{"id":3972,"date":"2014-12-09T15:25:00","date_gmt":"2014-12-09T15:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=3972"},"modified":"2025-11-06T14:49:34","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T22:49:34","slug":"ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity","title":{"rendered":"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? – Maximize your productivity!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Obstetrics and gynecology (\u2018OB\/GYN\u2019<\/em>) are two subjects every student must study before he or she can graduate with a medical degree. It is the study of the female reproductive system, all the areas surrounding pregnancy and depending on the tutor may also involve some urology as well. Whilst starting my first rotation of study in this field, I was asked by the consultant obstetrician to take a history and perform an obstetric examination on one of her patients. I obliged happily and set about introducing myself as a medical student and set out to gain full consent before proceeding to take the patient\u2019s history and complete the appropriate examination. Despite feeling I had built some rapport with this patient I was not given consent to proceed. My heart sank as I heard the words \u2018Sorry, I just wouldn’t be comfortable with that\u2019. I thanked the patient for her time and asked her if there was anything I could get her such as a glass of water \u2013 she didn’t want water so I left to try and find a consenting patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We, as professional students, must have complete respect for the rights of patients and at this point I would like to emphasize that the patient has the right to refuse to consent a history or examination and this is how it should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a fourth year male medical student I am acutely aware of the situations where patients are more likely to refuse to grant consent for both history taking and examinations. Throughout my first day in the clinic it became quite apparent that if I was going to get any clinical experience in gynecology or indeed obstetrics I would have to improve on my introduction. The first day, with regard to history taking and examinations, was an unmitigated disaster. I had never been \u2018rejected\u2019 so many times in such a short period of time \u2013 in medicine. I knew I had to change my approach and introduction. I had been paired with a female medical student and it had been obvious from the beginning the patients (all of whom were female) trusted my colleague much more. When I checked with other male medical students they were having a similar experience, i.e. the female students could successfully consent for a history and examination and the male students found it difficult to consent a history. When my colleague would start to take the history, the patient would ask me if I wouldn’t mind leaving the room. Something had to change, and I had to make the change as quickly as possible. I excused myself early from the clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon arriving back to my accommodation I immediately set out to determine what had gone wrong. (The first 20 seconds after meeting the patient, i.e. your first impression, is vital to your success on the wards). I studied my appearance in the mirror \u2013 neatly pressed trousers, polished and shined black leather shoes, matching black socks, crisp clean ironed shirt, shaved stubble and my hair was neatly cut and styled with product. Surely the extra few pounds I was now carrying around my mid-line, after a very enjoyable summer vacation, had not discredited me as a professional trustworthy person? I reassured myself \u2013 \u2018If you\u2019re still getting dates, you\u2019re not looking too bad\u2019.  Dismissing the weight gain I moved to check my personal hygiene. While I had showered and shaved etc. earlier that morning, as is my routine. My teeth had been brushed, flossed and I had used mouthwash. I had used antiperspirant and aftershave that morning.  My hands and nails were impeccably clean. I decided that I could relax on this issue as the problem was not related to my personal hygiene or appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I now knew the problem was related to the development of rapport with each patient and I realized I would have to focus on this area, but what could have gone wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having observed my colleague introduce herself and gain consent for history and examination on every attempt \u2013 I set about trying to mimic her approach. I copied her word for word: \u2018Hi, I am a medical student; I would like to take your history and perform an examination on you, is this acceptable for you?\u2019 This opening line was very similar to what I had always used: \u2018Hello my name is Myles, I am a medical student from Galway, I was hoping to talk to you for a while with regard to why you are in hospital and perhaps perform a brief examination on you today. Would that be OK?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another factor that will play a major role for consenting patients for examinations is your timing. Patients are people and if it was you or I, would we want a student asking to palpate our abdomen when it\u2019s lunch time? I found the best time to approach patients is between meal times and my most successful times are roughly about 30 minutes to 90 minutes after meal times. This will improve your success rates and will also mean you are less likely to aggravate the ward sisters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The end result was that, despite spending more hours than normal (many 16 hour days) in the hospital during this rotation, I only took a few histories and I performed even fewer examinations \u2013 compared to other rotations. In medicine, as in life, I think you should always try your best and endeavor to complete every task as effectively as you can.  Having said that, there may be some circumstances where you do all the preparation possible and put everything you can into your task at hand and still come out with very little to show for it. In my personal opinion, these are the times when we can look forward to the easy and the mundane duties that we know we can complete effectively. If you find yourself in the same situation as me \u2013 perhaps obstetrics and gynecology is not the place for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To summarize, if you want to get the best results and take as many histories as possible make a checklist before you go into the hospital and  tick each item off as you have checked it is completed. You should ensure your personal hygiene and appearance are up to the mark including shaved stubble, pressed trousers and ironed shirt and nothing worn below the elbow (including jewelry). You should definitely pay extra attention to the parts of your body the patient will see; your nails for example should be visibly clean and trimmed. In the event of consenting for an examination you should have a plan of action in mind. I personally find it useful to break each history and examination down into different bullet points as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History and Examination Checklist:    <\/strong>
– Have your approach mapped out in your mind;
– What side of bed to initiate?
