Wait Til The Chicks Hatch

I've noticed that technical competence gained early has its own risks. First, a student starts to think that they're already an employee of the clinical site. This can lead to a lot of heartache when they look at their bank account. But seriously, one risk is that they no longer see the value of what they're learning in class. Second, they've locked themselves into the way things are done at just one institution -- one which they may or may not get a job. It's nice to feel loved in a workplace but its better to actually have graduated and passed the registry before you start worrying about that. Third, it takes three to five years (at least!) of working in the field to gain the confidence and poise that you need to handle everything that is thrown at you. The learning continues because a lot can change -- the procedures, the technology and even you.