Open Letter to Medical Students

My first post is dedicated to the medical students of the world.

Thank you for deciding to go into medicine. I wish you well. Let's get a few things straight before you start. I am sorry your senior resident did not warn you about ER nurses, we are not like floor nurses, we are not like peri-operative nurses. We expect you to get your own supplies and clean up your own messes. That is why when you ask me to get you a size 6.5 pair of sterile gloves I look at you like you have an alien growing out of your head. They are in the supply room, get them yourself. and no, I will not be setting up your procedure tray or helping you with your sterile technique. Get one of your little friends or your senior resident to help you. I'm busy. Oh and one more thing, if you fail to clean up after yourself please expect a call from me to return to the ER. When you get here the entire ER staff including the attending physicians will be the ones looking at you like you have an alien growing out of your head.

Just one more little thing - when we are in the middle of intubating an unstable patient it is very inappropriate for you to walk into the room and tell me that a patient down the hall needs to pee. I will look at you like you have an alien growing out of your head (AGAIN!) and tell you to hand him his urinal.