Sometimes I forget I have a blog, whoops. It's like life takes over and then three months later someone asks me about it, and in my head I go, "Oh yeahhhhh".
Today I got a letter in the mail that said that I had officially passed my first year of medical school and was being promoted.
Which is kinda great, especially considering that I finished classes two and a half weeks ago and have been telling every.single.person I have come across ever since.
Without divulging too much info on the interwebs, I am working at the Dept. of Infectious Disease at a local hospital for the summer. In one word, it is amazing.
I have already learned so so much and I have really enjoyed the time I spend working on different studies. I'm not really sure if I'm allowed to talk about the study, but I will find out and then post details if it is allowed!
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
An Ode to Spring Break
You're only two days away,
But really only twelve hours,
Only one test between us,
then I'll stop to smell the flowers.
If you could come sooner,
that'd really be great,
I need you, spring break,
my brain is beginning to deflate.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
When things don't go your way
I have had a one track mind since (before?) I was born. I get super excited about something, put my all in to it, hope really really hard things will work out, and usually, they do.
And then, sometimes, they don't.
I applied for a summer internship in Columbia that has to do with HIV/AIDS outreach in rural South Carolina. Because I am super interested in HIV, I thought this would be a great opportunity! I interviewed last week, and then waited to hear something. Waited, and waited, and waited. Did I also mention that I've been impatient since before day one?
I got really caught up in this internship, dreamed about it once or twice, (you do know where this is going, right?) and found out today that I didn't get it.
Interestingly enough, I went to a talk yesterday about international medical missions, and I left with the hope that I wouldn't get this summer internship here so I could serve overseas for the summer. It's one of those, "this is all starting to work out exactly as God planned it" type of things--I'm sure of it.
I have been dabbling in the idea of going through a program like Hospitals of Hope for a summer internship, and I can't help but think that it's high time to explore that a little bit more.
Here's to hoping! (no pun intended)
And then, sometimes, they don't.
I applied for a summer internship in Columbia that has to do with HIV/AIDS outreach in rural South Carolina. Because I am super interested in HIV, I thought this would be a great opportunity! I interviewed last week, and then waited to hear something. Waited, and waited, and waited. Did I also mention that I've been impatient since before day one?
I got really caught up in this internship, dreamed about it once or twice, (you do know where this is going, right?) and found out today that I didn't get it.
Interestingly enough, I went to a talk yesterday about international medical missions, and I left with the hope that I wouldn't get this summer internship here so I could serve overseas for the summer. It's one of those, "this is all starting to work out exactly as God planned it" type of things--I'm sure of it.
I have been dabbling in the idea of going through a program like Hospitals of Hope for a summer internship, and I can't help but think that it's high time to explore that a little bit more.
Here's to hoping! (no pun intended)
Sunday, March 3, 2013
What I've Learned in Med School (Besides All That Book Stuff)
My short 7 months in med school have taught me a lot of things, both book stuff and otherwise. I've learned a lot about myself. In no particular order, the things I've learned the most:
1. You can't study all the time. I mean, you can...but you'll end up like the creepy kid that sits two rows in front of you. The days I remember the most from last semester are not the days that I spent in the library studying. They are the days that were different--the days that we built a slip n'slide in the backyard and the days that we played flag football (and loss, boo!).
2. Not everyone will understand. While you will have many friends ask you how med school is, the only response you can give that they will understand is "it's a lot of work". Because no one can really understand the sheer volume of information you cram into your head on a daily basis. You will have friends that can relate more than other friends. You will have classmates that will understand. But you can't explain to them how it feels to study for a week, only to get a C. You can't explain what it's like to spend 15+ hours a week with a dead person. You can't explain how this is everything you've ever wanted and yet you're so unsure of that at the same time. Not everyone will understand why you can't hang out with them every Friday night. Your family won't understand when you can only spend Thanksgiving day with them, instead of the whole break, because ohmygod there are three tests in five days next week. Not everyone will get it. And that's okay, they don't have to.
