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SAMPLE MISTAKE

Mistake # 25 (taken from chapter 3 - Preoperative Note)

Not knowing how to write a preoperative note

Most students do not know how to write a preoperative note before the start of the surgery clerkship. This is not surprising since most other rotations taken during the third year of medical school are nonsurgical. However, some of your classmates may have written preoperative notes during their obstetrics and gynecology rotation. These students will clearly be at an advantage when asked to write a preoperative note during the surgery clerkship. They may be able to write the note without any assistance or guidance whatsoever.

Students who are new to the process of preoperative note writing are often unsure how to proceed. They will ask the resident or attending physician, "How do I write a preoperative note?" The resident or attending physician will have to walk them through the process. With time and experience, these students will become comfortable writing the preoperative note on their own.

Inexperienced students often don't realize that it is possible to write solid preoperative notes with very little assistance right from the start. The ability to do so would offer you some of the following advantages:

• It would put you on par with students who already know how to write the note.
• It would set you apart from other students who don't know how to write the note. You would be off to a better start, having impressed the resident with your initiative and preparation. Remember that surgeons are impressed with students who are independent and increase the efficiency of the team.

So how does one become comfortable with preoperative note writing if you have never done it before? Fortunately, the writing of the preoperative note is not a difficult exercise. With a little bit of preparation, a student who has never written this type of note before can do so with the polish of a seasoned veteran. The discussion in the remainder of this chapter will help you gain the knowledge needed to write the preoperative note.