Happy Halloween!
In other news, yours truly is hard at work with biochemistry. We've got about 2 and a half weeks left of it, and I cannot wait to put this behind me. Sounds a little familiar. I have a feeling I'm gonna be saying that quite a bit for the next couple of years...
Alright, I've got to go--the Krebs Cycle calls... actually, it just cycles. And actually, now that I think about it, I'm not even doing that part right now. Although, in one sense, I AM doing that right now...
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
I'm not sure WHY it happened, but I'm glad THAT it happened
So, since we last met, I've been a little busy. There's just a lot of stuff going on. And its not even ALL school! Actually, I should say, it isn't even all studying. I even went to the USC game on Saturday.
But there's a lot of that going on too. I just had my first biochemistry test this afternoon, for example. I should mention right now, biochemistry isn't easy, but so far it's not as bad as anatomy.
But that's not what I want to write about. Actually it is kind of about school, but not biochemistry. I have a "Behavioral Medicine" class. And sometimes we have guest lecturers. We had one today. I actually had met him a week ago (and he seemed like one of those people that talks a LOT, like a salesman or something), and so I knew when I walked in the room that it was going to be quite the lecture. Anyway, this man is an ER doc, and like I said, I really don't now what he was there to tell us about. He talked about a couple of cases, one of which was a relative of his. But the entire time, he kept making jokes about the "9 clinical competencies", the stoplights in Kokomo on your way to Indianapolis, the neighbors, etc. Maybe you had to be there. He also told some people in my class they were "too combative", and "too serious", which was funny, cause they didn't like it.
That was at 8 am. It was one of those days, when you don't want to wake up (name that tune... for $1). The point is, it wasn't at all what I was expecting, and it was hilarious. And I was glad I went to class.
But there's a lot of that going on too. I just had my first biochemistry test this afternoon, for example. I should mention right now, biochemistry isn't easy, but so far it's not as bad as anatomy.
But that's not what I want to write about. Actually it is kind of about school, but not biochemistry. I have a "Behavioral Medicine" class. And sometimes we have guest lecturers. We had one today. I actually had met him a week ago (and he seemed like one of those people that talks a LOT, like a salesman or something), and so I knew when I walked in the room that it was going to be quite the lecture. Anyway, this man is an ER doc, and like I said, I really don't now what he was there to tell us about. He talked about a couple of cases, one of which was a relative of his. But the entire time, he kept making jokes about the "9 clinical competencies", the stoplights in Kokomo on your way to Indianapolis, the neighbors, etc. Maybe you had to be there. He also told some people in my class they were "too combative", and "too serious", which was funny, cause they didn't like it.
That was at 8 am. It was one of those days, when you don't want to wake up (name that tune... for $1). The point is, it wasn't at all what I was expecting, and it was hilarious. And I was glad I went to class.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Good News
So it is that we come to the end of another weekend... Almost time for Monday! One real good thing that happened this weekend was that I got my score for the national Gross Anatomy test. I won't tell you what I got on it, but I can say that I'm now just about positive that I passed Gross Anatomy! Which is great. 'Cause, like I've said before, it was the one class that I REALLY wasn't looking forward to (and now it's over).
But that doesn't mean that now I get to slack off. My prof sent us this quote along with the email telling us to go get our scores, and I liked it. It goes:
Tangentially, another interesting quote from anatomy is; "Gentlemen, damn the sphenoid bone!" - Dr. Oliver Wendell Homes, Sr. (Professor of Anatomy at Harvard Univ., and father of the Supreme Court Justice, OWH, Jr.)
But that doesn't mean that now I get to slack off. My prof sent us this quote along with the email telling us to go get our scores, and I liked it. It goes:
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.I liked it. Its a good reminder that no matter what happens, there's no reason to get too down about things, but at the same time, if things go well, you shouldn't get too complacent or lazy either. So at this point the goal is just to keep working hard, and doing the best that I can.
- Winston Churchill
Tangentially, another interesting quote from anatomy is; "Gentlemen, damn the sphenoid bone!" - Dr. Oliver Wendell Homes, Sr. (Professor of Anatomy at Harvard Univ., and father of the Supreme Court Justice, OWH, Jr.)
