How to...

I've recently become convinced that youtube can teach me how to do pretty much anything.

Last fall, my preceptor* offered to let me give a flu shot to a patient. I had never done this before or been taught how to do it. Apparently I asked too many questions, because he was the one who ended up giving the shot (probably much to the relief of the patient). Naturally, I went and looked up how to administer a flu shot on youtube. I watched a few videos and learned a lot not only about flu vaccinations but injections in general. The next week my preceptor sort of laughed when I reported that I was now ready to give a shot. He found the idea of getting your medical training on youtube humorous. I thought, "not a bad idea, ...cheaper too."

The NAPA employee who sold me a headlight bulb a few months ago also didn't seem to believe in my youtube strategy. As he was installing if for me (out of the goodness of his heart, and for which I am very grateful), I told him that my alternative plan was to look it up on youtube. He laughed- which actually was the response I was going for this time. (Might as well make a few jokes while playing the damsel in distress card.) But then I started considering... maybe youtube does hold the answer. Curiosity got the best of me, and I looked it up later that week. I found the perfect "how to change a headlight" for my make and model. Although I think it would have taken me two hours instead of the 5 minutes it took the NAPA guy, I am pretty confident I could have replaced my own headlight bulb.

And I kid you not, just yesterday, we watched how to auscultate the heart and more youtube videos in our Intro to Clinical Medicine class. YES! I am not the only one being swayed. Others are discovering that youtube is not only a source of fun, but also a powerful educational tool!

As always, tools are most helpful when you know how to use them. Here's some practices I plan to adhere to, especially in regards to my "youtube medical education." (This is mostly to reassure you medical students aren't running rampant these days doing risky procedures on their own.)

1) Look at more than one video! Individual videos leave out information. You'll have to put the pieces together and expect even then it's possible you don't have all the details.

2) Going along with the first one, know your limits. Some "how to's" need to be supervised by an expert. I won't be practicing my first central line on my friend in my apartment. If you want to let me listen to your heart though, come on over- PLEASE! I need the practice. (I can also look in your ears, nose, eyeballs, mouth, palpate for organs in your abdomen, etc...)

3) Don't let the search for the perfect video take up too much time. Take what you can get and remember there are other sources out there- you may have to read them. I'm also paying the big bucks for access to the experts.

4) Have fun!

Here's some other "how to's" I've youtubed lately (and their disclaimers).

- how to put in a central line (was really fun to watch as I was learning the anatomy of the neck; I am terrified that I will be doing this procedure on a live human someday)

- how to dougie (unfortunately, while you do learn a new move, it does not improve your innate dancing ability- I tried. Found this gem when I was looking for the central line video and it made for a nice study break.)

- how to deliver a baby (classic- a midwife giving the instructions from a taxi cab; the most useful one was potentially too graphic for some viewers- you are welcome to look it up).

So the next time it seems like you should be able to do something yourself and you just need a quick "how to," give youtube a try. Don't be ashamed of the holes in you personal knowledge. I've learned people are looking up quite the variety these days. When I type in "how to" these are the top ten items on the scroll down menu.

how to kiss

how to dougie (and how I discovered what "doug-ie-ing" was)

how to get a sixpack in three minutes

how to make a paper gun than shoots

how to be ninja

how to tie a tie

how to be gangster

how to save a life (of course I clicked on this one... it's really just The Fray song)

how to make money on the web

how to be emo

Like I said, just about anything.

*preceptor = another word that medicine uses to confuse people. Here's what I've gathered about it: medical mentor, teacher, master. Every week I go to my preceptorship, like an internship, a more formal job shadow, a time of supervised learning.