3 courses down

As far as I can tell, I last wrote an ‘update’ in December… so I’m sure everyone is thinking that I have fallen off the face of the earth. Well, I haven’t; rest assured.

I finished off December anxious for a vacation. I went to Hawaii with Mom, Pete, Grandpa, Grandma, and Ryan. I had a wonderful time laying in the sun and getting lots of relaxation. I came back refreshed and ready for school; unfortunately, I wasn’t quite ready for things to get as difficult as they did.

The second portion of our Cellular Structure and Function class was based on biochemistry. On the third test of the term I did worse than I have EVER done on a test. It was the morning of the big snow storm; I barely made it to class, and then spent the next day in tears because of my awful grade. Grading breaks down in the following way: Honors 90-100%, Near Honors 85-89%, Satisfactory 65-84%, and below that is basically not passing. My terrible third test grade made it so that no matter how well (or poor) I did on the last test I would end off with a grade of Satisfactory. So, I studied, but I didn’t stress. I just used the experience to try and get ready for my next class. I went to the final test feeling well and excited for Biochemistry to be done. Unfortunately, as I was walking to the class, I received word that my grandfather (my dad’s dad) had passed away in the night. We all knew it was coming, but still, nothing can compare you for that news. I showed up to class in tears and everyone (classmates, administration, course director, etc) was GREAT… I decided to go ahead and take the test and just put it behind me. Funny thing is, despite the minimal studying and terrible morning, I actually did pretty well on the test. Dealing with Grandpa’s death was not easy, but it was nice to have the chance for the whole family to get together. I also really enjoyed putting together a slide show of pictures of Grandpa and the family for his memorial service. A cousin bowling night followed the funeral, and we have two weddings in the family coming up this summer.

Our third course began (Systems, Processes, and Homeostasis) and I set forth to redeem my less than stellar grade from CSF. The class was basically a combination of physiology and pharmacology. The short version of what the class entailed is as follows: I did okay on the first test, studied hard for the second test, did slightly worse on the second test, studied even harder for the third test, and did even worse on that test. So, I was pretty down. It is funny to go back and look at the emails I wrote when school first started and I was doing great in Anatomy… I was so happy and truly enjoying medical school. People always ask me how school is going and I found that my answer (which used to be “Great!”) had changed to “Okay, but it is getting really hard.” I calculated my grade as I stood before the final test on SPH and found that if I got above an 85% on the test I would still be able to get Near Honors in the course. We did get a spring break right before the last portion of the course so I had some time to rest and prepare for the final study sprint. My mom and I went to LA, saw Gabe, and then went on a short cruise. I got back and I studied… and studied, and studied. I spent the time, I sacrificed celebrating Easter Sunday, and I took the test. I got a 90.7%!!! I went out that night with Ryan and some dental students. One of the girls asked me how school was going and I replied “Great!” The best part is that due to a research project in this course we took the test on Monday, had Tuesday completely OFF, and are spending Wednesday and Thursday just watching group presentations. I’m really enjoying the down time! Rumor has it, this last class that we are about to begin (Biological Basis of Disease) is quite a bit easier than the last two; I sure hope so!

In other news… the Clackamas Cavalettes (dance team) had three girls on All-State, the top two finishers in State Drill Down, and THEY GOT FIRST IN THE STATE DANCE COMPETITION!!! After ten years of being so close, they finally took State!

I finished working with the cardiologist and am now working with an orthopaedic surgeon on the hill. I really enjoy spending the time in the clinic so much more than the other experiences. However, I’m having a really hard time trying to figure what I want to do with my life. I get frustrated when I don’t get good grades and wonder if I will even be able to get into an Orthopaedic residency. Plus, I’m not entirely sure how hard I want to work for the rest of my life. I’m still trying to tie down a job in an ortho lab for this summer to build my resume and get some more perspective. I’ll also be volunteering at OMSI for the BodyWorlds exhibit.

I’ve been really trying to make some time for friends too… although it isn’t easy. I am very excited that within the next year I will get to be in two weddings (Kara’s and Devon’s) and will get to enjoy all the fun planning and pre-wedding ‘girl time’. We are currently planning bachelorette parties and a girls’ beach weekend.

Finally, I’m enjoying the shift to nicer weather and the chance to run outside more. I am currently signed up for Hood to Coast (September) and the Portland Marathon (October).

I’m going to enjoy the end of this week and then spend the weekend in Cannon Beach; Ryan and I are redeeming a gift certificate (Xmas present from Gabe and Mia) to the Stephanie Inn… a weekend full of Scrabble, here I come!!!

