tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904548769925311372023-12-12T17:07:34.891-05:00MEDICAL SCHOOL in the 3RD WORLDStudying Medicine on the Island of DominicaABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-63638155934430011342012-09-16T14:15:00.000-04:002012-10-03T23:00:43.831-04:00OFF THE ROCK! Back in the USA!<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>MEDICAL SCHOOL LIFE UPDATE! I am back on American soil!</u></b></span><br />
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<b><u>Things I no longer have to worry about on a daily basis:</u></b><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dRzQYj0lzjM/UFYVDsA_WkI/AAAAAAAAAZk/OKORTHRkXSU/s1600/Iguana+crossing+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dRzQYj0lzjM/UFYVDsA_WkI/AAAAAAAAAZk/OKORTHRkXSU/s320/Iguana+crossing+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ross' island campus</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ22a8hjmTc/UFYVZ2IGctI/AAAAAAAAAZs/CkZux5gGwVo/s1600/Wakikabuli+Trail+6.16.2012+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ22a8hjmTc/UFYVZ2IGctI/AAAAAAAAAZs/CkZux5gGwVo/s320/Wakikabuli+Trail+6.16.2012+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Crabs...everywhere...in rivers, oceans, streets</div>
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<img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXQbtggLGsAi19r4S2UN3mgWisyz09bOR9L5WI-nyU61hbqf156DxsVfJzuV3TyhW_NSjX9sZ_MWEfwFRZUK9fAarVbAdNkgRx3V_EbVcQUtNphX_3hwGlj0UOzlBgs_JYMuQ4oqKAdlq/s400/IMG_1698.JPG" width="300" />
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"The Shacks" a.ka. dysentery dining</div>
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<b><u>THINGS I WILL MISS:</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aHW24Rv2Ujo/UFYVrvOBI0I/AAAAAAAAAZ0/NS3swB7iiPo/s1600/Rainbows+of+Dominica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aHW24Rv2Ujo/UFYVrvOBI0I/AAAAAAAAAZ0/NS3swB7iiPo/s640/Rainbows+of+Dominica.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So many rainbows, every time it rains!</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_MoeHyLaUs/UFYVvkiFO7I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/-2T9D1ALpeY/s1600/Sunset+Bay+6.2012+091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_MoeHyLaUs/UFYVvkiFO7I/AAAAAAAAAZ8/-2T9D1ALpeY/s320/Sunset+Bay+6.2012+091.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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These little (big) guys</div>
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Hand made bonfires on the beach, biolumenescent plankton in the ocean at night</div>
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Amazing sunsets over the Caribbean Ocean each day</div>
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<b>Having passed my last year of basic sciences (first 2 years completed) I have moved to Miramar, Florida to complete my Pre-Clinical Semester and prepare for the first Board Exam. </b><br />
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<b>I am currently studying for the COMP exam, a comprehensive exam we are required to pass before being allowed to take the USMLE Step 1 (first Board Exam). I have only had enough spare time to set up my apartment and figure out where the grocery store and main campus is. I have not had the chance to go to Miami beach or any other nearby beach. I am excited to explore the beach, Miami, and the Everglades once this test is over. I really hope I pass/do well, as this has some minor influence on my future Clinical Rotation placements.</b><br />
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<b>Basically life is no different than the island (apart from the obvious First world differences) because I still have that same crazy study schedule and have little time for myself. I am hoping this will change when the COMP is over and I can fully return to being "human".</b><br />
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<b>I haven't decided if I will start a new blog or continue this one since I am no longer on the Island.</b><br />
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<b>Stay tuned!</b>ABCDesigirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08859381138978926850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-53636977148820812502012-08-09T18:02:00.001-04:002012-08-09T18:09:54.738-04:00REBLOGGED: My Kind of Bhakti.: Peace by VasudhaI am so proud of my friend Vasudha. As over-used as it the metaphor is, I think of her and I as yin and yang. She being the lighter, peaceful half and I the darker, conflicted half. We are both strong women, but we view life and the world around us very different. I think this mostly stems from our own life experiences, our upbringing, and our inherent personalities. I miss my other half these days. We used to have weekly coffee dates to discuss life and I miss having her more positive perspective to balance me out.<br />
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Lately I have been seriously lacking Balance. I'm starting to believe that this the ultimate goal to achieve in all aspects of ones life: Balance. At the moment there is only ONE aspect to my life: medicine. Hopefully when I get back to the States I will have a couple more, like reconnecting with family and friends, and starting a relationship. I'm at the age and in a profession where I desperately need both of these components to support me.<br />
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I like how Vasudha views Hinduism, and although she discusses it's "peaceful foundation", I also think that like Buddhism, Hinduism is about balance.<br />
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Read her latest post here:<br />
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<a href="http://mykindofbhakti.blogspot.com/2012/08/peace.html?spref=bl">My Kind of Bhakti.: Peace</a>: Before I start this post, I just want to take a moment and acknowledge what happened in Wisconsin this Sunday. My heart goes out to the Sik...<br />
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More later!<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: purple;">DAYS LEFT ON THE ISLAND: 7</span></u></b>ABCDesigirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08859381138978926850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-82915832162043954092012-08-01T20:53:00.001-04:002012-08-01T20:53:28.723-04:00PHOTO UPDATE!I should be doing more practice questions but instead...THIS:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Last Night Paul and I built a bonfire, on the beach, after 5 days of rain--> We are pretty proud of ourselves!</span></u></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE BONFIRE BEGINS</td></tr>
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<b><u>WE THEN INVITED SOME FRIENDS TO COOK HOTDOGS AND MAKE S'MORES</u></b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-og0P6pTajhg/UBnNitnaZfI/AAAAAAAAAVw/p1BSa2g7sgA/s1600/bonfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-og0P6pTajhg/UBnNitnaZfI/AAAAAAAAAVw/p1BSa2g7sgA/s400/bonfire.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQlkZrIURNU/UBnNi8aSxaI/AAAAAAAAAV4/fi5DN_MERcU/s1600/bonfire1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQlkZrIURNU/UBnNi8aSxaI/AAAAAAAAAV4/fi5DN_MERcU/s400/bonfire1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A FEW WEEKS AGO I RAN A WOMEN'S CLINIC (BREAST EXAMS) IN PORTSMOUTH:<br />I PUT 5 DESKS TOGETHER TO MAKE AN EXAM TABLE: 3RD WORLD INGUINITY</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R8KJwzYHlx8/UBnNjQ9wmRI/AAAAAAAAAWA/GY6cMiL2850/s1600/clinic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R8KJwzYHlx8/UBnNjQ9wmRI/AAAAAAAAAWA/GY6cMiL2850/s320/clinic.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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TAKING PICTURES BEFORE THE PATIENTS BEGAN TO ARRIVE:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kJjgNFbDnQI/UBnNlPxMZ3I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/4j3UkxeqfEE/s1600/me+and+Florence.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kJjgNFbDnQI/UBnNlPxMZ3I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/4j3UkxeqfEE/s320/me+and+Florence.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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POSING/TEACHING A PATIENT and VOLUNTEERS HOW TO PERFORM A BREAST EXAM</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fSvxgXP2C0w/UBnNl4ecqwI/AAAAAAAAAWc/3gejA47Qqio/s1600/running+the+womens+clinic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fSvxgXP2C0w/UBnNl4ecqwI/AAAAAAAAAWc/3gejA47Qqio/s320/running+the+womens+clinic.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I DREW A POSTER WITH INSTRUCTIONS WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR PATIENTS:</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BO8u1K2tk9c/UBnNnHWD9aI/AAAAAAAAAW0/azBTR600ECE/s1600/womens+clinic1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BO8u1K2tk9c/UBnNnHWD9aI/AAAAAAAAAW0/azBTR600ECE/s320/womens+clinic1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>SOME PICTURES FROM MEDICAL SCHOOL PROM: BANQUET NIGHT AT FORT SHIRLEY</b><br />
