Surgical Posting Year 3 Doctor of Medicine

Alhamdulillah,

I have completed my surgical posting in third year in two months (9 weeks actually including exam week). There are so many things I learnt throughout this posting. Here are some useful tips to prepare for this surgical posting if you are a medical students:

1. Learn from patient

Yes, go to the ward and observe what the staffs do there. Went to clerk patients to sharpen my communication and clinical skills. Then, performed physical examination. Some diseases can be ruled out by these two skills; history taking and physical exam. No need for imaging, if needed just for confirmation. Patient can teach us a lot.  What medical devices attach to the patient. What common procedures done in the ward. Common medications used in the ward and many more. Learn from the people in the wards.

2. Read more

Before you see patient, make sure to have some basic ideas about surgical diseases. At least, you don't come empty and go back also empty. Grab some rough idea and observe it on your patient. Never come to the ward knowing nothing. For example, how do you want to know what you have to ask in history if your problem is not knowing the signs and symptoms. To some extent, yes you can clerk them but the history would definitely inadequate. I would suggest reading simple notes like Medbear or Doctrina Perpetua because they are more simplified. Yes, of course reading textbook would be better but for someone who cannot read long text, then you know which one suits you. But, the idea is to read books. Read, read and read. Textbook that are good to read include: Bailey and Love, Browse Signs and Symptoms. These two should be enough. When reading books, take note of these important points:

• Clinical manifestations
• Risk factors
• Complications

You will ask these three when clerking a patient. If patient comes with breast lump, the you ask more about the lump (how noticed, got pain or not, when noticed, size changes, shape of lump etc.) and you ask if there is any other symptoms the patient experienced. Then, you might suspect patient has breast CA, after that you explore the risk factors this patient has. Then, ask about complications of that breast lump to see the extent and progression of the disease. So again, to know what to ask is to read beforehand.

3. Practice

Last time, I failed my short case for O&G posting. Many factors, nervous + less practice. So, I compensated it in surgical posting. See patient and examine them. The more you do, the better you memorize the steps. The lesser you do, easier you forgot the steps. Learn to see the normal one first then only you can appreciate the pathology.

I have so many more to share, but for this time around, these are the most important things I learnt from this posting. All the best to all medical students.


Assalamualaikum