How to prepare for F1 as a fifth-year medical student

Who better to offer insight and practical tips on how to best use your final year of study to prepare for F1? Someone who has been there and done it.

Here, recent graduate Freya Palmer talks us through what you can do now to help make your transition to resident doctor as smooth as possible.

A lot of people experience anxiety before starting work as a doctor, but I want to reassure you that it will be okay and offer some tips to help you prepare while you’re still a student.

Prepare to prioritise

As an F1 following ward rounds, you’ll be expected to make a job list and then prioritise which tasks need to be completed first.

Practice making a jobs list. For example, if you’re shadowing on ward round, take some paper and note down tasks based on what the consultant says. You can then compare with the F1s to see how to improve.

A quick tip from me – always write the patients’ bed number on lists. Nurses will often call regarding ‘bed X’, so a list including that information helps hugely!

Then, suggest your order of prioritisation to the F1s, along with your reasoning. This will help them teach you and for you to prepare for OSCE prioritisation stations.

Think about what you want to learn

As a medical student, I remember being asked by F1s: “What do you want to get out of today?”. So, make sure you’re prepared for this question. Go into placement with a goal for the day. This will make your time more productive and empowers you as the adult learner you are.

Be more independent during placement

It can be easy and comforting to ask the F1 to accompany you during everything you do. But, in a few months’ time, you may not have assistance with every task. Try and be more independent. It will grow your confidence – I promise!

Learning how to actually do things

Much of the work you do as an F1 is computer-based, so it’s useful to learn exactly how tasks are done and the processes to follow.

You may decide to move deanery after medical school, which means navigating new computer systems, but the principles will stay the same so try to learn as many skills as you can during fifth year.

Here are some things you can do:

• While you’re on placement, ask the F1s what jobs they have to do. For example, ordering investigations, chasing bloods or prescribing. Observe how they complete these tasks. It’s fine to ask them to explain what they’re doing. We know you will have questions, so don’t worry. Then ask if you can have a go, so you can get used to the systems.
• Ask if there are any calls you have to make after certain requests. For example, CT scans usually need vetting by speaking to the radiographer. Ask if you can do this, as it’s good practice.
• Learn how bleeps work. This includes how to read a bleep, how to respond to a bleep and how to send a bleep. They can seem daunting at first, but if you’ve been shown how to use them, it really helps. Plus, the bleep requests are usually quite simple.
• Practice writing discharge letters. The more you do, the quicker you will get at them in the job – and we have to do a lot of them.
• You’ve probably practiced completing VTE assessments at medical school, but in fifth year I recommend thinking more about the prescribing of VTE prophylaxis. For example, which patients are suitable for TED stockings? What dosage of VTE do we give? Look at your trust guidelines for answers to these questions. This will help you to prepare for the PSA too.
• Practice writing ward round notes after observing the F1s do it. Notice what you like about the way each doctor writes their notes, and include that in your own.

Post finals assistantship

At the end of fifth year, you’ll shadow the current F1s in your new job post or hospital. If possible, I highly recommend arranging to go and work at the hospital you will be starting work at. It will help you feel much more prepared for day one.

While there, make the most of it. Get as involved as you can, as you are technically an F1 by this point. Also use this time to practice as many clinical skills as possible, as you still have the backup of the F1 doing it if you can’t.

Ultimately, all of fifth year is helping you prepare for F1 as you take on more responsibility during placement. Your university should organise simulation sessions that replicate being on call, which I found really helpful. Don’t stress and feel the need to panic revise before starting work as you will quickly learn on the job.

Good luck!