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ME AND CAROLYN WAITING FOR OUR RIDE TO THE BANQUET: OUR 4th SEMESTER CLASSROOM<br />
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<br />ABCDesigirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08859381138978926850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-82676905693791304172012-07-31T21:43:00.000-04:002012-07-31T21:43:41.509-04:00Tonight! Dreams Come True!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b><u>Tonight I accomplished my 2 greatest goals for life on this island:</u></b><br />
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1) my friend Paul and I built a bonfire on the beach with our bare hands! which was particularly impressive because:<br />
a) it just rained for 3 days and all the wood in the jungle was wet<br />
b) we didn't have lighter fluid or any of the fancy stuff you have in the US<br />
c) we actually cooked hotdogs and made smores!<br />
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2) I swam in the ocean at night with biolumenescent plankton!!!! The most amazing swimming experience here; at night at least. They sparkle all around you!<br />
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Tonight was amazing and I am so happy that I had some really good friends to share it with! The moon was full, the weather (which has been stormy) held out, and we ended the night with a light drizzle which put out our fire for us. What an amazing time! I finally feel like I've used my experience on this island to it's full potential. :)<br />
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Tonight, I love you Dominica. But I still hope that in a month, I will never have to return again.<br />
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Til Next Time Folks!</div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-59594113013962160262012-07-30T18:45:00.000-04:002012-07-30T18:45:52.805-04:00So my big, scary, Clinical Skills Final Exam is over...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>AND ALL I FELT LIKE DOING WHEN I GOT HOME WAS THIS...</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>PARTS OF THAT EXAM COULD HAVE GONE MUCH BETTER.</b></u></div><br />
Like:<br />
a) having the main neurology prof as my grader for the neurology/motor exam...completely froze and forgot how to perform the task, only to recover most of my points and laugh nervously as he frowned at me. I'm pretty sure, since he WROTE that task, he was thinking: "You either did not attend my lecture or have no idea how perform a neurological exam". Neither are true...but anything is possible on exam day.<br />
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b) having one of the strictest clinical skills instructors for my Scenario room/respiratory exam.</div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-25025441908363163962012-07-22T22:04:00.000-04:002012-07-22T22:04:47.695-04:00Life...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div>WHEN I ZONE OUT WHILE STUDYING DUE TO LIFE...</div><div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m66gpiFkp11rpb80d.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m66gpiFkp11rpb80d.gif" width="400" /></a></div></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-43739616516731841912012-07-17T22:45:00.001-04:002012-07-17T22:56:49.440-04:00Because I Can<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h2 style="text-align: left;">I am writing this post purely <u><span style="color: purple;">because I can now</span></u>, with out having to go through the hassle of logging off and on different Google accounts. For I have the power to merge both accounts, and <span style="color: purple;">I win!</span></h2><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shameless "Hunger Games" plug that expresses how I feel.</td></tr>
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I will be writing from my new Google account from now on...not that any readers can tell the difference. But it is a large step for me and my OCD tendencies. It's so much more stream-lined this way and at this point in my life it's the "little things" that make me grin. So hooray!<br />
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I also think I am sleep-deprived again. As evidenced by my rambling and the fact that lay my head down a few hours ago and when I woke up I thought I was A) in my bed at home, B) had been sleeping for 2 hours. I had only been asleep 20 minutes and had 10 vivid dreams. In the main classroom. At my desk.<br />
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More later. Ta!</div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-19941134280251655172012-07-17T01:25:00.001-04:002012-07-17T01:25:11.644-04:00WHATSHOULDWECALLROSS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A Friend Directed Me To The Best Ross Blog Ever.</div>
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It uses Gifs to explain "medical school feelings" and experiences at this crazy university. </div>
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One of my favorites posted below:</div>
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WHEN I SPEND ALL NIGHT<br />MAKING STUDY PRODUCTS.</div>
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<br /></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-88768299967006031302012-07-08T00:32:00.001-04:002012-07-08T00:34:33.833-04:00Sun Set Bay: Snorkelling, Lobster Dinner, Relaxation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sun Set Bay: </span><span style="font-size: large;">Lobsters, Snorkelling, Relaxation<br /><br /></span></i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewZ_Mt4_N6AH9lHiqq79GUVh3d2cwmBwrRviYhRbkS4JXbZoTIFW8PnFYnBJZA3qqYkBz48fMf_egAj4skZ5QNeJmhLOBMqLqz8IoV1UTNuG6hPQ-33weK5WprR0FWgM22C1xRLsj92Y/s1600/IMG_3395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewZ_Mt4_N6AH9lHiqq79GUVh3d2cwmBwrRviYhRbkS4JXbZoTIFW8PnFYnBJZA3qqYkBz48fMf_egAj4skZ5QNeJmhLOBMqLqz8IoV1UTNuG6hPQ-33weK5WprR0FWgM22C1xRLsj92Y/s320/IMG_3395.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yesterday my friend Paul and I realized that we meant to plan a trip to Sun Set Bay; a resort with beach access and a seafood restaurant. So we quickly made a plan, emailed friends and I called my Rasta friend "Charley" to give us a ride.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After getting some work done this morning, I headed over to the Main Gate to meet Charley and the others to head out. This day started out so chill and relaxed, that after getting some work out of the way I was ready to have some fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The restaurant is only about 30 minutes away from campus. When we arrived around 4 pm we were the only ones there, aside from some French tourists who were staying on the grounds. The sun was out and smouldering and I decided to get some food--fish soup and garlic bread--before joining Paul in the ocean. I brought Jamie's old snorkel gear along just in case we wanted to dive. I have never been snorkelling before, mostly because I'm like a skiddish cat in the ocean and in water in general. I don't trust my swimming abilities against the strong ocean currents and the fear of the "unknown great deep" always scares me too. What's out there? Will it attack me? Etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But today, with the sun shining on my face, surrounded by the beauty of a new part of the island, standing in the cool Caribbean waters, I decided to take the plunge. I told myself that I only have 40 days left on this island and I may as well try something different.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Paul instructed me how to use the goggles/mask--since it was cracked--with out getting water inside and showed me where he had seen some fish. I quickly caught the hang of preventing water from seeping in, but of course this involved released air through my nose, and shortening my dives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just looking at the pebbly ocean floor covered in algae was so cool to me. I was estatic when I started noticing tiny fish, then swam further out to see schools of tiny black and white fish, as well as larger silver fish. The silver fish swam in a large school of 40 at least, and would turn and flee en masse when spooked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After snorkelling around for a while, Paul and I decided to walk to another part of the beach toward some boulders. I collected some volcanic rocks and an interesting piece of white coral. We climbed a large boulder, that was inhabited by a few black crabs. Were they land crabs or sea crabs? I feel like there is a species for every habitat on this island. The beach was scattered with tiny hermit crabs as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We noticed the sun was beginning to set so we climbed back down and joined Jadden and Will in the water again. We showed the others where we had spotted fish and Jadden mentioned seeing "a fin". We all thought he was seeing things. Then 15 minutes later when we were all planning on swimming back to the beach I spotted a large, black fin as well, around the same area that Paul and I had been standing. Now that I think about it I'm a bit scared because we had been investigating why these silver fish had been jumping out of the ocean. Now it makes sense; they were trying to escape a predator. Despite my fear of sharks, I think that the predator was probably just a large fish---some of the tuna here are 2x my weight. But still...scary</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The dinner was amazing! Small lobsters with garlic cream sauce--an entire platter-ful--mussels swimming in garlic sauce, rice, salad, French fries, complimentary Chardonnay, mango juice, and for desert a Caribbean banana split. