Reading Hospital

First Aid for Third Year Clerkships at JMC

Internal Medicine Clerkship at Reading Hospital

TRANSPORTATION

How did you get there? What is the IDEAL way to get there (if different)? If you took public transportation how much did it cost?

Drive--very easy to get there and back in 45-60 min. You can also take a bus, but driving is ideal.

LIVING

If you lived away from campus, how was the housing?
Housing was decent, dorm style with your own bathroom and a roommate that you can request. Everything (towels, linens) is provided and cleaned for you, free internet and cable. Lots of other friendly students from other schools and residents live there too. Dorms are right across from the hospital. The hospital is like a college campus, free indoor parking, and mini-gym in the dorm and full gym on campus. Residents are really friendly and will take you around town. Plenty of time for outdoor stuff and bars/restaurants/outlets.
Food: Was it paid for? Were there free lunches? Did you get meal vouchers when you were on-call?
Free food all day. Very good.

SITE STRUCTURE

How were the weeks divided up? What are the teams or the options for the rotations?
General medicine teaching service.
Are you able to request what you want?
You can request to spend some time with a specialty and see any procedure/surgery but all on a general medicine team (attending, resident, intern, 2-3 MS3).

FORMAL LEARNING

Did you have lectures/didactic sessions at your rotation site? How often? How long? Do you feel like they were as well organized as the lectures at Jeff?
Yes, lots of teaching by attendings from various specialties. There were also med student-specific workshops led by attendings. Lectures were several times per week, 60-90 min each.
Did you give a presentation? Were you required to do so?
You do mini topic presentations during rounds, but large presentations are not required.

WORK SCHEDULE

What were your hours (roughly)?
7:30-5. Very relaxed pace with time for a relaxing breakfast and lunch.
Did you get off on major holidays, or were you expected to be there (i.e. Labor Day, Thanksgiving & Friday after Thanksgiving)?
Major holidays are now considered OFF days at all sites, from order by Dr. Salt.
What was the call schedule? Were you able to pick your nights or trade with peers?
There is weekend call (2). You have night call every 4th day until 8-9 p.m., but residents usually let you out earlier.

Describe your typical day (i.e. who you rounded with, etc.).
07:00-07:30 a.m. - Breakfast.

07:30-08:30 a.m. - Case presentations/Morning Report.

08:30-10:00 a.m. - See patients.

10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Formal team rounds.

12:00-01:00 p.m. - Lunch.

01:00-05:00 p.m. - Varied--typically saw our patients again and wrote orders, could study in library, sometimes had special lectures/discussions during this time.

In the Hospital, did you feel a part of the ‘team’? Did residents/attendings appreciate you?
Yes, you are a key member of the team and very much appreciated by the physicians and patients. No scut work, amazing computer system, everyone teaches you a lot on the floors and in lectures.
How was the teaching by attendings?
Tons of great one-on-one teaching. Students round everyday with the attending and cover specific topics.

HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR

Be on time. Know your patient.

CANDID COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS

Pros:
I enjoyed the daily interactions with my patients, and the feeling of "being useful"--whether calling a consult or checking on results--to both my team and my patient.
Cons:
Overall: The thing I liked best about medicine was when I had a week with an attending that enjoyed teaching. It is like night and day when someone is willing to spend time interacting with you.

Last revised: 01/12