OPEX 2019 Reflections
Due Monday, March 9, 2020 by 5 pm (2 pg Max; include your name and SGL name on document)
Beginning reflections
- Describe your site: The neighborhood, the office, the doctors and other staff, the patients
- Consider safety, barriers, and access to care issues -- including transportation, insurance, language, etc
- How did you feel on your first visit or two to the office?
(A suggestion building on this part of the assignment: throughout the year keep your own journal/diary of your reflections at each OPEX visit so that you can later recall this very special early experience in your Becoming a Doctor) - Describe your most memorable patient seen during the first half of OPEX. Why did you pick this patient as your most memorable?
- Share your thoughts about your practice and about yourself as you begin your transformation to Becoming a Doctor.
Due Friday, October 2, 2020 by 5 pm (2 pg Max; include your name and SGL name on document)
End of year reflection
- Was the experience what you expected? Was it what you wanted? What was good? What was lacking about it?
- Look back at what you wrote regarding your first few visits (March 9 assignment) and compare/contrast your views/understanding/comfort level/approach during these early visits with your views/understanding/comfort level/approach in the visits near the end of your OPEX year.
- What kinds of emotions did you feel as you participated in your OPEX experience?
- Based on your small group discussions and the varied experiences of other students in your small group, describe what you have observed as some of the differences between community and university affiliated physicians. What are your thoughts/opinions about the various types of physicians?
- How has OPEX changed or reinforced your initial opinions about medicine, primary care, your career goals?
OPEX Journal - OPTIONAL
Students have an option to use a journal to reflect upon their OPEX experiences, positive, negative and perplexing. By the end of every month, try writing an entry for your journal. Some suggestions for topics include: perspectives about one of the patient encounters; a “difficult” patient; an interaction with the preceptor; comments on the observed interaction between patient and preceptor, a cultural or ethical issue, a quality or safety issue.
If desired, an entry may be done in the form of a poem or some other form of creative writing. These journal entries will not be graded, per se, but if desired they can be forwarded to Dr. Vohra-Khullar and your small group leader.
The goals of the patient log are to:
- Help promote the relationship of the basic science to the clinical encounter
- Allow students to note progress in communication and performance of the physical exam
- Help the student note progress toward accomplishing desired goals and objectives for OPEX
- Encourage conversation and constructive feedback about the student’s progress and/or delineates areas needing improvement
Directions to the Student for Completing the Patient Log
You have until the end of your OPEX assignment to see a patient in each of the systems listed above, and to do the counseling as noted. YOU are responsible for completing your patient log in OASIS and can update this information throughout your time in OPEX. The above tasks can be completed in any order. While you are encouraged to review your patient log with your preceptor, the completion of the online form is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.