Diagnostic Pathology -- what a lovely way to start!

While poor Jess was thrown into a UVIS (Auburn's dreaded computer system) and Critical Care (stressful rotation) at the same time, I was easing into clinics with a mostly lecture-based rotation. But no worries - unlike most of our classes, these lectures are extremely interactive. In fact, even if you get the answer wrong sometimes, the professors appreciate participation and avoiding those long periods of silence. They just want you to try! 

Diagnostic Path begins at 8am each morning in either Clin Path (near ICU) or in the Bacteriology Lab in Greene Hall. Depending on who you have as your Clin Path instructor, you may be told on the first day to be comfortable and wear jeans everyday. Some of us came in jeans every day, and no one cared. So, you will have about 3 hours of Clin Path cases, microscope time, and bloodwork analysis every morning, followed by an hour of Microbiology. And trust me, Dr. Hathcock is a genius of Micro - she will quickly figure out how much you know and teach right above that level. She asked questions on how to treat various bacterial and fungal infections. Basically, start with Clavamox every time.

In the afternoons, you have necropsy. Four out of the ten days, you will have a quiz and meet in upstairs Greene (down the plant hallway-bridge and to your right). If there are no necropsies that day, you still have to stay on campus until three... We just sun-bathed on the front stairs of Greene for an hour and a half if we had nothing... :) If you do have a necropsy, get your clothes (cover-alls, socks, shirt, shorts) from Greene Annex, pile in a car, and go to State Dx Lab. Be sure to write your necropsy report as soon as your finished. They will tell you that the reports aren't due until the next afternoon, but it only takes a few minutes if all of you work as a team to type it in Histo Lab.

Half of the rotation group will be "on-call" for each weekend, which means you ask the clinician on duty what they prefer... Weisman asked us to meet at 8am on Sat/Sun, and if there were no necropsies, we went home. Sartin does the same, but you meet at 7am instead.

What you need:
Clin Path book (talk to classmates about who will bring this - you don't need 7 copies daily)
Large notepad (great review for Boards, so you will want to take notes)
Pens
Snacks/drinks (you get a 10-min break every hour in Clin Path, and they are fine with eating in that room)
Sunscreen ;)
Necropsy provides all clothes you will need

I think that was it. Fantastic time. Great review. No UVIS. Four quizzes that are mostly short-answer, but all Sartin expects is for you to write something. No way to predict what she'll ask (i.e., the quiz subject may say "hemolymphatic," but the quiz questions may be about musculoskeletal). Not a big deal though. :)

Next --> Internal Medicine!
Kristin

VEGAS! Venetian. Jess almost went with me, so I will include occasional pictures of my trip just for her... ;)