3. You need friends that aren't in medicine. You need people that you can hang out with that don't understand. You need to be able to hang out with people who aren't in med school, who aren't your competition, who can carry on normal conversations about normal things. Or people that you can sit in complete silence with and not feel awkward. Those people will get you through the really, really bad days.
4. You need your family. Even though they won't get it (see #3), they are only people who are required to love you, even at your worst. They are the ones who will tell you that they are proud of you, that will rejoice with you in your triumphs, and fake that your downfalls aren't so bad. They will provide you with highlighters and dinners when you need them the most, and surprise you with small gifts in the mail that will be a bright spot in the midst of terrible days.
5. You need to be plugged in to something. Whether it's an organization (off-campus), or a church, you need to be involved in something bigger than you and the world of medicine.
6. You can't always study alone. Med school is lonely and sometimes you just gotta get out of the house or the library. One of my favorite places to study is Starbucks. Besides the fact that I like to creep on other people's conversations, it puts everything in to perspective. The rest of the world is carrying on, even though your head is in a book. Life is still going on around you.
7. You will inevitably sacrifice parts of your life for medicine. You get to be the judge of which parts stay and which parts go.
8. Everyone fails at something. Everyone. Maybe the creepy kid two rows in front of you didn't fail the latest test because he studied all day every day for a month straight, but he has failed at something, too. If you never have failure, the success won't feel as great.
9. What works for everyone else probably won't work for you. It's taken me a long time to come to terms with this. While everyone can study a certain way, I cannot. And that's okay. It doesn't make me any worse or better than they are, it just makes us different. 90% of med school is figuring out what works for you.
10. Thank the ones who are behind you. I wouldn't be where I am without everyone who has stood behind me the whole way through this journey. I have three pictures on my desk--one of my college roommates, one of my best friend, and one of my parents and brother. When the going gets rough, I look at those pictures and think about everything they have done for me to help me get to this point. My college roommates listened to me whine about how much I hated Cell Biology, encouraged me through interview season, and celebrated with me when I got accepted to med school. My best friend is now my go-to "you're not in med school, let's hang out" person, and of course, my family has done the most for me. When I have really bad days, I think about all of them, and realize that while I am doing this for me, I couldn't be doing it without them.
1. You can't study all the time. I mean, you can...but you'll end up like the creepy kid that sits two rows in front of you. The days I remember the most from last semester are not the days that I spent in the library studying. They are the days that were different--the days that we built a slip n'slide in the backyard and the days that we played flag football (and loss, boo!).
2. Not everyone will understand. While you will have many friends ask you how med school is, the only response you can give that they will understand is "it's a lot of work". Because no one can really understand the sheer volume of information you cram into your head on a daily basis. You will have friends that can relate more than other friends. You will have classmates that will understand. But you can't explain to them how it feels to study for a week, only to get a C. You can't explain what it's like to spend 15+ hours a week with a dead person. You can't explain how this is everything you've ever wanted and yet you're so unsure of that at the same time. Not everyone will understand why you can't hang out with them every Friday night. Your family won't understand when you can only spend Thanksgiving day with them, instead of the whole break, because ohmygod there are three tests in five days next week. Not everyone will get it. And that's okay, they don't have to.
3. You need friends that aren't in medicine. You need people that you can hang out with that don't understand. You need to be able to hang out with people who aren't in med school, who aren't your competition, who can carry on normal conversations about normal things. Or people that you can sit in complete silence with and not feel awkward. Those people will get you through the really, really bad days.
4. You need your family. Even though they won't get it (see #3), they are only people who are required to love you, even at your worst. They are the ones who will tell you that they are proud of you, that will rejoice with you in your triumphs, and fake that your downfalls aren't so bad. They will provide you with highlighters and dinners when you need them the most, and surprise you with small gifts in the mail that will be a bright spot in the midst of terrible days.
5. You need to be plugged in to something. Whether it's an organization (off-campus), or a church, you need to be involved in something bigger than you and the world of medicine.
6. You can't always study alone. Med school is lonely and sometimes you just gotta get out of the house or the library. One of my favorite places to study is Starbucks. Besides the fact that I like to creep on other people's conversations, it puts everything in to perspective. The rest of the world is carrying on, even though your head is in a book. Life is still going on around you.
