How to Ace a Urology Elective- Urology Residents Please Help
Lets make a comprehensive Review for medical students that will help them in their Urology Elective. I am gonna post topics and whoever feels comfortable answering them, please do so. Other important topics could also be added.
1. The most common cases that you will encounter ( Inpatient, outpatient, consults....etc)
2. Pertinent history and physical in a urology patient in general and in specific patients/diseases (bph/prostate cancer, nephrolithiasis, Erectile dysfunction and other common diseases)
3. LOR ( who to ask (chairman vs. attending), When to ask, Who should it be sent to and any particular way to ask)
4. Research During an elective (whom should you ask (residents, attendings, chairman), what to expect (any personal experiences)
5. Technical skills needed ( What is expected of a medical student (ie: Catheter insertion, Suturing, type of suturing....etc), any advice on how to be prepare for those skills)
6. Women in Urology Elective (any specifice advice for women interested in a uro electvie)
7. Things I missed.
Once we have this Project done, We can ask the administrators to publish it on their website.
Any contributor can put his name after his post for aknwoledgment purposes.
1. Cases you should probably be familiar with: Radical prostatectomy, radical/partial nephrectomy, radical cystectomy. Figure out who the big people at the program you're going to and what cases they do. Focus on that.
2. I can't answer this question without taking up too much space. This is something you'll just have to learn on the fly.
3. Definitely as the chairman and any well known faculty with whom you have good repoire.
4. Write a paper.
5. Catheter insertion, closing skin, cystoscopy. The best way to get good is to practice. Before you do your away, do a rotation at your home program and try to get to do as much as possible.
6. Women applicants are highly sought after.
7. Most importantly: DON'T BE ANNOYING. Pay attention and try to be helpful. If you see the intern busy with all the morning notes, offer to pull drains, change dressings, flush tubes, or whatever else came up on rounds. This requires that you pay attention to what's going on during rounds. ;)
8. When doing a presentation, remember that anything that you bring up is open to questions. Don't put anything on your slides that you don't feel comfortable discussing. Try to keep the scope narrow and make the topic educational. It's better to do an excellent little talk than a just-ok big talk. Avoid controversial topics. You'll get stuck between crossfire.
I can't tell you how many smart candidates screw themselves up at our sub-i by being a d-bag. However, just as many weaker candidates make themselves stronger just by getting along with the group. Don't have to kiss up, just don't be annoying.
Being a woman will be an advantage because programs are looking to make their programs well rounded. I know our program will give a female candidate a spot if all other things are equal. Obviously wouldn't just give the spot away for having ovaries vs. testes.
LOR: work with the chairman as much as you can, then just ask him for the letter 3 weeks into a 4 week rotation. Don't just be the best you can be. Losers always say that. Be a winner. Work harder than you ever had, read more than you ever had. There are some moments of your life that may determine the rest. It's worth the extra effort to make sure that moment goes your way.
Research: How much research can you do in 1 month? What is the quality of that work going to be? I recommend you do a project at your home program, start early (before your sub-i), and work on it afterwards as well.
Technical skills: need to be able to close skin. And if you can put a catheter in anyone, you will look like a star. Not just the usual catheter at beginning of the case. Volunteer to put that catheter on the floors that the nurses couldn't get. Learn all the tips and tricks to be successful at this. Recommend reading chapter 6 in Campbell's. It's short, and you need to know it anyways to be a good resident. As a med student, if you volunteer for these and free up the junior, and are able to come back and say "I took care of it", you will differentiate yourself.
Good luck.
don't mess up