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My corset-style dress was feeling much tighter by the end of that meal. But it was so worth it. We all agreed, it was the best food we have eaten on this island so far.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I took plenty of pictures to capture the day. Here are a few...<br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, and Paul, being weird</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun Set Bay<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster dinner!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-33375238232751554302012-06-22T14:15:00.005-04:002012-06-24T11:26:55.236-04:00Clothing Drive, Motivation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I'm going solo now </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in running the Women's Health Advocacy Committee of my student chapter of Physicians for Human Rights. So I've cut back on what I want to accomplish through the org this semester. One goal was to have a clothing drive for the Women's Club down in Portsmouth (20 mins away from Picard). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Initially I thought it would be pretty lame, but after receiving unsolicited, but much appreciated, help from the head of Student Activities, the drive turned out to be a success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mark Sheakley (husband of cardio-phys prof Dr. Maria Sheakley) at my university contacted me about giving me an official donation bin. This may not sound like a big deal, but considering our org is tiny compared to other "more popular" ones like AMSA and Salybia, I was surprised that he even knew who I/we were. He graciously offered to allow to have a donation bin (industrial size, yellow, recycling bin) outside the library. This is prime real estate as far as donations go, and we've encountered issues with Student Government bureacracy in the past, so I was kinda elated that we were offered this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After sending an email to Flavia who runs the weekly email announcements to the entire university, she placed an ad I designed to run for the entire semester to announce the clothing drive. By 1 1/2 weeks the bin was full to the brim. In fact I had to put a note on it the other day that we were no longer accepting donations. How awesome is that?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Women's Club mainly needs work-wear and uniforms that they can refurbish and resell, but I think they will pretty much take anything. Today, when me and my loyal recruited volunteers, visited the Club, Ms. Kate was asking for book donations too. Give a mouse a cookie...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She also told me that she (cryptically) "had something for me". I'm trying not to be excited because for all I know it's a receipt for the gate installations that I raised donation money for last semester. I really need to go back there and take a picture next to the murals on the outside and with Ms. Kate. Damn, should have done that today. But I was too distracted by the bags of clothing and making sure we had a ride back. The local driver--nice Rasta man--was patient though and waited for us to unload the bags of clothing, then took us back to school. I have him a 20 EC note and told him to give me whatever change he thought fit, and he also gave me a business card--as usual. Except this time it was laminated! Haha. He must be doing pretty well, eh?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We only had 4 hours of class today, which I sat through starting at 8 a.m. I'm so proud of myself for making it to class before 9 a.m. I've been sleeping at 2:30 a.m. every day, after a full day of studying til midnight. Turns out 4th semester is just as challenging i.e. insane, as 3rd. When will it get easier??? *whines* I'm thinking Never. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Motivation, or Lack Thereof</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">My friend,</span></span> Amy, and I had a short conversation on the ride back to campus about what made us motivated to go to medical school. She said she's always wanted to be a doctor, since she was young...I tried to explain my philosophy. It starts with my desire to work in a non-profit public health/medical organization in the developing world. Idealistic and slightly romantic, it's true, but it's about the only thing I have left to "fantasize" about for my future. It's my dream, and aren't dreams supposed to be sort of "out there"? I told her that while there are many ways of going about achieving this goal, medical school is one of the better options that gives me more skills and preparation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I always feel like my answer to that question is weak, and over the last 2 years my desire and motivation to get through this has dwindled. Hell, I still don't know if I'll be able to make it through. But I hope I can. So I keep working hard and pushing myself a little more each semester. My main motivation stems from all the clinical interactions I have had on this island, and the awesome jobs I have had in the past. Hopefully this profession will end up matching my expectations. I dare not think of the alternative; I've read too many blogs and discussion board posts of people regretting their decision to enter med school and medical practice because they realized too late, "I guess I really don't want to this after all". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For now I would like to afford myself the opportunity to be able to be in the position to reflect on my decision. I think it's too early in the game to decide now. Especially since the first 2 years is Not reflective of the following 5-6 years. (Hopefully)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Only<span style="color: yellow;"><b> <span style="background-color: #351c75;">55 days left</span></b></span> on the island! Just gotta keep pushing until the end!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I will be blogging again after my next hospital rotation in July.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-72635086275764443052012-05-31T19:42:00.001-04:002012-05-31T20:22:34.992-04:00My First Autopsy, also...Princess Margaret Hospital, Dominica<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Today was my first visit/clinical round at Princess Margaret Hospital, in Roseau. The theme of my first clinical round? Can you tell by the color of this font?</i></b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Nerd M.D.--how I look after rolling out of bed at 7 a.m. and donning my "doctor wear".</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Given the fact that my entire "study day" was dissolved by this full-day, hospital visit I have to make this post short. However, I will highlight some of the more memorable details of my first clinical round as a 2nd year medical student.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>We arrived at the hospital at 9 a.m. this morning with a bag full of all the examination equipment we own, literally, wearing pristine White Coats, ID badges, and in my case plenty of nerves and excitement. This would be our first, real clinical round as 2nd year medical students!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I realized before getting on the bus that I had neglected to bring scrubs with me, which was a big problem because these are required if you are chosen for a pathology, surgery, or anesthesiology rotation. I made sure my friend would allow me to borrow hers if I was chosen and she wasn't. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>At 9: 30 a.m. I waited expectantly to hear what I'd be assigned to; "Please let it be path or surgery or obgyn!" </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Then they called my name and assigned me to Pathology! Score! I blew a kiss to my friend as they called her name for Internal Med and took her scrubs. I was so thrilled to see if this field, the one I have always been intrigued about and tested well in**, was for me!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Things didn't start out too promising as we soon found out our "preceptor"/attending MD was Cuban and didn't speak much English...at all. Me and the other student on the rotation informed her that we both speak/understand Spanish, which made things a bit easier halfway through.