Congratulations
to the class of 2021, our new second years, for completing their first year of
the program! While they were scheduled to start clinical rotations this month,
their schedule has changed due to the pandemic. Our recent graduates left them
with some advice for rotations, which will hopefully start in a few months.
"Congrats on starting rotations! My biggest
piece of advice is to be flexible. In
the real world, life can throw some curveballs at you. Being flexible not only in a session, but
also outside of the clinic, is the key to success. Be prepared, be willing to jump in to try new
things and welcome changes with a smile and a positive attitude! Your ability to adapt will take you a long
way. And enjoy it- it flies by!"
"You will not grow if you are not
uncomfortable. If something feels scary or daunting, do it anyway. The whole
point is to practice, learn, and build confidence. You’ll have your supervisors
as a guide if you get stuck, and they are all very accomplished, knowledgeable,
and supportive. Lean on them and your classmates as you go through this journey
together. It’s okay to let someone know that you need help or want to work on
something specific. That being said, you’re all capable, strong individuals and
you will all be great assets to the field one day. It all just starts with a
little discomfort."
"Starting rotations can be overwhelming,
exciting, and frankly a little scary...but you’ve done the work to get here and
now you get to try it out. I’ll echo my classmates and say that it’s important
to push yourself out of your comfort zone. It doesn’t have to be by much, but
try to take on a bit more each session and you’ll be surprised how soon you’re
running the whole session. You’re all going to be great counselors and Pitt has
amazing GCs to mentor you along the way. Good luck and congrats on completing
the majority of your coursework!"
"Congrats on finishing your first year!
Although starting rotations can be nerve wracking, this is when you finally get
to do what you’ve been working towards. My biggest piece of advice is to
actively challenge yourself and use your supervisors’ expertise to figure out
the best way to do that. Tell your supervisor what parts of sessions you’ve
already tried and how you felt about prior sessions, and ask what the
supervisor recommends you try in an upcoming session based on that. Time
management is also important, especially because you want to get enough sleep
the night before seeing patients. Don’t forget to bring snacks and lunches too,
as needed (you may be surprised how easily you forget to eat). Share your
experiences with your classmates and program directors; their support is
crucial. Most of all, enjoy the relationships you form with patients and supervisors
and don’t beat yourself up when a session doesn’t go as planned; it’s a
necessary part of the learning process."
-The Class of 2020
