seasonal

Haven’t made a whole lot of progress as I think I have been a little scatterbrained in my approach. Also I have had a fair bit of family/friend commitments which has sucked up a lot of time.

One of the girls I caught up with over the weekend though, I had not had a proper friendly conversation in over 2 years. I impulsively sent her a facebook message a few months ago and this was the first time we met up. So it was important to go out with her and have a few drinks. At the time I was particularly devastated by the apparent 100% rejection of someone who I considered my best friend, so it was really nice to be able to talk to her like we used to. Despite numerous conversations we have not addressed what we fell out over. I don’t think we will either. Its much easier not to, and since we haven’t spoken in years there is plenty of other things to address.

I think I shall go back to focusing on less goals rather then more. Its scary to think that June is already half over.

Also being hungover for most of today was not helpful…

I did make some progress on the portfolio front though. I have submitted some more evidence and sent an email attempting to chase up some old assessment. I have also begun to write patient log. It is missing a lot of patient cases, I’ll have to go through some old notes to find some relevant cases to talk about. Just needs a bit of brainstorming I think, however its not something that can be done in one sitting.

This coming week I need to finish Paeds vivas, and I also need to continue getting through clinical skills. As I go through them I am less concerned about the examination as I know I am steadily improving every single day. However it requires consistent effort on that front. 2 days ago

Spoke to P the other day about a bunch of future financial goals we had. Eg. moving in together, buying a car, and apartment buying. Although a lot of this is heavily dependent on where we both get jobs. However we both said that we’d think about buying a place in the next 5 by 2018. 2 days ago

Going to a soceroos match this coming week. We have to win tomsecure a place in the world cup… But we are the favourites to win, and we are playing a team that not only has nothing to gain by winning, they have have 2 of their star players nit playing.

So things are looking good. :) 4 days ago

The list is complete. I’m so happy. One step closer fulfilling tasks to graduate!

- basic life support; teaching and assessment
- advanced life support; teaching and assessment
- sterile gown and gloving; teaching and assessment
- sutures, knot tying and surgical clips; teaching session attended
- collection of arterial blood gases
- collection of blood cultures
- urinary catherisation (model)
- IV blood sampling
- insertion of a nasogastric tube (patient)
- wound dressing and care (patient)
- ophthalmoscopy; teaching
- auroscopy; teaching

O and G skills
- abdominal palpation after 28 weeks
- pass a speculum and expose the cervix
- take and prepare an adequate papanicolaou smear
- bimanual palpation
- 3 deliveries done, 2 caesarean done

paeds
- basic life support (simulated child, infant or neonate)

path demonstrations
- 2 path demonstrations
- 1 lab procedure1 week ago

Focus for the next few days are

Paeds vivas
Clinical Skills
MCQs

Hasn’t begun just yet, and I have tonnes to do now, but here is a list of to do items
Wow, this year is going so fast. It’s simply flying by. Its easy to think I haven’t achieved anything this year, but I have. I have achieved amazing things. However there is definitely room for improvement.

1. complete phase three white bookThis has been a mission of mine for the 2 months or so. Now just 2 items remain; urinary cath teaching session – scheduled for 6th of June, and ABG. I think the ABG will be difficult to get signed off, but I make it a priority of every single emergency session and ICU session I have until it is done boo ya this goal is complete!

2. Portfolio
I need to make a logbook of cases for the various graduate capabilities. Needs probably a few stabs at it before its done

3. Clinical Skills
Need to firstly finish reading all the clinical skills, and then I need to go onto the wards regularly and go through the examinations regularly. First session is on this coming Thursday.

4. VivasNeed to get through Surgical

5. MCQMCQ exam this month; need to do the formative, get the AMA MCQ books, and any other resources I can get my hands on and work through them

6. Organise hanggliding

7. Upload evidence for portfolio – this involves chasing up

8. Pharmacological tutorials

9. Paeds

10. Psych

10 amazing goals for a crazy amazing month 1 week ago

Its so annoying, you want to be tolerant, but it’d be so much easier without them. 1 week ago

I don’t like my current housemates… in fact I’m a little sick of having to deal with other people’s weird idiosyncracies when I’m honest to god trying to do my absolute best to make it work.