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Today I got to watch and learn from an autopsy of at 72 year old Dominican woman, who died of an intestinal obstruction, with a secondary pulmonary hemorrhage. Well technically, the final cause of death was pulmonary failure, but this was due to the obstruction of the mesenteric artery, supplying the small intestine. Anyways...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The first thought that crossed my mind when the technicians began the Y-incision was, "wow the human body is so fragile...a few deep cuts with a sharp scalpel and your internal organs are exposed in under a minute". The second though was, "oh dear God that smells terrible!"</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I'm not sure why the body smelled so terrible (the lady had died fairly recently, either the night before or that morning)..but I suspect the loads of blood from the pulmonary hemorrhaging combined with the necrotic bowel had something to do with it. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I had a flash back to the scene in "Silence of the Lambs" when the medical examiner offers Jody Foster some Vicks vapor rub to stave off the smell. I really wanted some Vicks vapor rub at that moment. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>This wasn't anatomy lab, with the pre-cleaned, preserved, Formaldehyde-soaked cadavers. This was a woman who less than 48 hrs ago had been living, breathing, in her hospital bed. A mother, whose daughter and son-in-law had some to ID her right before the autopsy. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>After about 10 mins I sorta got used to the smell, and knew just how far away to stand with out looking like a wimp, while still getting to marvel over the entire dissection process. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The most interesting, fulfilling part came next, when Dr. Milagros began to examine each internal organ, slicing and sectioning so that we could see which ones contained what specific type of pathology. So cool! I finally got see so many of the pathological findings we are taught in class with image slides. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Purulent fluid! Hemorrhaging! Atherosclerotic plaques! Ventricular wall hypertrophy! Etc! How cool is that?!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>After much teaching and much observation we were given a 30 minute lecture in Spanish (by the time the autopsy began Dr. Milagros had already switched into Spanish, for our benefit, so we could actually learn something) about the virtues of the Cuban health care system, versus the U.S. system, versus all the problems with the Dominican system. AND THERE ARE MANY. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>It turns out we were supposed to observe 2 autopsies today: the elderly lady and an infant, but the infant's parents still hadn't shown up to ID the baby so this autopsy was cancelled. It probably sounds very morbid, but I was really looking forward to the infant autopsy because I wanted to see how it would be handled, if the techniques would be different, and what pathology had occurred.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>After removing our booties, caps, face masks, we returned to our main quarters.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Everyone ordered pizza from Pizza Hut (a bonus to visiting Roseau) and one hour later we were off again to conduct a patient interview and full physical exam ALONE.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I was partnered with two other students and interviewed a hemophilia patient. The grim part of the exam, apart from the obvious fatigue and blindness, was the fact that he had been admitted to the hospital last weekend for a collapsed lung, and was through out the interview and physical exam coughing up blood and sputum. Like a lot of blood. And yes, some splattered onto my shoe/foot. (I went OCD after the interview and basically cleaned my entire foot and shoe with soap).</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The interview and exam went well although the task was very intimidating at first. After all, this was my first interaction with a hospital patient as a medical student who is expected to know what to do and how to do it with max efficiency. But we were lucky and our patient was very compliant and kind to us.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>After our interview we presented our patient to the other Cuban doctor we were assigned to, he lectured us on differential diagnoses for lung collapse, etc. and we were done. I popped a Dramamine for the ride home, passed out in the bus, and went home to take a long, hot shower. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I'm beat but I'm also still processing the days events. I feel fortunate to see how patients are take care of in a developing nation--the wards and nurses' uniforms haven't been updated since the 1920s--and am glad that I have at least some of the skills and knowledge to get the most of these experiences now. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Will I end up in Pathology? I dunno, but at least I can cross that off my list of experiences and store today's experience in my memory. I think if I can get over the smell I would really take to this specialty. I truly do enjoy the coursework component, and the practical component just reinforces this knowledge. But I still have many, many rotations to do in the years to come, so we shall see then.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>It's already late and I have a full, 8 hours of lecture tomorrow. Time to get back to the studious-side of my life as a medical student.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Cheers!</b></span></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-45220157242403309392012-05-29T00:55:00.003-04:002012-05-29T00:55:26.239-04:00Into the Wild<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cLmml4Zx86d6ph6ulnNP68hIJMUqIuJdaHYfXzZjyCFcR7_GpyT0XDxMEi1BQMOTZ63SYSnLLfUXHvoyF47nszV0mbEjp_plWDdaPmzbelTzmD6zF9ebQTAKSUfETzH5fPdrLfpGMC8/s1600/IMG_3148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cLmml4Zx86d6ph6ulnNP68hIJMUqIuJdaHYfXzZjyCFcR7_GpyT0XDxMEi1BQMOTZ63SYSnLLfUXHvoyF47nszV0mbEjp_plWDdaPmzbelTzmD6zF9ebQTAKSUfETzH5fPdrLfpGMC8/s320/IMG_3148.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1/2 of a rainbow taken from my balcony</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>S</em></span>ometimes I forget where I live. Most days and hours I have my nose in my notes and rarely even look up at the sky. Today I had a spare moment (island holiday) to look up and as usual it struck me how beautiful the surrounding mountains are. I sometimes forget I live on the small percentage of land that contains asphalt and buildings. The rest is lush, tropical forest, and it pretty much looms above and around our small town one one side, while the other side ends at the ocean. I can't complain.<br />
<br />
Tonight I ended an extremely productive study day (gotta love local holidays) with a movie at my friend Paul's apartment. After several attempts at getting the laptop sound just right and picking a movie we both had remotely heard of at some point...we decided on Liam Neeson. Always the right choice.<br />
<br />
"The Grey" is about a group of airplane crash survivors, led by Liam of course, who are gradually being hunted and picked off by a huge pack of wild, super-wolves. Yea it was pretty bad, but also quite entertaining. <br />
<br />
After I left his apartment I realized how late it was; midnight. Although it rained on and off today the sky was surprisingly clear. The moon shined eerily bright in the sky; a large crescent hung low on the horizon above the sea. Not an unusual sight here. But what made the night so amazing was the silence. Usually the night creatures--frogs, insects, bats, night birds--sing together in a cacophany of jungle noise that is sometimes deafening. Tonight, nothing. It was unsettling but not ominous. Guess this what I get for watching wilderness survival movies while living on a remote island.<br />
<br />
In any case, as I was walking down my steep hill, I happened to gaze up at the sky at the perfect moment. And there, for 3 seconds I saw the most radiant meteor I have ever witnessed. It was low in the sky, just above the tallest trees and I could make out the entire thing, tail to head. From the brightest yellow tip all the way to the orange, glowing neck to the burning rock that tore through the dark sky. It was spectacular. I waited on my apartment step for a few minutes to see if it was one of many in a meteor shower. I didn't see any others. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.<br />
<br />
I hate to say it, but I guess I will miss some aspects of living here when I move back to civilization. <br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4O8pMyjAja3aRsSXRmgkyWyyKMdoK60vU5mUz45vdEImI4JLpX1OVji6314AVDftTKPXrahwFRU2xB66wv0_0SA3Iy7sD-h4lEui-LNFPTpt9ztqitx-hmlTD_HbAIBmM5vPQlVXbk3Y/s1600/IMG_3196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4O8pMyjAja3aRsSXRmgkyWyyKMdoK60vU5mUz45vdEImI4JLpX1OVji6314AVDftTKPXrahwFRU2xB66wv0_0SA3Iy7sD-h4lEui-LNFPTpt9ztqitx-hmlTD_HbAIBmM5vPQlVXbk3Y/s320/IMG_3196.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring trails with my friend Christian--Fall '11</td></tr>
