Family Medicine BooksStudent Recommendations: A few weeks prior to the start of the rotation, you will be sent an email asking you where you would like to be placed. If you should end up somewhere COMPLETELY inconvenient, politely inquire if there are other sites that are closer to where you are. Ms. Blackwell is AMAZING and tries to make sure that students are placed at good sites and have a good experience.Advice

Review Books

First Aid for Step 2 CKBecause this is a review source and FM is a very broad area, this source will give you a good overview of the patients that you would see.

Essentials of Family MedicineDense but covers all topics in depth. This is not the book to read cover to cover because it is just a lot. Use this source to fill in the holes in First Aid.

Case Books

Case Files for Family MedicineThis is a good source because it covers all parts of FM including Peds, OB/Gyn and Prevention topics.

Question Books

NMS Family MedicineIf you use this book, be sure to use the most updated version.

USMLEWorld QBank (online)Very good. Dont forget to cover Peds and Ob/Gyn topics.

Fill Your Pockets

PharmacopeiaYou will learn lots of commonly prescribed drugs. Dont leave home without it.

Mini Spiral NotebookJot down notes from the day to jog your memory. You can also write down assignments/tasks and stay organized.

MaxwellsLots of small tidbits get you through the day when you need to have your memory joggedsuch as the developmental milestones, etc.

What to Do the Weekend Before/First Few DaysMake sure that you have all of your study sources organized. FM is a challenge because you will cover almost every organ system to some depth. You need to make sure that you have your stethoscope, pocket guides, reflex hammer, Snellen chart, diagnostic kit (especially if your office does NOT have them on the wall). In general, everything that you were told to purchase for 2nd year is going to be used during this rotation at some time or another. Pay attention to the things that are stocked in the office because this decreases how much you have to put in your pockets. Make sure that you find your way around the office and learn how things are done. If not, you might find yourself in the hot seat with the nurses and/or medical assistants.Tag along with residents/attendings during the first few days to see how they do things. If youre not seeing patients on your own after a few days with the same residents/attending, show interest and ask if they mind you seeing patients on your own or if they can observe you interviewing/examining the patient.

What to Do on the Floors

As a student, you will be expected to go and see patients on your own and present that patient using the SOAP format to your attending or resident. This, as always, is site dependent. If you feel that you need more guidance or would like to have someone show you how to do things, ask. If you dont ask, it will be assumed that you know and when you dont perform you will be regarded as lazy rather than as an unsure student (these are drastically different things). Regardless of what youre doing, ask what is expected of you.

Be honest about what you have done. For example, if you did not evaluate leg swelling, dont say that you did. If you didnt, just be HONEST! You are a student and you are going to forget things. If your forget, just say I did not evaluate that but I will be sure to do so the next time I am evaluating a patient with hypertension.Be proactive. If there is something that you want to do, speak up and make it known that you are interested in doing as much as you can.Typically on FM, you will be the only student or may have one other student with you. This is important to learn now: showing up the other student(s) does not make you look good, it makes you look horrible. Your character will be questioned if you are always attempting to show someone up. Third year is about teamwork and NOT being the star. Preparing for the FM ShelfThe FM shelf is tough because it is broad. You will be given a list of core topics. Know them inside and out. Be sure that you do practice questions. The FM rotation is only 1 month so be sure to hit the ground running with the studying. Always make time for questions. If there is time in your preparation, time yourself. You will be given 110 minutes to do 100 questions and the question stems are very long.If you have free time during the day, USE IT TO STUDY. Believe it or not, your attending observe how you spend your free time. Under no circumstance should you study when there are patients to be seen. BAD IDEA! Patients are your best teachers. Use your opportunity to interact with them as the best learning source.Youre likely to have weekends off. This gives enough time to study and have a life.Attend site specific lectures. Unlike 1st and 2nd years, LECTURES ARE MANDATORY and attendance is taken. Be aware that the group is small and it will be notice if you are not there. The Key in FM: FM is an honorable clerkship but you HAVE to put in effort. Do not assume that because FM is not a competitive specialty that you do not have to work that hard. With this and any other rotation: YOU GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN!

Useful Note Templates1) Maxwells (Blue Section): complete history and physical.