24 Hours In The Life Of A Medic Student

There's a lesson to be learned here...
March 21-22, 2007

2300: Walk out of ER at University of Michigan and begin 20 minute walk to my car. The last eight hours have flown past. I love ER clinicals. I nailed 10/12 IV's on the first try.

0015: Walk into station, change uniforms and join Pseudo Dad. It's been a long day, hopefully it'll stay quiet so I can study.

0017: County Run. Code three. Off we go.

0140: We're back in the station. I roll over in the chair and try to close my eyes for a few minutes. I'm soaked from the rain. My head is throbbing.

0200: Transfer run. Grab a Diet Pepsi and head out the door.

0530: Fuel the truck, head back to the station.

0600: Dialysis transfer. Drag myself to truck and sleep while Pseudo Dad drives.

0715: Back at the station, clock out with dispatch and head home.

0730: Get FC ready for school, wake up the little girl.

0900: Make eggs for little girl.

0930: Pull textbook out with associated power points and attempt to study for huge test

1200: Put She Who Rules down for a nap. Consider a nap for myself but decide that more studying would be a good thing.

1225: Doze off

1345: Wake up when Little Girl pokes me in the forehead. Instantly feel guilty for not studying.

1500: Wait for son to get out of school, study from book in parking lot. Start to despise the endocrine system.

1600: Leave for school.

1710: Arrive at school early, study some more. Drink more caffeine.

1800: Class starts.

1815: Endocrine test starts.

1930: I emerge from classroom. The test is over. I need a drink. A strong one.

2140: Class is over. Clinical starts in a little over an hour. I spend the next hour sleeping in my car.

2300: Burn Unit Clinical starts.

Two of the longest days of my life. This is how NOT to do it.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah yes...I remember those kinds of days (though fortunately, sans kids). FYI: Epi...everyone hates the endocrine system. Even the endocrine system.

Chris said...

Careful, last I checked, sleep was a fairly good idea. I was complaining that I was tired, but I'm going to stop now!!

Anonymous said...

I did all my ER clinicals at U of M as well. Pretty good experience... where did you go to medic school?

Unknown said...

wow, craziness.
try to get some sleep in there somewhere! Yes, I know, in your spare time, right :p

{{{ HUGS }}}

Karen

Rogue Medic said...

This is one of the big reasons I did not go to nursing school.

Working full time, single parenting, going to school full time, . . . didn't leave enough of me to be a healthy (not cranky all of the time) parent.

Make sure you do it right, since you are going to do it.

Doug said...

Knock knock?.
Who's there?
Burnout.

Wow... my hypocrisy knows no limits. :-)

Rookie Bebe said...

I'm glad somebody likes ER clinicals. I have to put in a few hours today. The sooner I get there, the sooner I can leave.

How much longer in school do you have? We have 2 1/5 months and we're cramming our clinicals in.