Salam.
We are halfway through the Ortho posting now.
Contrary to popular culture, orthopaedics is not about the upper and lower limbs and the spine; it's all about patience. After obstetrics, this is the second most demanding posting, both physically and mentally.
Academically:
We have to learn a lot of new 'dance routines'.
Palpating the bony prominences of the spine.
I don't mind the 'look, feel, move' part but the eponymous special tests are really pressure-cooking my lid off.
Next, we have to revise on the anatomy of the upper and lower limbs, and the physiology of the spinal cord tracts, just to state a few of the things we learnt a long time ago that are being dug up now.
How the heck should I remember the sensory distribution of sural nerve when the last time the name rolled off my tongue was three years ago? THREE!
Clinically:
We have to come early for passover, sometimes as early as 7.15am.
We have to stand through the long hours of the ward rounds, clinics and operations.
And the worst thing, we have to see what orthopaedic house officers go through daily - the scoldings of the specialists, especially. Intimidating.
Do you know that the specialists get into scolding overdrive if medical students can answer a question that housemen can't? I'm sure the girls take pride in answering, but me? I intentionally shut up at times.
18 more months before we get into those shoes and I can't help but imagine what they're going through.
Disclaimer: No, I'm not bitching.
We are halfway through the Ortho posting now.
Contrary to popular culture, orthopaedics is not about the upper and lower limbs and the spine; it's all about patience. After obstetrics, this is the second most demanding posting, both physically and mentally.
Academically:
We have to learn a lot of new 'dance routines'.
Palpating the bony prominences of the spine.I don't mind the 'look, feel, move' part but the eponymous special tests are really pressure-cooking my lid off.
Next, we have to revise on the anatomy of the upper and lower limbs, and the physiology of the spinal cord tracts, just to state a few of the things we learnt a long time ago that are being dug up now.
How the heck should I remember the sensory distribution of sural nerve when the last time the name rolled off my tongue was three years ago? THREE!
Clinically:
We have to come early for passover, sometimes as early as 7.15am.
We have to stand through the long hours of the ward rounds, clinics and operations.
And the worst thing, we have to see what orthopaedic house officers go through daily - the scoldings of the specialists, especially. Intimidating.
Do you know that the specialists get into scolding overdrive if medical students can answer a question that housemen can't? I'm sure the girls take pride in answering, but me? I intentionally shut up at times.
18 more months before we get into those shoes and I can't help but imagine what they're going through.
Disclaimer: No, I'm not bitching.