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</div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-87841693395925165962012-05-27T01:30:00.003-04:002012-05-27T01:30:39.259-04:00Clear Water Does Not Equal Pure Water: Rainy Days in Dominica<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">T</span></strong>his post is to report that tonight I finally had the opportunity to use my SteriPen. I'm not too happy to report why however</span>. <br />
<br />
I have had an upper respiratory infection a.k.a "nasty cough" for the past several days which I attribute to a dirty/broken water purifier at the one water fountain I use the most on campus. It's located right outside the 4th semester classroom and I have used it to fill up my water bottles before heading home on many occassions. The other day the water coming out of the FILTERED fountain was Brown. Needless to say I and my classmates were more than perturbed because...how long has this filtered been defective? <br />
<br />
We are in the heart of rainy season now and although our water is brown on most days, it takes much less than dirt to cause all sorts of GI/other illnesses. What you don't see CAN hurt you. Today I ran my faucet for a good 5 minutes, turned it off, and when I came back there was a small larvae of what I suspect is a mosquito, sitting in my sink. (Thank you undergrad thesis and medical school for fueling the well-informed paranoia about infectious diseases!)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="150" id="il_fi" src="http://howto-getridof-mosquito-bites.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Aedes-albopictus-larvae.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Oh Hello! I just came out of your faucet to greet you!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />My water was Clear. Put two and two together and I am no suspicious of All tap water even if it is clear. I guess during rainy season anything is fair game. <br />
<br />
So tonight I have prepared over a liter of water to drink through out the night (filled with coughing) that I anticipate. Thank god for technology and UV light. How many more days do I have here?<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Count down: <strong>80 Days Left on the Rock!</strong></span></span></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-63513989943327443142012-05-17T16:31:00.000-04:002012-05-17T16:47:02.003-04:00MUSIC!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">MUSIC</span></strong><br />
<br />
It has been raining non-stop today. I suppose if I was "hip" or had the "latest technology" I'd easily be able to upload photos from whatever new-fangled I-whatever phone I have...but seeing as I prefer my simple island phone...no pictures. Just imagine the sound of intermittend showers--I'm talking, loud, tropical, Mansoon-like showers right outside your building. This has been going on since early this morning and doesn't look like it's going to let up any time soon.<br />
<br />
While I love a good rainy day such as this, my inner-clock and mental calendar is just thrown further into wack. I rarely know what day of the week it is anymore with out having to double check mentally. But such is the life of a med student--who cares what day it is? As long as you know Where to be and When and what to be Wearing/Carrying in your White Coat.<br />
<br />
I have been taking more study breaks (maybe more than I should) by watching old youtube uploads of Indigo Girls concerts and interviews. It's fun to see how the two women's styles have changed over the years but how their music is essentially the same, both in quality and sound. As a real treat I try to find a trio done with Brandi Carlile (my not-so-secret lady folk heroine). <br />
<br />
One of these days, hopefully soon, I can spontaneously learn a new song on my guitar. I'm getting sick of the old ones I play regularly. At the moment I'm trying to work on a Norah Jones guitar adaptation for "Happy Pills". The guitar seems decent but the vocals...a bit difficult.<br />
<br />
Anyways, here's a video I thoroughly enjoyed watching today. 1 of 3 I've watched since it takes so long for anything to load on this island.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Amy Ray & Emily Saliers on David Letterman--1989</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/DQJAbyLjXtE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>
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Enjoy.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #bf9000;">*also I only have 91 days left on this island! hoorah! :) *</span></strong></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-64856435296520627422012-03-30T01:23:00.001-04:002012-03-30T01:23:32.263-04:00What is "Normal" Anyways?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><img height="290" id="il_fi" src="http://www.google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://i.qkme.me/357qtn.jpg&sa=X&ei=YUJ1T6K5J8GltwfW1a2FDw&ved=0CAkQ8wc4nAE&usg=AFQjCNG9PWFksDelFO-MY4KbJ6xUVrlTqA" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="625" /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">W<span style="font-size: small;">hen <span style="color: black;">did it become so damn difficult to get out of bed in the morning? For the past 3 weeks I have had a daily conflict with myself about whether or not I really need to get out of bed, get dressed, get out of my apartment and to school. My friends and I joke that we are all showing at least 2 signs of clinical depression...any time someone comments, "man I can't getting out of bed before 9 a.m. lately"...it's follow up by, "are you feeling sadness? change in mood? have you been eating? how many hours do you sleep? have you been avoiding routine activities?"<br /><br />We laugh..but frightening as it is, we all display many of those symptoms. Is it depression? Or is it just medical school? Is it normal to feel this way after we work our brains to mush and our bodies past fatigue day after day, week after week, 7 days a week? What is "normal" anyways?</span></span></span><br />
<br />
I often wonder how my life will be when I move back to the U.S. Here we are all so isolated. In undergrad I simply had to turn my head towards the university tower to know what time it was and now, if I'm not wearing a watch, the only signal of afternoon or evening is the subtle changes in the Caribbean sky. The sky here looks different every single day, and often the patterns of constellations are noticeably different every night. We have a single rainbow at least once a week and a double rainbow every day during rainy season (we are in wet season right now I think...because it's just as humid but not as rainy).<br />
<br />
<img alt="" class="rg_hi" data-height="192" data-width="263" height="192" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRBdU9wHa2zj1kmZG1y9VIXn_H_eSHvQfl2XPUCi7JilQCn4TtyNw" style="height: 192px; width: 263px;" width="263" />(Wow what a wonderful explaination about pharmacokinetics! This is super helpful for all consumers of this product! I wish this was on my next test! *sarcasm*)<br />
<br />
In the U.S. there are other types of people around, like real humans who have jobs and lives and know more than just studying and reading and memorizing facts. They have routines and schedules that last from 9 am-5 pm. This environment could help me regain my sense of time and space. Maybe. <br />
<br />
Here I have to take a few seconds to remember what day it is and often panic about having forgotten to pay rent because I forget what month it is. In reality who cares? We live based on our next exam or the final. Time is only relevant in terms of when we need to be where for our next mandatory whatever. Otherwise our noses are in our books from morning til...whenever we physically can no longer process the words on the screen and/or page. Then we drag our sorry butts to the shuttle (because walking home after 8 pm these days is too risky---string of break-ins/robberies/rapes due to Carnival) We wake up the next morning and our expected to repeat. But now? I just don't care any more. My apartment is like my sanctum...and it's poisonous. If I stay here I will never leave. I have food in my fridge and no access to study notes or books. Where as "out there" I have to face reality again/another day of hard-ass work. Who wants to face that?<br /><br />Inevitable, due to the profuse amount of guilt that was instilled at me at a young age by my Indian parents, I drag myself out of bed (hopefully before noon), eat something, and head out into reality.<br /><br />Once I complete the sweaty, humid, uncomfortable journey to campus, set my things up, I'm in gear. I then proceed to bang out everything that needs to be done. But by midnight, the same question appears in my brain cynically, "do I really need to come back here again tomorrow?"<br /><br />Is it "burn out" or depression? Or is it just medical school? <em>Yea, probably just medical school.</em></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-73595103026051209242012-03-09T22:56:00.000-05:002012-03-09T22:56:49.428-05:00Extremely Accurate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img alt="" class="img" height="477" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/426059_357321140965254_212684858762217_1125972_1934496062_n.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<br />
