KU School of Medicine-Wichita

Embark 2014

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rotation workload. Earlier in the day, Little had worked on a discharge plan for a patient. "I need to figure out how he can afford his medication and where he's going to live," she said. The rotation as a hospitalist is the most demanding of all in terms of time. Little's shifts last anywhere from 12 to 28 hours, with four days off during the month. Most days start at 5:30 a.m. There's a lounge where interns and residents can catch a nap when there are no emergencies, but that's rarely enough to ward off bloodshot eyes. The key is to keep moving. "It's challenging," Little said. "I couldn't sustain this schedule." During a call shift, Little may deliver four to eight babies, admit about the same number of new patients to the hospital, and respond to several "code blues" – hospital lingo for cardiac arrest – while maintaining watch over about 16 patients who've already been admitted. The long shifts help Little complete many of her residency requirements. For instance, Little has already delivered 80 babies and seen 300 clinic patients. Little noted that other rotations, such as in-patient pediatric rotation, require fewer hours. Plans and preparations Little said medical school was "somewhat easy and laid back" compared to residency, when "you have to learn to do everything at once." When she completes her residency, Little's plan is to return to Minneapolis, Kan., to follow her He's off to a good start. Last year, Villanueva was one of 10 minority students across the nation chosen for an award by the Conquer Cancer Foundation of the Society of Clinical Oncology. His reward: shadowing Dr. Gary Doolittle of the University of Kansas Cancer Center for eight weeks. Calling Doolittle "one of the most amazing physicians I know," Villanueva said following him reinforced his desire to become a hematologist/oncologist. "I learned how to deliver bad news to critically ill patients. I watched Dr. Doolittle interact with patients and explain the goals of care while at the same time working with the patient to make sure they understood the process." Villanueva, 27, moved to the United States from Mexico with his family when he was 10 years old. The son of a FedEx truck driver and a stay-at-home mom, he graduated at the top of his class in an inner-city high school in Kansas City. Going to medical school was "uncharted territory for our family," he said, but a high school teacher gave him the confidence to do it. Villanueva said he's glad he chose to finish his degree on the KU Wichita campus. "I feel like I'm very much part of the team" providing care to patients. Outside of school, he relaxes by playing basketball at Wichita's downtown YMCA and going to the movies. When there's time, he returns to Kansas City to visit his family and girlfriend. In addition to specializing in hematology/oncology, Villanueva hopes to someday incorporate new research into the care of his patients, and help other physicians better care for patients who come from other cultures. "That's my ultimate goal – to bridge that gap," he said. Bridging the communication gap is student's ultimate goal. Dr. Patricia Little, 2012 Graduate of the University of Kansas School of Medicine father's path. "I feel like everybody expects me to be him. I worry that I'm not as smart as my dad." She now feels she can create a plan of treatment for nearly any patient. She has had to deliver news to the parents of a 7-year-old boy who had a rare form of muscle cancer. "That's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do." She's repeatedly performed procedures on patients, and feels qualified to do them as necessary. In other words, she's using her residency to become as prepared as possible, because she knows what's ahead. "In my mind, I'm on my own in 18 months." Medical school was ''somewhat easy and laid back'' compared to residency, when ''you have to learn to do everything at once.'' 16 17

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