By: Jen Junda, Director Member Marketing, AMSA
Learning essential clinical skills is certainly a key part of your training in medical school. But you’ll learn and practice just that – the ESSENTIALS – what you need to prepare you for your medical licensing exam and to start your residency program. But, wouldn’t it be even more beneficial to get some hands-on experience with skills you may not learn in med school? Every year, AMSA offers medical and premedical students this opportunity during the “Clinical Skills” session at its Annual Convention and Exposition.
Let’s take a look at a few things you can learn when you participate in the Clinical Skills sessions:
Shattered bones and severed limbs – sounds horrific for the patient yet fascinating to you? Get your hands on a bone saw, learn how to place screws and plates and talk to expert physicians to learn what it takes to be a successful orthopedic surgeon. Not thinking about ortho? It’s still pretty cool to learn!
Uncommonly taught in med school, yet a part of women’s health that cannot be ignored, is manual vacuum aspiration. In small groups, students will have the unique opportunity to practice early abortion and miscarriage management simulations. Work together in a supportive environment to not only practice but to get expert advice about communicating with patients during this emotional time in their lives.
They say good communication is everything, but in the medical world, it can mean life or death. It’s been estimated that more than 75% of serious medical errors are the result of miscommunication and the majority of residents tell us they don’t feel adequately prepared during patient handoffs. Practice reviewing cases and making decisions that will help increase your confidence and decrease errors.
And, while you will learn suturing and airway management in medical school, these are skills that require practice and more practice. At Convention, even the most skilled will benefit from the chance to practice and learn more from the experts.
Still deciding about coming to Convention? These unique opportunities to learn skills that will enhance your education and clinical aptitude are rare ones no medical student should pass up. Learn more about Convention and register here.
