Done!

Last day of med school rotations! On to graduation in 3 weeks!

Pic of the Day

I had no idea how thankful I'd be for scrubs this year. Expandable pants, purchased and laundered by someone else. Maternity wardrobe perfection.

Examinaciones

Oral exam down (went well!), written to go. Friday's the big day. Then Jackie P's gonna be in town this weekend. :)

When I Grow Up

After each clerkship is finished, I usually have to reassess my thoughts on just where it is I'm headed on this medical map. After nearly 7 weeks spent in the crazy, bloody world of general (and this week trauma) surgery, my feelings need some sorting through. Rather unexpectely, I really enjoyed surgery. I wouldn't say I thrived in it (yet), it felt like a constant uphill trek. But I liked it. I loved the challenge and I loved the hands-on healing aspect. And I got some good feedback from residents and attendings that let me know I'm at least not too clearly ill-suited for a career in surgery. Last week, I even dared to check out some prospective surgery residencies at Vandy online for giggles. Problems I have with surgery? Very demanding residency, leaving little time for my new family and my kid(s). Difficult to be pregnant as a surgery resident, as I most likely will be again if not a few times during the next 7 years. So for those reasons, it falls a distant second to peds at this point, but I can't rule it out either. Next up, ob/gyn and babies, babies, babies!

Making Time Out of Nothing At All

Surgery is keeping me from doing much at all, including blogging. *grumbles* Though I'd still say I'm enjoying myself. I wouldn't expect the steepest portion of the 3rd year learning curve to be anything less than exhausting, especially whilst 5 months pregnant.

At the moment, it's snowing like crazy and folks on the tele are predicting worse overnight. Too bad there are no circumstances which could keep me from being expected to risk life and limb to make it to the hospital in the morning. And with that, I go to bed. It's actually, at 8:43 pm, it's already past my (surgery rotation) bedtime.

*Yawn*

Top 3 Olfactory Adventures, First Week of Surgery

3. Stagnant hospital air punctuated by fresh poop vapors
2. Electrocauterized blood and leg fat
1. Thigh ulceration oozing brown pus

I'm sure that's just the beginning. I'm sure there's a lot worse to come.

Goodness Me

Ack! Be at the hospital at between 5 and 5:30am every day? Stay til 5 or 6pm? Surgery's gonna get crazy. At least I have some blissful holiday memories to hang on to while I slave.

Christmas Approaches

I'm nearly finished with family med! The last month of outpatient actually went pretty fast. It was a great month. Tomorrow's off for studying. Exam Friday. Then Master Tony comes to town. And I'll even get to see Miss Jackie Sunday night. Then, after the holiday, it's off to Nashville til Jan. 6.

Feliz Navidad!

Last Week of Family Med

Just putting the finishing touches on the family med rotation before I have to take the shelf exam on Friday. And of course, like all final weeks, it's full of deadlines and must-do's, some of which I'd really rather not. For instance, even though I had a lovely time researching and learning about my community resource (really, pretty enjoyable as projects go), a Catholic Social Services program called Healthy Start, I'm not even getting graded for the presentation I spent about 3 hours on tonight. *Sigh* Here's the powerpoint I put together. It's really a great program, I'm just grumpy because tonight I had to "work for free" in my off hours too. My sense of altruism is already on vacation.

Missing Peds

Well, the time has come to move on to the next clerkship but my heart's still in peds. I misses the kiddies! Yes, I'll see some in family for sure. But it's definitely not the same as being able to see all kiddos. Some of the parents made me want to pull my hair out but the kids themselves are darlings. I sometimes wished I could take one home with me. :) Scary, their parents probably would've taken me up on that.

Goodness Me!

So few posts lately. Well, things should be picking up again here on the Daily Dose. As occasionally happens with Mistress Angela, life gets in the way of the more fun distractions. Peds is clipping along at a feverish pace and will be finishing up this coming Friday with the shelf exam. So far I've spent 4 weeks with hospitalized patients, 2 weeks split between newborn nursery and resident clinic, and last week was spent on the peds hematology/oncology service. This last week will be spent at my very own former pediatrician's office, Kent Pediatrics on West River Drive, where I was a patient of Dr. Kokx until I was 18 and where my dream of becoming a doctor was born. So the story comes full circle.

True Confessions

I started my first IV yesterday. I, who have had to gradually come to terms with the fact that watching any procedure involving needles reliably nauseates me. It's demoralizing. I keep wondering to myself, what's the deal?? I love watching surgery on TV. I had no trouble watching my aunt deliver, episiotomy and all. I never really had a particular fear of needles. But apparently that doesn't translate to being ok with lumbar punctures and IVs. Regardless of how much I know and understand, exposure to these things has been quite different than I expected. Last week, I finally had to leave the room during a lumbar puncture when I started to wonder how long I'd be able to remain vertical. Granted, it was a difficult stick and the resident kept having to maneuver the thing til she struck CSF. But I was the only lame-o med student who had to run for the hallway and a glass of water. I finally had to admit to myself that there was some serious work to be done on the way to desensitization. Managing to get through that IV clinic was the first step. Something tells me there may have been an element of divine intervention in having my surgery rotation scheduled last.

Med Ed Tribute of the Week

This applies more to first and second years but the general theme is the same. The vicious cycle goes on.

Oh Yeah

Step 1 of Boards is officially passed and done with!

Weeee!

Third Year

...starts tomorrow! Four days of orientation (have the 4th off), then it's off to Saint Mary's for my internal medicine rotation.

Quotes of the Week

"It's a beautiful day for naughty!" --Kat on springing for P.F. Chang's and watching zombies on the big screen.

"And you'll feel better 'cause you'll know stuff." --Dr. Kumar on the extra benefits of reading medical textbooks with reckless abandon.

*Happy Dance*

Ok, so maybe I don't watch South Park. But(t) that doesn't keep me from appreciating this bit of humor in the wake of the GI domain. I just wanna say I'm finally done with 2nd year, and now on to boards!!!

3rd Year Schedule!

1. Internal Medicine @ Saint Mary's (7/9 – 8/31/07)
2. Pediatrics @ Butterworth (9/4 – 10/26/07)
3. Family Practice @ Saint Mary's (10/29 – 12/21/07)
----------------------------------------------
4. Psychiatry @ Pine Rest (1/7 – 2/29/08)
5. Obstetrics/Gynecology @ Butterworth (3/3 – 4/28/08)
6. Junior Surgery @ Saint Mary's (5/5 – 6/27/08)

So exciting!

And in case you're wondering, I'm most interested in pediatrics, family and psych out of the 6 at this point.

Now for boards...June 16...

You Know You've Played Too Much WoW When...

Ever caught yourself nodding off in class and later realized the notes you took were only half sensible? In an attempt to explain the problem with the "tissue", in my nod-off spell it came out "Tanaris" instead. THAT is when you know.


The land of Tanaris does have the same light tan color as healthy esophageal squamous mucosa. Perhaps that makes Quiste a wayward food bolus on her way to the bowels of Zul'Farrak.

Pics of the Day: CHM Creative Project 2005

The products of my only required creative project in med school. It was a fun and welcome diversion from basic science. I wish we had more projects like it.