Lazy day of SUPER STABBINGS!

Ah, clinics. Those little rooms where, as a student, you sit within and are expected to be quiet while the grownups are talking.
I managed to, out of sheer stupidity, fail at signing up for clinics (as mentioned previously). Oh, I did put them down in my timetable, I just managed not to write my name in the clinic sign up sheet.

Good work.

So instead, I slept in.

It was wonderful!

Wednesdays, like most Wednesdays (well, like most Wednesdays from now on) involve whatever I manage to get done in the morning, followed by my GP placement in the afternoon.

I was quite excited about my GP placement, though also a little nervous as the GP mentioned after our first session, that he would be having me helm the remaining consults. He seemed to think I was ready for it, but I certainly didn"t think so.

In order to calm myself, I decided to do some reading and revision. After making this decision, I went to the kitchen and cooked myself an elaborate pasta dish. It was delicious and I now have lunch for the next few days... By the time this was done, it was time to leave. In fact, I was late. Instead of a nice leisurely stroll to catch the bus, I sprinted and found that the bus was late anyway. Hooray for Adelaide public transport!

On arriving at the GPs, I found that he indeed wanted me to sit in "the big boy chair" and take charge of the consults. Using all my training as a Flinders medical student, I managed to look confident as I said "No problem!"

Surprisingly, it really wasn"t a problem.

Covering crazy situations from musculoskeletal causes (?tricompartmental osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel, whiplash injury) to inflammatory causes (plantar fasciitis, peritonitis, dermatitis) to simple surgical follow-up for workcover (inguinal hernia). I managed not to stuff things up too badly. Probably the most difficult was the young lady who came in with tiredness (who knows, she was tired!).

I even managed to do a few procedures, seeing as I was in charge. With an experienced GP as my personal assistant (he gave me examples on what I could tell assistants to do, such as cut things, pick up things, shine my shoes and get me coffee), I again made use of my super Flinders training and made myself appear to be a seasoned veteran, as I did my first flu vaccination.

The practice sessions at looking confident helped even more when I had the chance to do my first punch biopsy (just like an apple corer!), as well as my first suturing of something that wasn"t the refrigerated amputated trotter of a pig (oh my, its so much easier!).

All in all, a successful day of firsts.