I’m looking forward into living with less people, and although its horrendously expensive at the moment, potentially just buy a place so I can justify downsizing. 1 week ago

This coming 3 months is going to be painful, and poor… and I don’t really have room in my head for much else. So I’m going to put this in the 2014 box. 1 week ago

urinary cath was signed off this week. Had a go at an ABG but missed :( Arranged to do another this coming tuesday on a resp patient. I really really hope to get it. Then this goal will be complete. 1 week ago

again postponed, trying for next weekend 1 week ago

Learning opportunities wasted… I know what you’re thinking… I need to work on my rebelling activities

...and no, I don’t have a life

I don’t know what it was, just from the moment I woke up I just didn’t want to go in. I had had enough sleep, had enough food. I just… ugh.

I did give my reg my learning plan and mini cex… so the morning wasn’t completely wasted. I did fail on the ABG front, however I did attempt to get it signed, so at least I tried.

Going to go and do some study now. Hope my mood improves. 2 weeks ago

this is a goal of my boyfriend and his friends. Though how cool would it be to do this. To go nuts at one of the biggest parties in the world. It’d be sick.

However its a little bit of a headache this time round as this goal faces a few hurdles
- my lacking of funds
- ability to get time off at this period
- australia qualifying

So I haven’t wanted to think about this too much, because each of those are a bit difficult to overcome and not really in my control at the moment.

but then what is life without goals you don’t know how you will achieve? 2 weeks ago

Got this email this morning :)

“Dear seasonal,
Congratulations, your application for prevocational training in NSW has been verified. At this point in time there is nothing further that you are required to do on your PTAP prevocational training application.

Now that HETI has verified your application you will only be able to edit your contact details. You are also able to change your prevocational training network preferences if the closing date for applications at 5pm on Friday 7 June 2013 has not passed.

If you are offered a prevocational training position, you will be notified via email and will be required to indicate your acceptance or decline via the Prevocational Training Application Program. Only verified applicants who have Australian citizenship or permanent residency who have or will complete their medical degree in NSW are guaranteed a position offer.

If circumstances arise that means information in your application maybe inaccurate, you must notify HETI as soon as you become aware of the circumstances.

In a small number of situations HETI may contact you and request further information to assess your application. You will need to provide this additional information or documentation by the date specified for your application to be considered further. Although highly unlikely it is possible that HETI may at this stage deem your application ineligible.

Kind regards

Prevocational Medical Training Unit
Medical Portfolio
Health Education and Training Institute”

Excitement, Enthusiasm, Happiness. Now just have to sit back and wait

I am marking this goal as done. I’ll post the results I get in “graduate from medicine” goal :) 2 weeks ago

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

I hope you find a new variation to help you succeed. 2 weeks ago

I submitted the application today. I got this in reply.

Thank you for submitting your application for prevocational training in NSW for the January 2014 Intake.

If you are a guaranteed applicant or an applicant participating in Rural Preferential Recruitment and or Building Capacity of the Aboriginal Medical Workforce in NSW pathways or an applicant who has applied for special consideration, HETI will review your application in detail. If the information you have provided is complete your application status will change to “verified”.

So I’m glad I did submit it now rather then wait for the cut off date to come. Hopefully in the next day or two I’ll get a reply stating that the application is complete.

I ummed and ahhed over my responses for a while, questioning my application and all that jazz. However I think at the end of the day it really doesn’t matter especially with the sheer number of grads coming through. What will be will be.

Hopefully in the next few days my application will be marked as “verified” and I’ll be able to mark this goal as complete. 2 weeks ago

How frustrating!

Hope you’re feeling alright now. 3 weeks ago

I’m doing an Ed term at a hospital that receieves a lot of trauma and a lot of alcohol/drug like injuries.

