Fifth Rotation: Ob/GYN - Tacoma

These are Drs. Boutry, Cammarano, Kovanda, and Lenihan (from left to right). Their offices were right across the street from Tacoma General, which is where we did surgeries (including the Da Vinci robotic surgeries, which were cool.

I got another honors grade in the clinical portions of this rotation. Yippie!!! :) Dr. Lenihan offered to write a letter of recommendation for residency as well, so overall this rotation went really well.
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Holy COW! I've been attacked by a Pimp Monster! I'm serious. I am the only student and I'm taking direct hits about every two seconds! In all seriousness, it's great. I'm getting pimped on tons of general medicine, ortho, and other stuff. Half the time I have no clue what the answer is, but I'm living in total fear of looking like a clod, so I'm working my butt off. AND IT'S ONLY THE FIRST DAY! :)

So I am loving the rotation on day one. I got to assist on a robotic hysterectomy case. The DaVinci system is AMAZING. It has to be the coolest thing I've seen in surgery. I was blown away. I will get to see tons of it on this rotation (at least 12 such surgeries). Then I was off to clinic, where I got off to a quick start doing bimanual exams. Then it was back to the OR with another doc for a quick excision of a large labial cyst. Then back to clinic for more experience in the female exam (in addition to pimping on things like metabolic syndrome, what are the six classifications of obesity, and on and on). The cool thing was that I got to watch my first vaginal delivery ON MY FIRST DAY. I get to do the next one. I'm getting the feeling like I'm a magnet for the good stuff and it is going to keep rolling my way. I'm on call tomorrow night, so I'm sure I'll get more then, but I have one under my belt already. Then I went back to clinic for more pimping and prodding.

I have to say that the birth of a little being was a profound experience. My emotions almost overtook me. No one saw it, but I was overcome with emotion, excitement, joy, wonderment, and happiness. It's impossible to describe, really. I wanted to burst out in tears, but I was able to keep it under wraps and I don't think anyone saw. I cannot wait to do more. I will not likely get to do many (if any) of these in the ED, so I want to soak up as many of these experiences as I can get! I loved it. :)

This rotation ended up being very good. Although I only had 7 deliveries, I scrubbed on more than 30 surgeries. And of those, I was first assist on all and closed on all. I also frequently intubated the patients prior to surgery. I did D&Cs, endometrial biopsies, and tons of pelvic exams. I placed trochars, drove the camera, acted as a second surgeon with graspers, and the like, and was generally allowed to do anything I asked to do. I was quite fortunate that there were no other students or residents on this rotation. I felt like I got a ton of good experience. I feel like I can intubate and suture very well, and I also feel like I can evaluate an Obstetrical or Gyn problem that comes into the ER. :)

National Outstanding Medical Student Award!

I cannot believe it. I've been nominated for this award through the ACEP. I will find out in about 6 weeks if I got it. I'm very humbled and honored by this. It was quite a surprise when I found out. I have been doing a lot of work for the College, but it has been a labor of love, and I feel like I am the one who is getting all of the benefits, rather than the other way around. I have worked hard on the medical legal committee and I'm committed to advancing the specialty as best as I can by using my knowledge and experience, but seriously...I am the one who should be recognizing the college and the people I have met and worked with.

I have known all along that I was destined for emergency medicine, so even though I wanted to keep my eyes open and look at other fields, I wanted to get involved with ACEP early. Many medical organization don't even let you join as a student, let alone participate in any meaningful way. I didn't have high expectations that I would be allowed to do so, yet I had so much medical-legal experience, and I thought that I could be of some benefit to the organization. So with just a hope, I submitted an application to the medical legal committee (before I had even set foot in the 1st year medical school classroom!), and to my absolute amazement and happiness, I was accepted. Not only was I accepted, but I was welcomed. I took it upon myself to engage in several projects immediately. I was offered support and mentoring. I have met the greatest group of people ever. I feel like I have found a home. And the farther I advanced through my training, the more obvious it was to me that I MUST do emergency medicine. Nothing else would quite do it for me.

So as embarrassing as this, I'm also so flattered, and I feel like sharing it with my friends. So here goes...

These are some of the comments submitted on my behalf:

"I have had the pleasure of working with Jennifer for the past 3 years as she has served the College on the Medical Legal Committee. Due to her outstanding service to the Committee and the College, I believe she would be an ideal candidate to be nominated for ACEP's newly created "Outstanding Medical Student Award".
Jennifer has excelled as the most productive member of the committee. Her commitment, energy, and wisdom have made her invaluable to work of this group. She has had authored numerous articles on a variety of medical legal issues all of which have been published in a variety of ACEP communication vehicles; she without fail responds to questions posed by members of the College on medical legal issues. Jennifer is without a doubt the most outstanding medical student encountered in the 15 years I have been with the College. She is so bright, articulate, kind, caring and humble. She is truly amazing. Her ideas, energy, enthusiasm, willingness to take on any task, and wisdom have marked her as a future leader in medicine. "

If I get it, there would be a formal presentation at the 2008 ACEP Scientific Assembly in Chicago, Il in October. This is what I'd get:

Award recognition includes:

• a plaque from ACEP
• free one-year membership in ACEP
• free registration to one of ACEP's annual Scientific
  Assembly or a satellite meeting during their residency career
• a reception for award winners at ACEP's annual Scientific Assembly

Also, award winners will be recognized by the publication of their names in ACEP News or other College publications, and State chapters will be notified.

Regardless of whether or not I am among the winners, just being nominated has meant a lot to me. One of the things that I always try to keep in mind when working with people, is that just a little bit or recognition and encouragement of a good job goes such a long way. On my last rotation, I worked with a student who was really struggling socially and was getting some very bad clinical grades and comments. She asked me what to do. I said that you need to show up with a good attitude, a smile on your face, an eagerness to learn, and that everyday, you should find something that you really appreciate about everyone you are working with -- and TELL them. That's it. Everything goes great if you just do those simple things. Plus, not only does it take less energy to have a happy and positive attitude, but the positive energy you get back usually exceeds what you give out, and it is a win-win situation for everyone.

So I didn't get this coveted award this year. While a little disappointed, my happiness that I was even nominated predominates. :)