7. You will inevitably sacrifice parts of your life for medicine. You get to be the judge of which parts stay and which parts go.
8. Everyone fails at something. Everyone. Maybe the creepy kid two rows in front of you didn't fail the latest test because he studied all day every day for a month straight, but he has failed at something, too. If you never have failure, the success won't feel as great.
9. What works for everyone else probably won't work for you. It's taken me a long time to come to terms with this. While everyone can study a certain way, I cannot. And that's okay. It doesn't make me any worse or better than they are, it just makes us different. 90% of med school is figuring out what works for you.
10. Thank the ones who are behind you. I wouldn't be where I am without everyone who has stood behind me the whole way through this journey. I have three pictures on my desk--one of my college roommates, one of my best friend, and one of my parents and brother. When the going gets rough, I look at those pictures and think about everything they have done for me to help me get to this point. My college roommates listened to me whine about how much I hated Cell Biology, encouraged me through interview season, and celebrated with me when I got accepted to med school. My best friend is now my go-to "you're not in med school, let's hang out" person, and of course, my family has done the most for me. When I have really bad days, I think about all of them, and realize that while I am doing this for me, I couldn't be doing it without them.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Proof that there was a test today
Now that I have both passed my test and clean my room, I am off to have a great night with friends!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Birthday partayyy!
I took a break from med school life today to celebrate my sweet Nana's 82nd birthday.
I made a cake this weekend for her, knowing that we would go to dinner tonight. We went to Ruby Tuesday's, and mama commented that maybe they wouldn't let us bring in a cake. I quickly decided that I would guilt whoever I needed to by asking if they were really going to deny a 82 year old woman her birthday cake. And then I would cry on the spot. Thankfully, no crying ensued.
The cake in question:
She would probably die if she knew I was putting her picture on the internet for the whole world to see, so no one tell her! :)
Sorry for the crappy phone pictures, it was all I could manage at the time!
And finally, me with the birthday lady:
Also, my sweet grandparents:
All of us in a picture, all smiling, no one talking, everyone posed perfectly is almost an impossible feat. Sometimes you just gotta take what you can get, right?
I'm so thankful that I have been blessed to have many grandparents still alive and kicking. They are so full of life and I think of them often when med school has me discouraged. Hopefully we will celebrate many, many more birthdays!
I made a cake this weekend for her, knowing that we would go to dinner tonight. We went to Ruby Tuesday's, and mama commented that maybe they wouldn't let us bring in a cake. I quickly decided that I would guilt whoever I needed to by asking if they were really going to deny a 82 year old woman her birthday cake. And then I would cry on the spot. Thankfully, no crying ensued.
The cake in question:
She would probably die if she knew I was putting her picture on the internet for the whole world to see, so no one tell her! :)
Sorry for the crappy phone pictures, it was all I could manage at the time!
And finally, me with the birthday lady:
Also, my sweet grandparents:
I'm so thankful that I have been blessed to have many grandparents still alive and kicking. They are so full of life and I think of them often when med school has me discouraged. Hopefully we will celebrate many, many more birthdays!
Sunday, February 24, 2013
It's been awhile....
My first semester of medical school taught me one thing: med school is a marathon, but you sprint the whole way. It was overwhelming. Now that the pace has returned to a semi-manageable, nice jogging pace, I have full intentions to get back to blogging.
I quickly learned that you can't study ALL of the time. It's not healthy--that's how you become the crazy doctor that can't relate to people and is awkward in all social situations. Since I can already be awkward, I'm avoiding that at all costs!
That being said, now that we are (finally) having nicer, warmer days I'm spending more time outdoors--usually with notes in my hand. I am enjoying the semblance of a semi-normal life. Instead of wandering into Target and being shocked at how people are going about their normal lives, I am embracing a normal life this semester. Med school should be a large part of my life, not my whole entire life.
I miss blogging, and while my content has certainly changed from the times I was (legally) hopping the border on what seemed like a regular basis, I am excited to dust off the ol' blog and get back into the swing of things!
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