How to Excel on an Interventional Radiology Sub-I
Written by Hammad Malik, MD (Incoming Interventional Radiology Resident Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center)
Starting a new rotation can always be both challenging & exciting. You want to do your best, learn as much as you can from your preceptors & leave an excellent impression. Hopefully after reading this review, you will be more ready to crush your IR sub-internship.
Show up EARLY! No way about it, just set your alarm earlier than you would for most rotations. If the resident says to come at 6, be there by 5:45
Familiarize yourself with the IR rooms and where they are located, some hospital settings have rooms dedicated solely to Neuro-Interventions, out-patient based procedures, and others for vascular interventions. It’s easy to get lost when in a new hospital setting so try to take time after your first day to keep track of which room is which and find out where the main procedure board is.
Enthusiasm always shows, come in every morning with a positive attitude, excited to learn! As a medical student and even an intern, your responsibility is to follow the tasks, communicate with the team for updates and write notes. Make sure to have a to-do list and stay on top of things. Communication is very important with every team member.
Every hospital has its own set of rules as does every Interventional radiology department, go into the rotation with a fresh mind that you are there to learn and help the team. Always ask, don’t assume and if you have done prior rotations, don’t compare and say ‘that’s not how we did at the other hospital’. Always be respectful of the program’s culture.
Be patient when starting, some residents, fellows & even attendings are more welcoming than others. Don’t take it personally as everyone has their preference, continue to show up, show enthusiasm, and be involved in any way you can.
Make friends with the residents & fellows, they will be the ones to help you, teach you & when the time comes to advocate for you when interview season comes around the corner. You want to learn as much as you can, let the friendships and trust come naturally, don’t force things, and accept the fact that everyone is unique, some are more extroverted, some more introverted.
When you pick a patient, take ownership of them. Come early to see them, read up on their notes, and be aware of any changes or complications that occur. Go the extra mile and help the team to develop a plan & follow up to ensure continuity of care.
Ask how you can help before you jump in to fill a syringe with contrast, hand instruments to the team, or anything else. Most people are used to operating by themselves or having an attending to guide them, having a medical student is a new situation for them as well!
Get to know the technicians, nurses, and coordinators just as well as the residents, fellows & attendings. They are a part of the team and you will learn a lot from them. Some of the IR techs have been in the department for quite some time and meet with all the team members including the program director.
Expect schedule changes, I once had a case that began at 3pm and was expected to be done at 5pm. Both me and my attending had plans around 6pm but guess what, the case ran till 7:30pm and we had to adjust our plans and reschedule. When you are scrubbed in on a case, you are a part of the team, no one expects you to stay late but you will earn the respect of the team if you stick till the end of the case and help out in any way you can.
Lastly, be sincere with your intentions, collegial with everyone, kind & respectful to every one of the team members.
