Advice for Clinical Rotations

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