Tips for Transitioning to the Third Year

Transitioning to the third year can be the trickiest part of your medical studies. This is because students convert into full-time workers and classroom sessions convert into clinical visits from the third year onwards, in a medical student’s life. Your get-togethers with friends are likely to convert into group discussions. You will no longer be a student in a  sea of 350 or 400 students – you will now function in a real-world scenario of 8 to 10 students.

Lab research, clinical work, workshops, and guest sessions will become quite normal in the third year. So, the crux of the matter is, you are going to have a lot of things on your plate by the time you reach the third year. Are you worried about handling this suddenly?

Don’t be! We have your back. In this article, we’ve discussed all the essentials that will help make your transition to the third year smoother.

What to Expect?

What is it like to be a third-year medical student? Let us be frank with you. There will be no summers between your second and third year – and we suggest that you incorporate this schedule into your life to match with the resident calendar which will slowly come your way.

You see, a third-year medical student reaches a different learning zone, away from the classrooms. It is a transitional phase that takes them to a full-time clinical environment. While this will be a huge change, it will not be something you’ll need to go through alone. A proficient team of resident physicians will be backing you throughout the process.

To give you a gist of how the third year will pan out, here’s a breakdown of what you can expect in the third year. 

When you Start on the Wards

• You need to start your day early. The conversation about current patients and discussions on their respective medical conditions will be part of this routine.
• You will need to go through morning reports, built-in didactics and lectures.
• You can also expect the chief’s rounds, and academic conferences. 

Doing Pre-rounds

• Seeing patients and collecting their vitals
• Prepare informational sheets to present to the resident doctors
• Checking the health chart of the patients and discussing it with nurses
• Discussing the patient details with the overnight staff

What will your Clinical Grades be made up of?

• Treatment plans
• Presentation in front of the resident physicians
• Bedside manners and empathy towards the patients
• Performance in assessments

Exams that You Need to Give

• Shelf Exams – There will be an exam after every rotation. It will cover the topics of surgery and medicine
• Oral assessments
• Step 2 CK assessments based on your shelf exams

Tips to Have a Smooth Transition into the Third Year

Sailing through the third year in your medical career can be a daunting task if you are not well-prepared for it. So, here are some helpful tips to enable you to have a smooth transition into your third year – 

Be Valuable to your Team

You performed individually in your first and second years. But things will change when you enter the third year. You will be put in a team of 8-10 students. So, while you try to impress your residents and attendings, make sure you add value to your team. Make efforts to become a person that everyone loves to have around.

Please note that you need not sabotage your teammates to stand out. All you need to do is support your team members and put a great show together. By working together, you will be providing better patient care.

Being clear with your team goals will also help you in finishing your tasks sooner. It means you will get some extra time for your studies and other activities. Trust us, this is the best trick to have a smooth transition into the third year. The teams where residents and students work well together always receive excellent scores in their evaluations.

Start Studying from the First Day

Students, this is one of the most crucial years of your medical course. If you think that you have ample time to study around the exams, you might need to pay a hefty price later on. So, what should be done in such a case? Experts recommend starting preparing from the first day of your clinical clerkship. You see, the majority of your clerkship grades will be determined by the clinical evaluations and shelf exam scores.

You should have an outstanding knowledge base to score well in your shelf exam. Whereas, you need to create a good impression in front of the attendings to get a score in clinical evaluations. The best way to excel in the third year is by starting early. Understand the syllabus and identify the best resources for you. Consult your seniors for better preparation.

Know your Patients

Know your patients very well if you want to excel in your third year. Physical examination and patient history are the two most crucial responsibilities of a third-year medical student. Reading different medical and clinical books and journals can help you immensely. Your attendings may ask you about medical condition presentation, treatment plan, and pathophysiology.

So, make sure you are well-versed with all these concepts. The best way to excel in this step is by knowing and researching more about the patients. Talk to the patients often to understand more about their diseases and make notes. Rehearse the presentation so that you do not miss anything in front of the attendees.

Be Proactive but Not Nagging 

Diligent observation of the activities that take place on clinical rounds is the key to success in the third year. make sure you keenly observe each detail and action on your initial days of rotation. Start taking initiative in smaller tasks like surgery preparation and noting down patient history.

This proactiveness can help impress your attending. But poking too much or asking too many irrelevant questions can annoy the attending. Seek their feedback on a weekly or quarterly basis. Last but not least, take every criticism sportingly. Remember, you are here to learn from your mistakes.

Be a Patient’s Advocate

While senior residents will be handling around 15-20 patients at a time, you will just have one or two patients as a medical student. It means that you spare 15-20 minutes for every patient before clinical rounds. Utilise this time to build a strong relationship with the patient. The crux is, become your patient’s advocate. Share their concerns with your residents and team members.

Volunteer to accompany your patients if they are going for a complex medical procedure. Speak to their attendants to offer updates and follow up for the next appointment are some of the things you should do for your patients.

Here’s Our Take

Frankly speaking, this third-year transition can be a huge turning point in your medical career. Make sure you do not leave any stone unturned to impress your mentors. Apart from this, also pay equal attention to your studies.

Curiosity and inquisitiveness is the gateway to success in this profession. Your learning and retaining capacity will increase manifolds every time you ask why. So, keep asking questions and feed the curious medical professional in you.

Make egurukul app your companion in this journey. It is a one-stop destination for all your queries and concerns. Under the expertise and guidance of the best medical faculty in the country, your third-year transition will become more remarkable and memorable.

High yielding MCQs, DBMCI QBank, and advanced test series will ensure you get the best rank in your final exams. That’s not all. The app also helps in streamlining your exam preparation through informative and explanatory blogs. Connect with egurukul and make this transition successful.