Rotherham Student Doctor

Phase 2 provides your first extended period in a clinical setting. Although during your time in this phase you will continue to receive lecture based teaching of medical sciences, the key objectives will be learnt in the clinical arena and not from spending all your time with the text books. By the end of Phase 2 you should have aquired history taking skills and learnt the basic techniques of clinical examination. In addition you should have aquired some practical skills and be developing your communication skills and professional behaviour.

Prior to coming out to Rotherham you will have spent three weeks in Sheffield in the Foundation Clinical Skills course which will give you a grounding in these areas to take into the clinical arena.

When you come out to Rotherham you will be in a group of 20 Phase 2 students (there will be other students from Phase 3 also on site whilst you are in the hospital). The group of 20 will then be divided into 2 groups of 10. One group of 10 will start in Medicine and the other in Surgery. Halfway through your time here you will then swap round. Past experience has shown that students appreciate this variety of clinical experience.

During your attachment in either Medicine or Surgery you will be assigned in pairs to a Clinical Team with a designated consultant - you'll be told which Team during the Induction day. Aim to become an active member of the Team. This is a great asset if you get it right! However, remember that the members of the Clinical Team may be very busy so be prepared for some times when you're not going to be with them. Use this time wisely.

As well as the time you spend on the wards with your Clinical Team we will also organise teaching sessions which we hope you will find useful. These will be a mixture of bedside teaching in groups with a consultant with dedicated time for teaching, teaching from medical and surgical staff of all grades (in particular for the ILAs), practical sessions in the Clinical Skills room, and the use and interpretation of laboratory and radiological investigations. There will also be time available for your SSC work.

All the detailed information about you attachment will be covered in an in-depth Induction session on your first day at the hospital by the Undergraduate Team.

n	Do you know what those drugs are on the Drug Kardex? Get to know the ward Pharmacist.
n	What are the different fluids going into the patient and why?
n	What pain relief is the patient getting and why? Get to know the Acute Pain Team.
n	What about all the other charts at the end of the patient's bed - fluid balance etc?
n	Why has that test been requested and what does that lab result mean?
n	Do you know about the other investigations - ECGs, X-rays etc?
n	What other healthcare professionals are involved in the care of the patient and how do medical staff interact with them?