Help: I’m starting clinical!

You will generally be allocated to 'teams', with each member having different roles and responsibilities. Knowing who is who helps you know who to ask which questions, and helps you get the most out of your placement. Here is a very brief summary of what terms mean and what they do.

• Medical student: that's you!
• Intern: PGY1. "Baby doctors". Doctors, but with an emphasis on clinical supervision and ongoing learning. Generally handle the bulk of the paperwork of the team.
• Resident/RMO: PGY2+. Having now completed intern year, these doctors now have their full registration as a medical practitioner.
• Registrar: PGY3+. Registrars have greater responsibility in medical decision making.
  • Service Registrar: not currently on an accredited training program
  • Trainee Registrar: on an accredited training program
  • Advanced Trainee Registrar: on an accredited training program
• Fellow: A registrar that has finished their formal training, but is electing to complete sub-specialty training within their field.
• Consultant: Have completed training. They are ultimately responsible for the patient's care, clinical supervision of the team.

See here for more information about each stage.

The good things

• Where there is a clear delegation of responsibilities, things are less likely to be missed.
• There is always someone more senior (until you are a consultant), and so there is always someone to ask for help!

Potential challenges

• Power indifferences make easy targets of bullying. If you are being bullied, see here

The way you dress is an important part of presenting yourself as a professional. You should aim to look tidy, smart, and approachable to your patients. Some general advice is:

• Smart business or semi-formal attire extending past the shoulders and below the knees is a safe choice.
• No neckties, scarves, or other parts that can dangle. These are considered an infection risk. Arms should be bare below the elbows.
• Hair should be neatly styled, and may need to be tied up to avoid falling forwards if long.
• Jewellery should be minimal. Avoid items that could get caught or be yanked on.
• You might like to carry a bag with you for pens, cannulas, etc.

  Individual hospitals will also have a dress code, which you might want to check.

Your role as a medical student is to learn.

This works best when you:

• See patients independently
• Do lots of clinical examinations
• Practice presenting as frequently as possible
• Practice your procedural skills

Sometimes you may also:

• Help write the notes, prepare pathology/imaging requests (ensuring a doctor on the team has signed them off)

You are allowed to

• Ask questions, even 'dumb' ones
• Get things wrong
• Not know things

Remember: you are a student! You are here to learn!

Your job does NOT include:

• Fetching coffee, making tea
• Writing discharge summaries

You should get orientation information before your rotation begins about where, when and who to meet on day 1 (if not, contact your year reps/the Rotation Coordinator or Admin). Some rotations will give you a timetable. Otherwise, it is good on the first day to ask your Consultant or Registrar what typical days look like, how they think you can best spend your time/what would be most beneficial for your learning and what their expectations of students are.

Generally, how the day looks will depend on the rotation you are on.

For example:

• Surgery: 7am ward round, then to theatres or clinic
• Internal Medicine: 8am ward round, then completing jobs
• Psychiatry: 8am handover/team briefing, then patient reviews as appropriate.

It will also depend on which site you are at; different hospitals/team will run things differently. It can help to ask the student who had just completed that rotation how they found it.