What Have I Really Mastered?

The year is over. It feels like I just walked accross the stage at the Superdome last year for my undergrad graduation from Tulane. As I predicted in one of my first posts (without even knowing it), this program was much different than my other time at Tulane. This year was a more mature, professional approach to school and to science, but with the perks of the New Orleans culture and lifestyle. It was one big blur of drugs (I'm starting to sound like a clinical vignette) combined with getting to know incredible people who actually care for what impact they make on other people. Many of us want to be doctors, and I would constantly look at those in my class and note how I would allow all of them to be my doctor one day.

The coursework was worthwhile, and I have developed into a deeper scientific and "big picture" thinker after learning and experiencing the didactic and conversational aspects of classes, peers, and professors.

When I look back, I remember the information we learned, but the most vivid memories are of what we did outside the classroom. I love Tulane because of the service component. It creates a community of cohesive giving, which I think makes for a healthier sociological atmosphere. My service this semester was as follows:
Habitat for Humanity- 8 hrs
Class Soil Collection- 2 hrs
NORD Fitness Bootcamp work- 3 hrs
Whole Life Challenge Volunteer-3 hrs
Total: 16 hours

My outtro for the year is a good "roll credits" kind of song, and one of my favorites about New Orleans. Learning about drugs, I have to say that the city itself is some kind of transcription factor. Once you stay here, it's always a part of you.

Until next time, NBME

March brought with it a lot of studying. No way around it. The shelf was appropriately difficult (in my opinion), but beforehand I was expecting the worst. This was probably because I was studying the test bank questions that the database allows access to, which are some of the most farfetched and off the wall pharm questions I had encountered. It was best to stick to pharmwiki, brush up on basic concepts in FirstAid, and let it be.

After the exam, life got a bit easier. Everything about this school year began to feel extremely fast, especially as graduating is so close now. It feels like we just were learning about inflammation in July when everyone else was on Summer break. I have to say (even though it's only the end of March) that I am extremely happy with this program and would not go back and change anything about my decision to enroll. My friends that got into medical school this year had a great opportunity to go straight in, yet when we talk about the field of medicine it seems like they are more like robots than clinicians. This program has taught critical thinking in a medical setting (especially because we had no prior experience in the subject).

The Shelf exam prevented me from going to any live music shows this month, but a huge sense of nostalgia has hit me because we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. This month the song reflects this tune.

Felt Like Funkin' It Up

Mardi Gras is over, and we all lived. For most people in the program, this was the first Mardi Gras. This marks my fifth straight in the city of New Orleans, and somehow it is never the same beast. The city goes full manic episode during that time, so you never know what it'll do. Finishing Carnival season and starting the Psychiatry block has forced me to diagnose the city with bipolar disorder along with signs of schizophrenia, but all the Lithium in the world couldn't stabilize this place.

As far as service work, I am choosing to back-load my service since the semester is so front-heavy (much like the last). Spring semesters at Tulane are normally very fast-paced, and by now we have reached over 90% of our Principles grade and over 50% of our Med-Pharm. I haven't quite decided what my service this semester will be, but I have liked to change it up throughout my time in the city because there are so many avenues for helping others and the community.

Mardi Gras may be over, but Rebirth brass band is always around. "Do Whatcha Wanna" by Rebirth is one of the most recognizable horn combos around.

King Cake with a Side of Lispro Please

The 2015 year certainly started off at a full sprint. The holidays were great (yet always somehow busy), and the program picked right back up with our Endocrine block. Diabetes has always interested me because I have seen it as "preventable" through lifestyle changes and body awareness. I understood that there were many factors in a disease's onset, but it was great to see pharmacologists discuss the need for lifestyle intervention used well alongside a physician's treatment because I expected there to be more of a push for prescribing drugs rather than actively working with the patient.

As far as service goes, I have been thinking of a new way to serve the community in 2015. Last year I focused a lot on physically getting out in the community and building, cleaning, and assisting through organizations like Habitat for Humanity. One of the many qualities of the community of New Orleans is that there are always people helping other people, so that is why (even through my Undergrad years here) I try to change the way that I approach serving the community.

The glimpse of New Orleans that most "outsiders" see is Mardi Gras. It is officially carnival season, and I have always enjoyed Mardi Gras celebrations even as a child. I do find it hilarious that the Pharm blocks we have leading up to the celebration are Endocrine and Neurology (because both of those systems certainly get overworked at this time of the year).

One of my favorite Mardi Gras traditions is the music, and one of my favorite songs is "Go to the Mardi Gras" by Professor Longhair. Happy Mardi Gras, and I'll post back in February.

First Semester Summary

This program has been more than I could have expected from a graduate program. The subject matter is a great glimpse at both a medical school/ clinical aspect and a research aspect of medicine. It has exposed me to a higher-level health-based courseload that I wanted in undergrad. My classmates have been way more fun, nice, and thoughtful than I expected in a program like this one. Overall, the first semester was great, and I am glad to be in this program and department. 

My service hours are as follows:

Habitat for Humanity- 16 hours completed

Time to Breathe

November was a month that was slower than our very front-heavy semester. We focused on pulmonary as well as hepatic/GI blocks that spanned the entire month (and will continue into December). I found the coursework interesting because I had asthma as a child and had to be hospitalized a few times for its severity. These blocks have enlightened me on the importance of controlling antibiotics. So many of the drugs in use today are to control pathogen-caused diseases.

Part of the reason that I chose this program was to find the balance of necessity and efficacy regarding drugs in a healthcare setting. This month provided a great amount of clarity for me, especially due to the freedom that our schedule allowed. I learned about more intangible aspects of medicine and interdisciplinary approaches to clinical intervention through non-didactic learning that I was able to do during this month.

Over Thanksgiving, I was asked whether this program has been worthwhile and if there was anything that I wished I would have done differently. I thought about that for a good while (after giving a very cliché answer to the relative that asked me). Though there is always something that can go better in hindsight, I could find very little criticism of this program and of my decision thus far. I think it has broadened my view of medicine and has given me an opportunity to prepare myself for what is to come. I'd say I'm in the right place at the right time.

Controlling the Blood Pressure

This month was one of high importance in terms of time management and weight of grade points. I would say that I'm relatively up to speed with the pace of the courses, so at least I knew what was coming (to some extent). I've learned how to control blood pressure, both my own (for the sake of balancing everything on my plate) and a patient's in a clinical setting. I really enjoyed the SIM at the end of the cardio block (which I think I neglected to mention in my last post). It was nice to at least act in a clinical setting, and it helped to reinforce my future goals.

I did another Habitat for Humanity build this month. We built two sheds outside in a lot in order to store items out of the elements (which in New Orleans can be anything). We also helped them to clean out and reorganize their warehouse. This month was more about helping the Habitat family rather than a family in need, so it was fulfilling to feel like we provided aid and efficiency to every build from then on.

On a continually positive note, the Saints are beginning to win frequently, and I think everyone in the program is (at least a little bit) a fan now. I included a song by Geno Delafosse, a cajun artist that we went to see at Rock N' Bowl after the Cardio Block exam.