first day of Trauma

My first Trauma day is over. I have also already had my first on call night. It was very slow day - now they want me to take with them every night.... I don't quite think so! During the day there were only two surgeries, which both happened at the same time..... So I only got to watch debridement surgery, because there were already three surgeons scrubbed in and there wouldn't have been much to do for me. So I watched, which was still pretty cool, because I had not seen that before, harvasting the skin, making it thinner and than transplanting it to the site of the burn. The case of the patient was really interesting. He has already been in the hospital for 44days. He got hit by an electric cable when he cut a tree. He got burned really bad and even now you could still see where he had had the keys and change in his pocket. That was all pretty impressive and the exit wound was so small.... It is kind of neat to see the things we learned in forensic medicine live! At night we admitted another burn victim and since there was nothing else going on, I could observe the initial treatment and the residents I am with now, they like to explain what they're doing! So I actually learn things!!!!! The patients case was really interesting and it is amazing how hard it is to first judge the depth of a burn when a patient comes in. When I first looked at the patient I would not have imagined his whole face to be third degree burns.... It was pretty impressive and it smells very weird!
The residents I have met so far are all really nice and interesting in teaching. So I believe even though working hours will be long again, that I will still learn quite a lot. I will spend this week with the residents who take care of the patients on the floor, cover the ICU and most of the surgeries and next week I will be with the resident who is in the ICU and learn more about intensive care. For all the other students it is usually either one or the other depending on whether they're senoirs or junoirs. I will have to take two more call nights and I am hoping that they will be sort of quiet. At the new hospital we actually get to stay in room where they got to typical bunk beds seen in movies. They aren't all the comfortable, but at least I didn't have to share it!
This morning after I got off I took the chance and finally stop by the pediatric cardiology office to say hi to all the girls and chat for a while. It was so good to see them all again... I wish I had more time for social activities... But that's just how it goes for medical students in America (after this experience I am glad that I am a med student in Germany....), and they are not allowed to complain cause there is always at least one residents that has already worked more hours and is more tired and they don't want to hear any complaints.....Just suck it up!