– What to say and when to say it?
– Where will you place your hands at introduction? Adopting a \u2018hands-in-pockets\u2019 or a \u2018folded arm\u2019 approach tend not to make the best first impression. A more neutral positioning of your hands e.g. by your side, will make you appear professional and interested.
– How will you stand?
– Eye contact? (It is useful to use eye contact to establish rapport with the patient but be careful not to overdo this \u2013 you don\u2019t want to scare your patient!)
– Tone and pitch of voice. Be careful to speak clearly and in language that the patient will understand. You should use a minimal amount of medical jargon and if you do decide to use these terms be sure to check patient understanding.
– How good is your body language and will you use any hand gestures and if so, when?
– What questions will you ask for the history?
– How will you perform the examination?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PS: I have reverted back to my previous introduction and it is proving successful on all of my rotations. I have put my failures down as learning experiences and look forward to my second rotation in obstetrics and gynecology \u2013 I love a challenge!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Myles McKittrick,\u00a0Medical Scholar at Osmosis & Medical Student at the National University of Ireland Galway.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Obstetrics and gynecology (\u2018OB\/GYN\u2019) are two subjects every student must study before he or she can graduate with a medical degree. It is the study of the female reproductive system, all the areas surrounding pregnancy and depending on the tutor may also involve some urology as well. Whilst starting my first rotation of study in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":252,"featured_media":4287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,6,5,35,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medicine","category-career-advice","category-clerkships","category-osmosis-health-leadership-initiative-ohli","category-student-stories"],"yoast_head":"\nOB\/GYN Rotation coming up? - Maximize your productivity! - Osmosis Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? - Maximize your productivity! - Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Obstetrics and gynecology (\u2018OB\/GYN\u2019) are two subjects every student must study before he or she can graduate with a medical degree. It is the study of the female reproductive system, all the areas surrounding pregnancy and depending on the tutor may also involve some urology as well. Whilst starting my first rotation of study in […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-12-09T15:25:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-06T22:49:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Myles McKittrick\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Myles McKittrick\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d8e67e3a3476cd98af32d6fe7e6c24fe\"},\"headline\":\"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? – Maximize your productivity!\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-12-09T15:25:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-06T22:49:34+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity\"},\"wordCount\":1393,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Allopathic Medicine (MD)\",\"Career Advice\",\"Clerkships\",\"Osmosis Health Leadership Initiative (OHLI)\",\"Student Stories\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity\",\"name\":\"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? - Maximize your productivity! - Osmosis Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-12-09T15:25:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-06T22:49:34+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":1024,\"caption\":\"Maximize your productivity\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? – Maximize your productivity!\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Osmosis Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Osmosis Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png\",\"width\":1276,\"height\":596,\"caption\":\"Osmosis Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d8e67e3a3476cd98af32d6fe7e6c24fe\",\"name\":\"Myles McKittrick\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ec33ada25a0fc941a1d6f18fba89ff78b3a66a7d31a6437933031031f1660142?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ec33ada25a0fc941a1d6f18fba89ff78b3a66a7d31a6437933031031f1660142?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Myles McKittrick\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/author\/mylesmckittrick\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? - Maximize your productivity! - Osmosis Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? - Maximize your productivity! - Osmosis Blog","og_description":"Obstetrics and gynecology (\u2018OB\/GYN\u2019) are two subjects every student must study before he or she can graduate with a medical degree. It is the study of the female reproductive system, all the areas surrounding pregnancy and depending on the tutor may also involve some urology as well. Whilst starting my first rotation of study in […]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity","og_site_name":"Osmosis Blog","article_published_time":"2014-12-09T15:25:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-06T22:49:34+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Myles McKittrick","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity"},"author":{"name":"Myles McKittrick","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d8e67e3a3476cd98af32d6fe7e6c24fe"},"headline":"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? – Maximize your productivity!","datePublished":"2014-12-09T15:25:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-06T22:49:34+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity"},"wordCount":1393,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp","articleSection":["Allopathic Medicine (MD)","Career Advice","Clerkships","Osmosis Health Leadership Initiative (OHLI)","Student Stories"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity","name":"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? - Maximize your productivity! - Osmosis Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp","datePublished":"2014-12-09T15:25:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-06T22:49:34+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp","width":1024,"height":1024,"caption":"Maximize your productivity"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/ob-gyn-rotation-coming-up-maximize-your-productivity#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"OB\/GYN Rotation coming up? – Maximize your productivity!"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/","name":"Osmosis Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization","name":"Osmosis Blog","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png","width":1276,"height":596,"caption":"Osmosis Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d8e67e3a3476cd98af32d6fe7e6c24fe","name":"Myles McKittrick","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ec33ada25a0fc941a1d6f18fba89ff78b3a66a7d31a6437933031031f1660142?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ec33ada25a0fc941a1d6f18fba89ff78b3a66a7d31a6437933031031f1660142?