Learning and Discomfort

Many medical students feel very much out of their depth early on in these first few weeks and months of medical school.  The “Imposter” Syndrome flares and we are left just on the verge of the treadmill of life; left wondering: “How did I get here?”

And then, despite the, relatively, comfortable surroundings of a large lecture theatre and the large class around you, your rural Associate Dean is up front asking you to consider yet another challenge. “Come and see how a rural shadowing experience, a rural elective, a rural clerkship or UCLIC, can help you become a better doctor.” Take a look at the classroom that exists beyond the four walls of the med school, beyond the bricks and mortar of the HSC or HMRB.

Rural is about being a broad scope doctor that understands how to delve in to a differential with an undifferentiated symptom presentation.  Is that chest pain cardiac?  Could it come from the MSk system? What about neurological signs or a derm condition?  Its about being an adaptive learner.  Dr. Glen Regehr has written about the adaptive expertise that may be eroding from our profession as we have become increasingly specialized. Rural is about maintaining that adaptive, broadly curious mind coupled with a broad set of skills.  Where else but UCLIC will you, as a third year clerk, get to close a C-Section, perform three entubations and two excisions in the first week of the year!

And when should you look at this?  Do it now… Life is about to get very busy and a three-year intensive school ramps up rapidly. Drop by our office at HMRB G15 to inquire about shadowing or speak to Nicoelle in UME about the UCLIC. Get in touch with your RMIG and FMIG class members and those in the “Goats”.   Rural rotations are about becoming better doctors, and if you fall in love with the lifestyle or practice scope, that’s ok too.