I’m not a fan. I have enjoyed almost every term except this one. Its great as a student as you do get to have a lot of practice assessing the patient and working them up.

I don’t seeing people in an acute life crisis which you just know can never be turned back. They don’t know it right then, they’re in shock, but as you work to stabilise them you know that its going to be shit for them in the future. Its not often you make such life defining decisions like that. Often life changing decisions go unnoticed for years until one has a steve jobs moment and connect the dots. Though in the emergency department, you know its going to be shit.

I’ve seen some horrible things. I saw a young man try to hang himself last night. I’ve a vivid suicide attempt turn into a police situation before an acute resus could take place. Seen lots of motor vehicle accidents; man vs bus, man vs taxi, man vs motor cyclist.

I’m not a fan, although I am growing and learning a lot in this term. I’m eager for it to be over. 3 weeks ago

Manged to get a fair few tasks signed off in my first week – not urinary cath unfortunately, but auroscopy, opthal teaching, wound dressing and venesection all done :) Also still have tomorrow – so the week isnt’ up just yet.

I think a lot of it is not waiting for these opportunities to be given to you on a platter. You definitely need to take initiative, find opportunities and take them with both hands. Wound dressing was definitely one of those situations. Right next to me was a lady who managed to cut her knee open. I wasn’t attached to that doctor or team, but I went over and asked very nicely if I’d be able to do it.

Now if I had just stayed in my little box and only done what I was assigned to – I definitely would not have had that opportunity.

I think that sort of behaviour makes me feel a bit awkward, a bit forward. Especially since I am still kind of clumsy at that sort at many of these tasks. I definitely feel stupid and out of place a lot of the time. I am however successful at completing these tasks – that’s what I want at the end of the day :)

three priorities for the coming week
- blood cultures
- arterial blood gas
- nasogastric tube4 weeks ago

Do you drink water during the donation also? That always helps me a lot :) 1 month ago

Got the relevant paperwork certified by a JP. Huzzah. I have now uploaded all of that. All that remains of my application is the finalise the preference order and click submit.

:) 1 month ago

made my 20th donation today after a bit of a hiatus. It was fun, ive made another appointment for 6 weeks time.

One of the nurses there is retiring soon, and the old ndonors were all saying that she ahould keep in touch. It was really sweet. 1 month ago

fulfilled requirements for O&G

now three courses left – emergency, selective and PRINT term and I will have completed med school ! :) :) :) 1 month ago

I’ve just finished my O&G term and speaking to women a lot of them said that the antenatal classes were the best source of information. Its also a great way to meet other women in your area. 1 month ago

that’s fantastic, congratulations 1 month ago

I started my application for internship in 2014

I need to get some forms certified by the justice of the peace. I have located a place where I can get these forms certified near me.

tasks
collect these forms
- photocopy of passport
- printed copy of sheet saying I will graduate in 2014
- highschool certificate

The first two I have to print off at uni, the last one mum is bringing up next week, when Mum comes up. I have just asked her when she is coming up but I will ask her to post it if it is not by Thursday, because I think it will be difficult to make an appointment to meet a justice of the peace otherwise. 1 month ago

I saw my final birth last night. I am pleased to have completed all of my O&G tasks.

I am making this goal a high priority from now on. I have very little clinical activities until emergency starts again. However each day I will set myself the task of completing three activities. Three goals I am focusing on now are

- blood venesection
- urinary catherisation
- wound dressing and care; just did the prereading, wound dressing here I come :)

I am setting myself the ambitious goal of having completed all three tasks by the first week of emergency. I can do it. I know I can. 1 month ago

I always get scared about financial things. Today my shitty housemate stood up and said he was moving out this Saturday. Waves of fear rolled through me. Rent is due tomorrow. He is supposed to stay until the end of April.

We have sorted out a short term solution with my brother, who is in need of a place to crash for a bit. Its just another reminder of how precarious my financial situation is and how much I need to graduate. For every hour of study I put in. I am working towards that goal. I want to be able to not fear I will go under if someone pulls something like that.

Cannot wait. Back to it. 2 months ago