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
When I Look in the Mirror, All I See is the Face of Organization
Well, I finally gave in and got one of those PDA's you may or may not have heard of. For those who don't know, PDA stands for Pretty 'Danged' Amazing, and what a PDA does is, the minute you start using it, it makes everything in your life run smoother. Your IQ goes up at least 60 points, if not more. You never forget, or forget to do, anything (cause its all in the PALM OF YOUR HAND!). You get a raise, a promotion, and a new car within the first week, and if you're not making 6 figures by the end of a month, you better check your warranty, cause I bet that's covered. In addition, you instantly gain the respect of your friends, you attain Nirvana, and you think of the solution to world peace.
Actually I did buy one of those things. So everybody keep on the edge of your seats. Something huge is gonna happen...
Coming back to reality, fall break is over tomorrow, and its time for 5 and a half weeks of Biochemistry! I've been reading for that all day, and I even went over some parts of my old chemistry books to try to get back into the swing of molecules. Right now, I feel like I understand chemistry a little bit. My prediction is that after tomorrow, I will feel like I do not understand it at all. But that's life.
Actually I did buy one of those things. So everybody keep on the edge of your seats. Something huge is gonna happen...
Coming back to reality, fall break is over tomorrow, and its time for 5 and a half weeks of Biochemistry! I've been reading for that all day, and I even went over some parts of my old chemistry books to try to get back into the swing of molecules. Right now, I feel like I understand chemistry a little bit. My prediction is that after tomorrow, I will feel like I do not understand it at all. But that's life.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
The Calm Before The Storm
As of this weekend, I am done with my first class in medical school, and I am currently enjoying a LONG weekend (that's as opposed to a long Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.)! I've been back at the lake since Friday evening, and it's been good to finally leave the "Bend". Of course, I'm going back tomorrow, but I've still got a couple of days to kill before Biochemistry starts. Speaking of which, the joke that has kind of developed in my class during the time we were doing Anatomy was that for basically anything that anybody wanted to do, but didn't feel like they had time for, we could just say something like 'I'll have time for that once Biochem starts...' Well, we'll see if that pans out... At any rate, it will be something totally different.
Its great to be putting some 'water under the bridge', if you will, and get a whole class out of the way. I think I've said this before, but I really am starting to get used to what I'm doing, and getting better at it as well.
Its great to be putting some 'water under the bridge', if you will, and get a whole class out of the way. I think I've said this before, but I really am starting to get used to what I'm doing, and getting better at it as well.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Thank You, and Goodnight
Earlier today I was subjected to the harrowing experience of lab clean-up. While not a fun experience, lab clean-up really means that I am done with anatomy lab! Of course, it also means that I am done with anatomy lab... (in a bad way). I enjoyed anatomy lab. In fact, I spent about 5 hours extra time yesterday on my own looking at things that we didn't have a chance to see in the scheduled lab time.
Dissection is a rewarding activity, and though it was a stressful thing at times to HAVE to dissect and do other studying at the same time, there is no replacing the experience that real-live dissection can provide.
I suppose now it is time for me to 'wax poetic' about donating your body to science, and how great that is. Obviously it is not for everyone. Having done what I have now done, I don't think that I would want to do it, nor would I advise anyone else to do it unless they really wanted to (donate their body). But, that said, I am really grateful that someone was willing to let some stranger (me) use his body in the pursuit of learning medicine.
This evening, as a class, we went over to the "Grotto" at Notre Dame, and lit a candle for each of our cadavers, and had a moment of silence to honor them. I was glad that we did that, even though it took away time that could have been spent studying for the big test of Friday, because it gave a sense of closure to the whole experience.
Dissection is a rewarding activity, and though it was a stressful thing at times to HAVE to dissect and do other studying at the same time, there is no replacing the experience that real-live dissection can provide.
I suppose now it is time for me to 'wax poetic' about donating your body to science, and how great that is. Obviously it is not for everyone. Having done what I have now done, I don't think that I would want to do it, nor would I advise anyone else to do it unless they really wanted to (donate their body). But, that said, I am really grateful that someone was willing to let some stranger (me) use his body in the pursuit of learning medicine.
This evening, as a class, we went over to the "Grotto" at Notre Dame, and lit a candle for each of our cadavers, and had a moment of silence to honor them. I was glad that we did that, even though it took away time that could have been spent studying for the big test of Friday, because it gave a sense of closure to the whole experience.
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