The whole first week for us consists of our ICM class, which is essentially a class that teaches you things you actually need to know to be a doctor. Not that pathology and microbiology aren't important, but examples of my first week of lectures include: taking a abuse history, how to perform a male genital/rectal exam and a female breast/pelvic exam, developing a differential diagnosis, and strategies for breaking bad news to patients. For almost every lecture, there is an accompanying lab in which we have to dress up, wear our white coats, and perform said procedure/history/experience with a Standardized Patient (an actor who has been trained to act the way a patient might). Over the course of the next week, I'll take a substance abuse history, come up with a differential diagnosis (ideas of what all could be wrong with someone given a particular set of symptoms, and how you might go about narrowing down the options for a diagnosis), perform a knee and shoulder exam, and break the bad news.
Luckily, I went shopping yesterday and managed to get two three new dress shirts and two skirts, so I'll look fabulously professional doing it.
The other nice thing is that our entire first week, we have no days with class for more than a few hours, so it's a nice way to ease back into the schedule. Next Wednesday, however, the crap will hit the proverbial fan and I'll probably become a hermit again for a while. I promise to update, though--not least to save my own sanity.
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