8.17.06

This past Monday was my first day of medical school at OHSU... so instead of sending mass emails to inform all of you about my progress, I decided to start a blog!

School/Orientation began on Monday morning at 8:30am. I got ready at home and Ryan drove me up to the hill... don't worry, it wasn't until after I had a nutritious bowl of oatmeal and took a number of 'first day of school' pictures at the apartment.

Our first half an hour was "coffee and donuts" with mingling. We then went to a lecture hall (the same lecture hall that my class will be in all year for all of our courses) and heard a number of welcome lectures. By lunchtime, I had found about 8 other U of O kids that I either knew or recognized from classes in Eugene... a number of us were all in the Kaplan MCAT class together! I also found two people that graduated from Clackamas with me and one girl that I had met at Creighton when we were interviewing. Needless to say, having so many familiar faces made the stress of the first few days much less!!! We concluded the first day with taking our "White Coat Pictures" (kind of like yearbook pics that will follow us all four years) and then got our new name badges. Ryan picked me up around 5 and I came home to eat and then sleep.... I was exhausted!

On day number two we had more of the same welcome and information talks. In the afternoon we got an introduction to our first course and then got to down to the cadaver lab to meet our lab groups, meet our "first patients" (the cadavers), and get our scrubs for lab. We also got two sets of lockers and a bone box that contains all the major bones in the body so we can study outside of the lab. By the end of day two, I was ready for the weekend! Luckily, they gave us the rest of the week off to tie up all loose ends, which is what I spent yesterday doing...

I still have some immunizations to take care of, but I've bought my books, my school supplies, etc. As for next week, we have a combination of more orientation and the first two lectures and labs of our first class.

The curriculum works like this... all 119 of us take one course at a time together. Our first course is "GIE: Gross Anatomy, Imaging, and Embryology". For the next 11 weeks we'll be learning about the anatomy of the human body (through reading, lectures, and labs), leanring how to view the body on radiographic images, and learning about how the body develops. Although I've taken anatomy before and have experience in a cadaver lab, this will be much more challenging as the course goes twice as fast AND we have to dissect the bodies. At U of O, the cadavers were dissected for us so that we could readily see all important structures. At OHSU, we are in groups of 4 and starting on Tuesday we have to actually make all of the cuts (through skin, bone, fat, whatever!) ourselves in order to get to the relevant body part(s). It will be challenging, but fun too! My cadaver is an 85-year old man who died of natural causes. I'm going to have class everyday from 8-12 and then one day a week I'll have an afternoon small group class and one afternoon a week I'll go spend time with a doctor in the community.

Well, I guess that is it for now! I'll keep ya'll posted on how things go =)

12.11.06

I can't believe it's almost time for Winter Break! I was thinking back to this time last year when I was in Hawaii and calling my grandparents everyday to see if I had received a letter from OHSU inviting me for an interview! Every time I feel overwhelmed with school, I just remind myself of how much I wanted to get in!

I finished my first class (Gross Anatomy, Imaging, and Embryology) with a grade of "Honors" and moved on to our new course. This one is much harder as it includes histology (looking at tissue samples in a microscope) and biochemistry. I got into a pretty relaxed schedule with my last class and didn't have to study as much as some of the other students. I continued with that routine with my new class and unfortunately didn't do very well on my first test. It wasn't terrible, but you all know how I like my A's. So I studied harder than I ever have before and did much better on the second test last week. I got a 95% on the written test and a 100% on the lab/histology portion. I was so pleased (and relieved!). We started our third section this week, but will not finish it and be tested on it until after Winter Break.

I have also started working with a new preceptor; cardiology down at the new waterfront center. Pretty soon I'll be taking the tram to get there! I enjoy learning about the topic, but the doctor is pretty challenging and demanding. I know I'll benefit from the experience, but working at Shriner's was always fun and care free. I'm sure this will just be one of many experiences that will be difficult yet rewarding throughout my medical training.

One of the most wonderful things that I have been involved with is the memorial service that we had last week. Our anatomy professor is the director of the Oregon Body Donor Program. Bodies are collected and distributed to 34 programs across the state (including the medical school, dental school, OSU, UofO, etc). Because we get the most bodies and the program functions from our school, it has become a tradition for the first year students to plan a memorial service for the cadavers. We invited the families of all the body donors in the past year. We had at least 200 people attend (plus many students and faculty)! We had speeches, music, a slide show (with pictures and stories that were sent in by the families)... it was truly wonderful. We also compiled a booklet of letters and thank yous to give with the programs for the event. There was a time during the ceremony that family members could speak into the microphone as well... I was surprised that at least 15 people got up. Most people were in tears at some point, but we also had many laughs. We heard stories about the families coping with the decisions of their loved ones to donate their bodies. One man got up and told us that both of his parents had donated their bodies this year! After the ceremony we had a reception and talked with many of the guests. It was easy to forget the 'human' side of the bodies when we were in the lab studying and dissecting, but the memorial service was such a wonderful way to bring closure for the families and to complete our (the students') anatomy experience.