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Myles McKittrick"},"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/author\/mylesmckittrick"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/12\/productivity.webp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10431,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/obgyn-shelf-exam-how-to-study-less-and-score-better","url_meta":{"origin":3972,"position":0},"title":"OB\/GYN Shelf Exam: How to Study Less and Score Better","author":"Mike Klug, DO","date":"June 30, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The OB\/GYN shelf exam tests more than diagnoses; it challenges your ability to make safe, time-sensitive clinical decisions. Learn the high-yield topics and study strategies that help you score higher while avoiding burnout.","rel":"","context":"In "Allopathic Medicine (MD)"","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"OB\/GYN Shelf Exam: How to Study Less and Score Better","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/OBGYN-Shelf-Exam-How-to-Study-Less-and-Score-Better.png","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/OBGYN-Shelf-Exam-How-to-Study-Less-and-Score-Better.png 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/OBGYN-Shelf-Exam-How-to-Study-Less-and-Score-Better.png 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/OBGYN-Shelf-Exam-How-to-Study-Less-and-Score-Better.png 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3809,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-impress-your-attending-obstetrics-and-gynecology-edition","url_meta":{"origin":3972,"position":1},"title":"How to Impress Your Attending: Obstetrics and Gynecology Edition","author":"Andrew Allen, MD, FACOG","date":"May 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to your clerkship in obstetrics and gynecology! You'll find this rotation beneficial no matter your future specialty because you'll very likely encounter pregnant patients, whether you're a primary care physician or a surgical subspecialist. Probably the best part of your OB\/GYN clerkship is that you'll gain valuable skills that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Allopathic Medicine (MD)"","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"How to Impress Your Attending: Obstetrics and Gynecology Edition","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/2024-09-19T150116.765.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/2024-09-19T150116.765.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/2024-09-19T150116.765.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/2024-09-19T150116.765.webp 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2674,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-i-studied-for-the-shelf-exams-and-survived-clinical-year","url_meta":{"origin":3972,"position":2},"title":"How I Studied for the Shelf Exams and Survived Clinical Year","author":"Claire Donnelley","date":"February 21, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Clinical year can feel overwhelming, but effective studying doesn\u2019t require perfection. Discover practical, high-yield strategies for shelf exams, clerkships, and balancing medical school with life outside the hospital.","rel":"","context":"In "Allopathic Medicine (MD)"","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"How I Studied for the Shelf Exams and Survived Clinical Year","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/How-I-Studied-for-the-Shelf-Exams-and-Survived-Clinical-Year.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/How-I-Studied-for-the-Shelf-Exams-and-Survived-Clinical-Year.jpg 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/How-I-Studied-for-the-Shelf-Exams-and-Survived-Clinical-Year.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/How-I-Studied-for-the-Shelf-Exams-and-Survived-Clinical-Year.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2199,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/rolling-with-the-punches-and-finding-balance-in-medical-school","url_meta":{"origin":3972,"position":3},"title":"Rolling with the Punches and Finding Balance in Medical School","author":"Jenny Nguyen","date":"January 21, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Looking to strengthen your mind-body connection and become a better student this year? Read how one self-described \"noodle\" found balance in medical school by jumping into the boxing ring. They say that you can only choose two of the following in life: school, sleep, or a social life. However, that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Allopathic Medicine (MD)"","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/rolling-with-the-punches-and-finding-balance-in-medical-school.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/rolling-with-the-punches-and-finding-balance-in-medical-school.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/rolling-with-the-punches-and-finding-balance-in-medical-school.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/rolling-with-the-punches-and-finding-balance-in-medical-school.webp 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5117,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-collaborate-effectively-with-your-attending-neurology-edition","url_meta":{"origin":3972,"position":4},"title":"How to Collaborate Effectively with Your Attending: Neurology Edition","author":"Britton Zuccarelli, MD","date":"January 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to your neurology clerkship! Discover key strategies for mastering patient examinations, enhancing clinical skills, and maximizing learning opportunities during this unique rotation.","rel":"","context":"In "Allopathic Medicine (MD)"","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"How to Collaborate Effectively with Your Attending Neurology Edition","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Neurology.png","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Neurology.png 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Neurology.png 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Neurology.png 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2114,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-dual-degree-program-student","url_meta":{"origin":3972,"position":5},"title":"A Day in the Life of a Dual Degree Program Student","author":"Rachel Bigley","date":"July 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Meet a graduate student tackling a masters and medical school simultaneously. Here is how they do it and what they find rewarding about it.\u00a0 I\u2019m a medical student and graduate student in a small program, a hidden medical school at UC Berkeley, called the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP).\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Allopathic Medicine (MD)"","block_context":{"text":"Allopathic Medicine (MD)","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/medicine"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-dual-degree-program-student.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-dual-degree-program-student.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-dual-degree-program-student.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-dual-degree-program-student.webp 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/252"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3972"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8863,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3972\/revisions\/8863"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}