Have I mentioned the hubby is in medical school?

I may have a little, but I haven’t talked about the journey nearly enough. The past three years have flown by and here we are at the beginning of fourth year. The last year of “school.” The year that ends with a degree and a doctor!

Since not everyone knows a medical student, I love when the hubby is willing to share glimpses into what medical school looks like – like today!

The fourth year of medical school is very different than the others and here is the hubby to tell you exactly how…

Top Ten Things You Should Know About the Fourth Year of Medical School

by The Hubby

1. No more clerkship exams every 6-8 weeks. Granted, there are two very expensive tests that you have to take during the year, but at least it’s not the continual competition versus every other member of your med school class.

2. You don’t get lost in the hospital anymore. Seriously. That place is a maze.

3. You get to choose your rotations. So if you’re a person who hates the O.R., you can avoid it like the plague. Or if you are nocturnal, you can take a radiology rotation and live in the dark for a month.

4. No longer are you the lowest rung on the ladder. You’re a couple of steps above.

5. Most doctors know that there is a crap-ton (technical term) of paperwork and extra things to do during 4^th year (residency applications, interviewing, graduation requirements) – so they tend to be nice to you.

6. This is the time that you really decide what field you want to go into, so as long as you’re not a complete moron, people try and recruit you to their career path.

7. You actually know how the hospital works, so you don’t have to spend an hour tracking down a reading of your patient’s MRI, finding your patient’s nurse, or where the heck your patient went. (Yes, I’m serious, sometimes they disappear to have imaging done, dialysis, or just take a walk if they are able – and when you have a limited amount of time to see your patient before rounds, this is a problem if you can’t find them.)

8. No more required lectures. Enough said.

9. You see M3s {third year medical students} running around, always looking scared for their lives, and you laugh. And then laugh some more that you are no longer that sleep-deprived.

10. You smile every time you think that, in 10 months, you will get two letters behind your name. M.D. And finally get a paycheck, albeit a small one, rather than racking up debt to do what you love – help people.

*****

I love that man. I am so proud of how hard he works to get where he knows God wants him to be, even if it is a long journey. And there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

And I know some little boys who want to be just like him 🙂

*****
Check out more great Top Ten posts over at Oh Amanda’s place today! Always fun things to read over there!