Very Accurate, especially my fantasy about being House.</div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-54798558389212546362012-02-12T10:01:00.001-05:002012-02-12T10:08:59.980-05:00Big Exam on Tuesday, but wait, more clinicals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><u>T<span style="font-size: small;">his semester: Semester 3: "Honestly The Hardest One Yet":</span></u></span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="264" id="il_fi" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M2uQvpZdM_Y/ScaFtmgAOZI/AAAAAAAAAnA/BYy3oMTnDQM/s320/Overload+Cartoon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty Accurate, minus the desk top computer...also there would be 10 empty coffee cups!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Clinical skills and interview skills practice every Monday and Thursday:</span></strong></li>
<ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">ex: I volunteered for the "Special Interview" a.k.a. the head of the Behavioral Dept. acts the role of a "unique" or "outraged" patient and 3 volunteer med students must try to get through an entire clinical interview, gathering all the necessary information.</span></strong></li>
<ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Me and two other women in my interview skills training group happened to volunteer at the same time. We had 10 mins prior to make a "game plan"...we thought we'd surely crash and burn like all who had gone before us...we didn't.</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Dr. Abney (the Dept head...who in this scenario was an outraged, belligerent patient recently diagnosed with HIV..fun) said, "this was one of the most effective interviews I have experienced in this scenarios. He promised us Positive Professionalism Cards--at my school this is like a recommendation letter that is placed in your academic file. Yay!</span></strong></li>
</ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Most Mondays are exhausting:</span></strong></li>
<ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">We either interview patients/perform examinations at local clinics in random villages (think, "3rd world clinic", nauseating bus rides, funny/interesting patients and cases you won't see in the U.S.)</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Alternatively: we practice specific, complex physical examinations (ex. measuring Jugular Venous Pressure to estimate Right Atrial Pressure...which funnily enough involves rulers; ex. taking the Femoral Artery pulse...always awkward)</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Also we still have a couple hours of class.</span></strong></li>
</ul></ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Class:</span></strong></li>
<ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Minimum of 5 hours per day--maximum of 7 hours per day. Also exhausting..I think we have had over 100 hours of lecture since week one--> and we have a 174 question exam on Tuesday to prove it. (That is pretty much the length of our normal final exams)</span></strong></li>
</ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Life outside of class:</span></strong></li>
<ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Social Life! *crickets chirping*</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Other: Coordinator for Women's Health Advocacy Committee, part of Physicians for Human Rights (we are the only school chapter of this awesome international organization...check them/us out!</span></strong></li>
<ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;"><a href="http://physiciansforhumanrights.org/about/">http://physiciansforhumanrights.org/about/</a> </span></strong></li>
<li><a href="http://www.rossphr.org/">http://www.rossphr.org/</a></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">I'm organizing a Women's Health Clinic with AMSA (other med org):</span></strong></li>
<ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">recruited 2 doctors at Ross to perform breast exams, teach self-breast exam</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">s and *domestic violence education* to local women</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">may have to work with country's Ministry of Gender Affairs to get educational material for women about abuse, safe shelters, etc.</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">I'm pretty sure I'm the first in this organization's history to address this issue (which is prevalent through out the Caribbean, oh yea, and the world)</span></strong></li>
</ul><li><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Also working other small events to raise funds for the Women's Club/Shelter in Portsmouth</span></strong></li>
</ul></ul></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Courier New;">Must get back to studying "Effective Communication Skills" as a break from "Intro. to Mycology (Fungal infections)".<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47;">More later; thanks for tuning in!</span></span></strong></div></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-8521314346085153462012-01-13T12:25:00.000-05:002012-01-13T12:25:08.741-05:003rd Semester a.k.a. Semester of Doom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><img height="150" id="il_fi" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lgy27y5e4f1qh22qxo1_500.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="200" /></span></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">T</span><span style="font-size: small;">he dreaded Third semester has just begun...</span></strong><br />
and I'm anticipating the looming storm just around the corner. Starting next week we will start learning new "bugs" and it will be all down-hill from there. So far I'm enjoying both micro. and immuno.--both subjects that gave me a visceral reaction in undergrad. It's funny how your mind can change when you strongly apply yourself. Back in undergrad I was 95% humanities with a fun little 5% of biology mixed in there to satisfy my curiosity for science. Now, ha, I'll be lucky if I remember anything about anthropology or philosophy...neither apply directly to what I study. I'm officially a hard-core, science nerd.<br />
<br />
A random thought/philosophy I hope to apply to this semester...<br />
<br />
It is important to milk Every hour of Every day in medical school...milk each day like a farmer milks a cow, and remember to use every udder. :P<br />
<br />
<img height="200" id="il_fi" src="http://images.wikia.com/cartoonnetwork/images/b/bf/Cow-chicken-tv-01.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="126" /><br />
<br />
Also: I wore my brand, new KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD t-shirt today and got many stares and a few weird looks. I think I did my city proud. I Love and Miss you Austin. <br />
See you in 4 months. <3<br />
<br />
<br />
<img height="264" id="il_fi" src="http://expressionsandinsights.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/austin-texas.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Enough of my agricultural analogies...back to medicine!</div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-84027229611065115662011-12-05T13:09:00.000-05:002011-12-05T13:09:08.498-05:00Sometimes I forget people actually read my blog...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The other day my friend Jamie surprised me by mentioning that he had read one of my recent blog posts. He of course used it to creep me out when I was discussing my grades this semester...he said, "yea I know, an A and a B!" <br />
<br />
I often forget that I even have a blog, let alone that it is open to the eyes of any Facebook friend, relative or the few (6) people who have added it to their blogspot lists. <br />
<br />
The same can be said about my ankle tattoo...at least once every few months someone asks, "what does that mean?" and I stare at them puzzled because I have no clue what they are referring to while staring at my leg. <br />
<br />
Then I give my usual schpiel: "first sound uttered with the universe was created (my favorite by far)", the "word you open each Hindu prayer with", etc, etc. Usually they just look at me like they either have no response or that I am a weirdo :P<br />
<br />
I recently stumbled upon the blog of a person who I was friends with way back in 4th grade was it? And I stole the following fun, exam-time diversion from her recent post. So enjoy...and I suppose I will get back to studying for my up-coming exam afterwards.<br />
<br />
<div id="header"><div id="masthead" role="banner"><div id="site-title"><!-- #nav-above --></div></div></div><div id="content-box" sizcache05002192361145163="0" sizset="0"><div id="content-container" sizcache05002192361145163="0" sizset="0"><div id="content" role="main" sizcache05002192361145163="0" sizset="0"><div class="post-39 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-uncategorized" id="post-39"><!-- .entry-meta --><div class="entry-content">If I wasn’t human and instead was a ______ I’d be ______.<br />