Other than school, I'm trying to keep busy with student council, seeing friends, working out with the Cavalettes once a week, and of course, watching Beverly Hills 90210 on SOAP NET. I'm looking forward to Christmas and I'm especially ready to go relax in Hawaii for 11 days! I hope you are all doing well!

10.25.06

It is almost the end of October and I'm still alive.... so that's nice. School is actually going really well and just flying by! We have had three sets of tests, all which I have received "Honors" on. The most recent was especially joyful as I earned 101% on my lab exam of the lower limb... I guess I might be qualified for Orthopedics afterall! We have one more test in this 'block' (of anatomy, embryology, and imaging) and then we move on to a new course: Cellular Structure and Function.

I'm still spending one day a week in the plastic surgery clinic and Shriners and the doctors are letting me have quite a bit of patient contact. I have taken out stiches, filled up tissue expanders (big balloons under the skin that stretch skin to be used later for skin grafts), and yesterday I went to the operation room! I got the scrub in and actually do part of the surgery!!! There was a fourth year student there who said that in his three previous years of med. school he has not been given the opportunity to do as much as I was allowed to on my first day! I heard that there is a female orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine up here and requested that next term I get to serve my preceptorship with her... so keep your fingers crossed.

Thus far student council has been a minimal commitment. Mostly fellow classmates just call me "Madame President". I have held a few meetings and we are currently planning some fundraisers and designing TShirts.... yes, the very important things that us medical students have to deal with. However, this Friday night there will be an "All-Hill" (students from med., dental, and nursing schools) Halloween party....with free beer! Did I mention that the party is actually AT school?!?! This is great! I will be dressed up as the "Circle of Willis". If you are not familiar with this, no problem. I will be sending photos later.... but it is basically the arteries to the brain and when looked at a certain way they look like a little person! I'm such a nerd!

I also recently met with the orthopedic research department head about a summer job. I am the first student to express interest so when they start planning I will have first choice on which project I want to work on. It won't be paid, but having the experience on my resume will be essential when it comes time to apply for residency.

Finally, I'm sure some of you have heard about the horrible headaches I was getting.... well, I had three migraines on consecutive Fridays and was really getting depressed about them. I went to see Anne Nedrow (the doctor that I worked for last year) and she made some suggestions and gave me some medicine, and so far so good. It has been almost two weeks since my last one...

I guess that is it for now. Thanks for all of the encouragement... and for not forgetting about me even though I have been a horrible anti-social friend (and probably will continue to be for at least the next three and a half years).

9.13.06

A few weeks have passed and I am now fully consumed by medical school. We had our first test on Monday, which meant I spent much of last week and the weekend studying. Our first course is Gross Anatomy, Imaging, and Embryology. In our first block, we covered the back and upper limb in anatomy. So, for our test we had fifty tags on the thirty cadavers in our lab and we had eighty seconds per tag to figure out what body part (muscle, bone, tendon, nerve, artery, etc) it was and write it down. Then we had about two hours to complete a 100 question multiple choice test. I felt quite prepared for the test, but it was still pretty difficult. It is such an adjustment to leave college where I was at the top of my class, and to now be taking tests with people who were also at the top of their classes.

In addition to classes, I have taken on a new responsibility at school... I am now Class President! I know, I know.... I probably don't have the time or energy, but you know me, I love to do this stuff!

Also, yesterday was my second day in clinic! I spend one afternoon a week with a plastic surgeon (Dr. Wheatley) at Shriner's hospital. Last week I saw many cleft palate cases, and today was a burn clinic. All pretty intense stuff! Especially when you consider that the patients are all children, most of them are from out of town, and many of them don't speak English.

To wrap things up... I'm really enjoying myself. I'm making a lot of new friends, but still missing the free time to be with all of my old friends and family. I'm pretty sure, however, that as I get more used to the schedule and challenges, I'll get more comfortable with taking evenings off for 'fun stuff' too!

Lastly, I just (less than 2 minutes ago!) checked online and got my test scores. I got a 95% on the written exam and a 96% on the lab exam... both of these are high enough to earn me a grade of 'Honors'.

Have a fabulous end of your week!!!

PS
Grey's Anatomy starts next week.... and our TV isn't connected yet!!!