Welcome.
Welcome to all of those with crisp, new, long white coats. Welcome to all of the interns and residents who, over the past few days, have managed to learn where to find coffee, food, and their patients. Welcome to everyone learning how to write orders for acetaminophen and laxatives; things previously considered to be over-the-counter items people could take on their own accord. Your information and patient management skills will increase exponentially over the next several weeks. You may have to take this on faith.
Some excellent advice for new interns can be found on the blog 33 charts by Bryan Vartabedian, MD, with links to the white coat underground and to Wellness Rounds. These pieces of advice are well-written and are worth the brief read.
As a family physician, given the wonderful variety of patients that comprise my clinical life, if I don’t have an answer at the tip of my tongue, more often than not I have it at the tip of my fingers. Since information management is going to be huge for a new intern, embrace your inner geek (or make friends with one) and get to know the features of your hospital’s computerized resources and references. Also get to know your smart phone and some useful medical apps. The team at iMedicalApps can be a big help no matter what type of smart phone you may have.
If you’re happy with your current cell phone and haven’t yet delved into the smart phone scene, give some serious consideration to getting yourself an iPod Touch. These devices are fairly affordable, often readily available at a Target or BestBuy store near you and range in price from around $229 – $394. Think of these devices as an iPhone without the phone. If your hospital or clinic has a wireless network, you should be able to connect to the internet through that network (specifics can come from your IT support folks) and get online without needing to pay for a monthly data plan like you would if you had a smart phone. No longer is it acceptable to add a medication to a patient’s existing list of meds without first checking an interactive database of potential adverse drug reactions. Primum non nocere – First do no harm.
While mastering the quickest routes throughout the hospital keep this blog in mind. More to come on a variety of issues about which you may find at least a hint of usefulness.
Welcome.