<ol><li>Second tier holiday: National Talk Like A Pirate Day</li>
<li>Shower Product: Moisturizing body wash</li>
<li>Mode of Transportation: Electric bicycle</li>
<li>Board Game: Cranium</li>
<li>Yoplait Yogurt Flavor: Raspberry</li>
<li>Weather Pattern: Unexpected light hail</li>
<li>Microsoft Office Application: Paint</li>
<li>Bar game: Billiards</li>
<li>Aisle in Home Depot: Power Tools</li>
<li>High school accessory: laminated WHS planner</li>
</ol></div></div></div></div></div></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-21915924380367585022011-10-19T14:28:00.000-04:002011-10-19T14:28:00.407-04:00A long time comin'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I haven't blogged in a while (since August) because too many overwhelming things have occurred since last time.<br />
<br />
Flashback to last semester:<br />
After thinking that I finally figured out how to study correctly in medical school (got an A on my first neuropractical and a B on my neuro exam) I bombed my second mini in Block 2, thereby leaving all hopes of matriculating to semester 3 impinging on my final exam. Ironically I Also earned a B on my 3rd exam of the semester. Going into the final with 2 Bs and one F (still can't believe it was physically possible for me to perform so poorly), I had high hopes that if I dug my heels in and studied my a$$ off I would pull through. Surely right? I mean, I've seen so many students just barely make it through and I already had two good grades to take care of 2/3rds of the final exam, all I needed to worry about was doing well enough on one part.<br />
Alas, I forgot, when has life Ever been that easy for me?<br />
<br />
So after an intensely depressing 2 week "break" in which I spent every waking minute (not sleeping) figuring out my future...I decided to come back to Ross being the masochist that I am, to repeat semester 2. Part of this decision comes from the support I received from a family friend whose son also went to a foreign med school. <br />
<br />
Although he himself was a protegy in India and works as a pediatric neurologist in Texas, his son was less than qualified to attend medical school. I think his experience with his son has made him more understanding of how many students struggle through this process. In any case, he told me to "keep my head high", go back to Ross, repeat, and don't look back...he told me something that I continually remind myself and will in the future: "that is how the medical profession is, only people in the profession can understand...sometimes you don't go forward, sometimes you go laterally, it happens to everyone at some point in time."<br />
He basically meant, "You may have to repeat one semeter now, but others will encounter similar road blocks in the future, in residency, in practice, etc."<br />
He also reminded me that while my parents have tried their best to support me through this process, they are in a different profession so they can't quite understand what I am going through. This made me feel a lot better because I have always relied heavily on my parents' and even my brother's experiences to make decisions about my own life.<br />
<br />
Suddenly I see that I have chosen a completely unique path from theirs, and I will be figuring all of this out on my own. It's terrifying but I guess some one in the family has to lead the way in this profession right?<br />
<br />
During this repeat semester, in which I have already performed well, earned 2 A's and one high B on my exams, I am realizing a few keys things: I need to stop being too hard on myself (this is the most deleterious aspect of my personality) and I need to stop comparing myself/my "path" if you will, to others. <br />
Much easier said than done, but I have to try!<br />
<br />
More later...</div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-7763092568308652052011-08-02T23:11:00.000-04:002011-08-02T23:11:15.760-04:00Study Break: Catch up on Photos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_1l0dfq="363"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVFTNMB88yxnO6XkK8pfOnQFeOM1SJjK6zMy6R6DZL_OVc3IWiCdNY_gX_ESXEmC5KG5CQ-lSRVEoQFuFqCMpBqLiykMGR-xiWVgF2yFc3lk_oNZv32oOdB-TvkMcDjEYfTbiMBK1ip0/s1600/IMG_3072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVFTNMB88yxnO6XkK8pfOnQFeOM1SJjK6zMy6R6DZL_OVc3IWiCdNY_gX_ESXEmC5KG5CQ-lSRVEoQFuFqCMpBqLiykMGR-xiWVgF2yFc3lk_oNZv32oOdB-TvkMcDjEYfTbiMBK1ip0/s320/IMG_3072.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div closure_uid_1l0dfq="363"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_1l0dfq="363">So I need to take a study break. Well, actually I should really be pouring over my Netter's anatomy text book right now and intensely memorizing GI and reproductive anatomy. Nah. Here are some pictures taken over the past semester or two on this island/at this medical school. Enjoy!</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3Z5w-K6RefCPBgrPVTVuEkOWkAHBQE7G8wi8YwNiMMf6Cr0ccFb7QtV8bL1Yqa-ROwlArERQ463DHls7_hViREWKGMdW6-NY9VHj2tVWocG7IMZ6L5vWb68eV9OoUYkKXTw2XNpjA58/s1600/IMG_3071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3Z5w-K6RefCPBgrPVTVuEkOWkAHBQE7G8wi8YwNiMMf6Cr0ccFb7QtV8bL1Yqa-ROwlArERQ463DHls7_hViREWKGMdW6-NY9VHj2tVWocG7IMZ6L5vWb68eV9OoUYkKXTw2XNpjA58/s320/IMG_3071.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My desk at home...the Skull (on loan, and plastic not a real one) and list. Studying for the neuroanatomy practical!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkfQi6fQ5hQOQMZq0kWqtcqOxIxSRpZo4C2rasEcufVCUyaJZgwLwbhEe65HHfwyo9YGfd-vDw5O9Dhp16eKOcKNkcEU2Mfs5gmCHnc2xtynbFUzepNq3JSALK0u-n3DXoOuoFeJ0fP8/s1600/IMG_3073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkfQi6fQ5hQOQMZq0kWqtcqOxIxSRpZo4C2rasEcufVCUyaJZgwLwbhEe65HHfwyo9YGfd-vDw5O9Dhp16eKOcKNkcEU2Mfs5gmCHnc2xtynbFUzepNq3JSALK0u-n3DXoOuoFeJ0fP8/s320/IMG_3073.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hehe. Mr.Skull showing some Longhorn Spirit!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PbfRz51e0ipPuJyW25VbCPK1hOJ48nXzt0Z2iy2B4Npv0DPqveleL2zfP1pWDVL8dJaBTuqskscApZcxH65ZQA56XhNz54HexnbYfSe89kJPUrF-fx54-qQM8-AOXUrBZ5_WjGzOfp0/s1600/IMG_3026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PbfRz51e0ipPuJyW25VbCPK1hOJ48nXzt0Z2iy2B4Npv0DPqveleL2zfP1pWDVL8dJaBTuqskscApZcxH65ZQA56XhNz54HexnbYfSe89kJPUrF-fx54-qQM8-AOXUrBZ5_WjGzOfp0/s320/IMG_3026.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portsmouth, next town over from Picard, where Ross is located</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHD1yv4nB3plc6vt7gChFnC8sc4fGbN1SsifJS0BFHhvFP6Mo6zetWtIwPt8gkVMZJdyHh6EJo-lgRjNeLH8y8eUNFxhUJZLfUs6t4M_axyfWOXWGf1aTQQHDIrFstmYjQRQLaaOMZ9E/s1600/IMG_3030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHD1yv4nB3plc6vt7gChFnC8sc4fGbN1SsifJS0BFHhvFP6Mo6zetWtIwPt8gkVMZJdyHh6EJo-lgRjNeLH8y8eUNFxhUJZLfUs6t4M_axyfWOXWGf1aTQQHDIrFstmYjQRQLaaOMZ9E/s320/IMG_3030.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">My dad visited to help me move back to the States for my semester off. We stayed at PBH.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNscPuEI6PMpWTN3ljp2cPvTQm-hhn0DFguPhu6rg2umuh-K6PFmpL51z4fN122npxeGO_JNhankE2bCZD99VIy1mUK38ICeVWaRt-tAhtN86lWUSMecYH2963r_U64BNMxZ-pOmZrvI/s1600/IMG_3022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNscPuEI6PMpWTN3ljp2cPvTQm-hhn0DFguPhu6rg2umuh-K6PFmpL51z4fN122npxeGO_JNhankE2bCZD99VIy1mUK38ICeVWaRt-tAhtN86lWUSMecYH2963r_U64BNMxZ-pOmZrvI/s320/IMG_3022.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8d9R8CfuGXzMUMXrNpvV9GBDj_3MoGmtejN3iq9cHVQ7wY4j3L8b_1Siy62xC068cF_zpIL6xUnroOk-QhbmX0ulMNBuHOiPnXx0ppJOHng0XidD3lBW6BN_Z6kSVWMfQJLvXf8ptgG8/s1600/IMG_3027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8d9R8CfuGXzMUMXrNpvV9GBDj_3MoGmtejN3iq9cHVQ7wY4j3L8b_1Siy62xC068cF_zpIL6xUnroOk-QhbmX0ulMNBuHOiPnXx0ppJOHng0XidD3lBW6BN_Z6kSVWMfQJLvXf8ptgG8/s320/IMG_3027.JPG" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the beach from Portsmouth Beach Hotel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQo5MEvNdOzLVOlZRrNPE2V7zM3moAGi0Gfj35p51lt6zjztViuwcwZYFQcDvXcqV-nepx0jtyBx9OE0TqMhadtSeL9N7r6whdP4lpnt8AkL7dXUvt75yFNdj396uz070MUkgzE26fuc/s1600/IMG_3038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQo5MEvNdOzLVOlZRrNPE2V7zM3moAGi0Gfj35p51lt6zjztViuwcwZYFQcDvXcqV-nepx0jtyBx9OE0TqMhadtSeL9N7r6whdP4lpnt8AkL7dXUvt75yFNdj396uz070MUkgzE26fuc/s320/IMG_3038.JPG" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, relaxing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3IPNvo-XkPmN6i3XuStq2NvD2dHCFUDdf590FMQGgYFhFzsvHh2ByZfdvVuN5Z6oxcvruDawJ_kKzpV_A4JckdiJunBFEMxCxNZ55q662d6CMXeb7epV8lUteSnSnNu07EMz1QdV4sU/s1600/IMG_3047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3IPNvo-XkPmN6i3XuStq2NvD2dHCFUDdf590FMQGgYFhFzsvHh2ByZfdvVuN5Z6oxcvruDawJ_kKzpV_A4JckdiJunBFEMxCxNZ55q662d6CMXeb7epV8lUteSnSnNu07EMz1QdV4sU/s320/IMG_3047.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swati and I asking for directions in Roseau</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-10566933767834224282011-07-21T19:12:00.002-04:002011-07-21T19:19:10.669-04:00Looking Back and Looking Forward<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div closure_uid_5csudj="189" closure_uid_o7a4p6="380"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfQE4fr3cg7WhdrfB9ICVJgsJxoyfkYRoI7ToTpt-dPOtWsEkXyhYWfdzWb0zM1cBjbJzIwTwVjOcg5sEQnQDIhsOBa4MStjWJ6os2WMXlo4RZqeRcXMf4O4Xp7Wv6tQU8dAig_GIk8s/s1600/medical-hierarchy-full-page-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfQE4fr3cg7WhdrfB9ICVJgsJxoyfkYRoI7ToTpt-dPOtWsEkXyhYWfdzWb0zM1cBjbJzIwTwVjOcg5sEQnQDIhsOBa4MStjWJ6os2WMXlo4RZqeRcXMf4O4Xp7Wv6tQU8dAig_GIk8s/s1600/medical-hierarchy-full-page-small.jpg" t$="true" /></a></div><br />
