." I try to read the guidelines and review information from didactic, but it's just not clicking. I feel like I haven't learned anything and like I'm not representing my program well. I have ADHD and I'm so busy and overwhelmed with their assignments that I have no time to study the actual material or study for the EOR. Honestly, I know it's my first rotation, and this doc is notoriously "difficult", but it truly has me questioning if this is what I should be doing. I've wanted to work in medicine since I was a kid, and worked as a surgical tech for seven years before coming to PA school. This rotation has left me with no self-confidence, whatsoever, and my anxiety has been so high that I've lost 10 pounds. Thoughts? I'm not planning on giving up, but daggum...I'm in a deep hole right now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billdog29 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Hey - keep your head high. You're a PA student - in no way incapable or unintelligent. Only the best get into PA school! There are certainly other fields you were better at than cardio, right? You just happened to start your rotations on the most difficult for you. Lots of preceptors are much better than what you've described here, so don't be too concerned about getting many more of these. Just hold tight through this rotation, get the studying in that you need (try to make this your focus as you approach EOR), maintain sanity (exercise! good diet! sleep!) and know that it won't get much worse since you seem to have hit the trough of difficulties. And if it helps: remember your biggest struggles during the didactic year - you got through those, too, right? You got this! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abyssalchicken Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 Thank you! I keep trying to tell myself that (as does my husband), but every day in the clinic beats me down a little more. I get anxious every time I have a cardio question on practice exams lol. I'm trying to keep my head up for the next rotation, though! Seriously, thank you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 7 hours ago, abyssalchicken said: I have a hard time remembering things and feel stupid because doc doesn't exactly teach. They just expect us to know what to do and they don't discuss anything to try to help us understand. It's just, "You need to know this." I'm sure there are probably some things you could've done to improve your experience but it doesn't sound like he is a very good teacher, which is difficult to work with as a student, especially if cards isn't a strong suit of yours AND was your first rotation. Ouch. Head up and focus on your next rotation. Reach out to your clinical mentor and fellow students for advice on how to approach your next rotation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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