</div><div closure_uid_5csudj="189"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_5csudj="189"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_5csudj="189"><strong>Is reminiscing counter-productive?</strong>There will always be people in your life that you think about once and awhile because something you hear or learn something that reminds you of them. Lately I have realized that dwelling on the past and reminiscing can be counter-productive. My peers and I always discuss how being in medical school (and especially living on this island) is a surreal experience; you rarely think about the outside world because you insulate yourself into your 12 hour days and your intellectually-driven life.<br />
Once you set foot into your new life--your life as a future doc--you step into a metaphorical bubble. You find yourself discussing gastrointestinal disorders (both personal and clinical), reproductive anomalies and other "taboo" topics at lunch or in passing. Nothing phases you. You find yourself eating dinner while intently studying pathological slides and detailed photos of dissected body parts. If you are lucky, you love it.<br />
When I look back on my week, if I have time for that kind of reflection, I find that I really do love it. I love being "in the bubble". I live for discussing weird disorders as casually as people in the "real world" discuss the stock-market, TV shows or sports. <br />
I guess you kinda have to in order to get through each day/week/semester. <br />
<br />
However, I have been thinking about whether or not it is detrimental to let yourself become nostalgic about your former life. We spend so much time thinking about the present and about the future. For me the break down is about 60% present, 30% future and 10% past. Is this healthy?<br />
<br />
I personally that find dwelling on past friendships, relationships, and memories puts a frown on my face rather than giving me the warm, fuzzies. I often wonder about what I am missing out on and what I will miss out on in the future, for the next 4-5 years. I also wonder about "what could have been", which is honestly the worst. <br />
<br />
I wish I could analyze this topic further...but unfortunately I have to resume watching a lecture on...well I will spare you the details. *takes out dinner*<br />
<br />
;)</div></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-4311570913489825642011-07-03T20:51:00.000-04:002011-07-03T20:51:55.416-04:00So much Work! So little Time! a.k.a I want my Weekend Back!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><strong><em>H</em></strong></span>ow it that our weekends are consumed so quickly by the amount of work we have? I don't have new material, just need to study and review and 2 days is definately NOT enough to do that and still stay sane with the occasional study break.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How are we expected to Not burn out when we don't have Time to do the things that keep us from burning out?!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ack! Med school is ridiculous. I just hope I make it through the next year alive. Sanity is already compromised at this point so I have given up on that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I want my weekend back!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Save me!</span></div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-55330184538673988882011-07-03T00:59:00.000-04:002011-07-03T00:59:50.414-04:00Rainy Days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>W</strong>e are in the throws of rainy season here on the island of Dominica. Not only has the weather changed but the generally feel of things have shifted somehow. The clouds and periodic down pour have eliminated the need for sun block (although sunglasses are still need to combat the intense UV rays). I'm conflicted about the weather change.<br />
Rainy weather on the island means several things...<br />
<br />
1. I now have to brush/rinse my mouth with filtered, bottled water from the Ross water fountains... in the beginning of the season I had some G.I. issues which I attribute to rinsing my mouth with tap water. (In the dry-er season this is okay I guess because I have never found this correlation to be true.)<br />
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2. Dressing up in my "doctor clothes"--skirt/suit, White coat and heels--presents a problem for climbing up the steep, gravel hill that I live at the bottom of in the mornings. Rain + mud + gravel=disaster. So far *knock on wood* I have not fallen but there have been clothes calls in proper shoes.<br />
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3. Cooler days...makes swimming in the ocean, walking to campus so much nicer. Of course the increased humidity does make you sweat more. But at this point we have all given up the idea of being dry and perspiration-free here. The idea is a joke. <br />
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4. Power outages--luckily the generator in my building has proven sufficient so far, but no real storm has hit yet either. My first semester here was filled with constant outages, damaged electrical wires and a broken generator. Oh yes and no Internet. I'm glad I live in a different apartment complex to say the least.<br />
<br />
To review, this is the order of disciplines that we have covered so far in 2nd semester:<br />
1. Neuroscience<br />
2. Endocrine<br />
3. Gastrointestinal Physiology/Histology<br />
Next is Reproductive Phys/Anat/etc. I can't believe we are already "done" with G.I. It went by so fast! It has only been 2 weeks since my 1st Mini exam and those week have been hellish. I have had two patient interviews, a visit to the homeless shelter in Roseau to conduct interviews not to mention the hours upon hours of back to back histology/physiology tag-team lectures, PBL and of cours anatomy lab dissections. <br />
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On the up side I am almost completely comfortable in my professional clothes and somewhat comfortable with wearing my White Coat--stuffed with exam equipment.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfEWeTPQUBm8XRhmxSYCkoKjtddGZ59p-wlqSIbbp4kegGZd6DqEpKC8wMKfJq48ndUilgn1H2locP6ppFFFvr5UHVv41uUMioum6VAiPdZpNKwuZtVkWU0nw4MH0oiZRUGd15OCGIgU/s1600/me+and+Kamran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfEWeTPQUBm8XRhmxSYCkoKjtddGZ59p-wlqSIbbp4kegGZd6DqEpKC8wMKfJq48ndUilgn1H2locP6ppFFFvr5UHVv41uUMioum6VAiPdZpNKwuZtVkWU0nw4MH0oiZRUGd15OCGIgU/s320/me+and+Kamran.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br />
Two more semesters left then I get to feel somewhat like a real Doctor-in-training and am granted the Go card back to the States. Oh the States, the land of queso, tacos, Fresh Milk, good coffee...oh yes and family and friends.<br />
<br />
On another note I think I may be going insane. I also have taken to increasing the "zoom" on my web browser to 140%...I <em>think</em> med school may be taking a toll on my eyes.<br />
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More to come soon!</div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190454876992531137.post-12223896867435045642011-06-22T00:27:00.000-04:002011-06-22T00:27:14.664-04:00The Ups and Downs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>I</em></span> have been feeling a bit "low" lately. Rationally I think this could be attributed to stress from back-to-back exams. However I think not having much of a social life is starting wear on me. Friendship and loyalty have always been things that I hold dear, but lately I wonder who my "true" friends really are. Back home there is a greater opportunity to socialize and of course there will always be best friends and people that I have grown up with. But here, in this strange, isolated, psuedo-home that we have established for the sole purpose of getting through medical school, the same rules do not apply.<br />
<br />
Yes it has finally hit me. Missing home, missing family, missing friends. And even more missing people who I can relate to on more than one level (academics). The stark reality is that medical school is difficult. But medical school is even more difficult with out a significant other or strong peer support system.<br />
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How do yogis spend years in the forest in isolation? I guess these experiences are supposed to make a person stronger. </div>ABCDesiGirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08486919418957589391noreply@blogger.com1