It Begins

So, med school. I like my new room, and the dorms are a nice mix between real life and apartments. Most people who live here don’t party or go out together since some people in the dorms are married and have kids, but at the same time, people will have parties in their suites. The first year class has been pretty good at going out together and having a good time. Orientation was full of awkward periods of meeting people mixed with free alcohol. We had a “river cruise,” which was basically a booze cruise. As the days went by, everyone started getting more at ease with one another.

One of our professors told us that she’s surprised at how little we ask about exams and work. She attributed it to maturity, but I just think we’re more laid back (for now). I’ve been trying to go out and do things outside of med school while I can. I’ve been running in Central Park, playing tennis with my sis and my brother-in-law, going home to hang out with the family, going to the gym, playing basketball, and going out with the kids in my class and friends from HS and college. I’ve decided to work and play hard while I can, since first year is supposed to be relatively easy.

On that note: on the fourth day of school, I decided not to go to any classes that aren’t required. My time can be much better spent studying on my own (and sleeping), just as in college. They also give us really good study sheets and old exams passed down from class to class, which help. I haven’t cracked open a book yet. Yes, I may be your doctor one day. Be afraid, but be more afraid of others.

Anyway, we watched the birth video today. It was a bit graphic, but luckily the accompanying music was a light, airy, piece. Think of blood and crying to the wonderful musical accompaniment of greensleves. My favorite line from the professors was “Those things [babies] are slippery! Don’t drop them.” As the baby was coming out, most people in the auditorium were grossed out, groaning and going “eww!” All I could think of was how weird it would be if during their first live birth they stared at the baby coming out and said things like “That is so disgusting!” I’m sure it would do a number for the mother’s mental well being. Sick, twisted, but funny with my sense of humor.

Here are a few pictures I took in my Emergency Medicine class:

Summer Before Med School

Hi, my name is Alex and I'm about to start med school. I got the idea for this blog from my friend Julie, who blogs about her travels to Uganda with the Peace Corps.

How I Got Into Medicine:

Both my grandma on one side of the family and my grandpa on the other were doctors. My mom recently went on disability for cancer-related illnesses, and I have been amazed at how much doctors can do to help people. I have more respect than ever for the profession. I really look up to my older sister who's a doctor and just got married to a classmate from medical school. They, along with all of their doctor friends, have tried their hardest to convince me not to go into medicine, which was probably the best way to get me to go. So, here I am.

My Dog, For No Reason At All:

According to my grandmother, the only proper name a dog can have is Rex. The handsome gentleman on the left is therefore Rex, our Rottweiler/German Shepherd. Fun fact: Rex howls like a wolf when he hears a firetruck siren, often waking us and our neighbors at night.

I got my parents a Roomba (a little robotic vacuum that is like a pet to most owners). Part of the reason I got him is that I'm excited to see how Rex reacts. Rex loves to chase remote controlled cars, bark at them, and flip them over with his nose and teeth. I'm thinking about sticking a dog bowl on top and having him walk around eating. I also want to attach a recorded firetruck siren, though I think my parents would go crazy if I did that. The possibilities are endless and all extremely entertaining.

Med School Expectations/Thoughts:
From what I gather, med school is college with more memorizing and less thinking. My main concerns all have to do with free time:

1. Time to sleep: I never went to class in college because I hate lectures so I expect to sleep in most days and not go to class much. I sleep a lot so I'm not sure how I'll handle the lack of sleep that's coming eventually. I try not to think about these things; I'll figure it out when I get there.

2. Time to see friends: It's going to be a little weird having only 140 people in my class. In high school there were 750 and in college there were a few thousand. I'm excited to be in NYC because it's full of people but I wonder how much I will be able to hang out with people outside of med school like my high school and college friends.

3. Vacation Time: I don't know how much vacation I'll have from now on, so I've been traveling this summer: Jazz Fest in Montreal, NYC for the 4th of July, Vancouver, Seattle, SF, Yosemite, Austin, Philadelphia, and currently Chicago for Lollapalooza.

Right now, medical school is just an abstract notion to me. I don't have any expectations other than it will keep me busy. As much as I want to work with patients and get my hands dirty, I doubt I will have much of that, at least for the first 2 years. I move in to my new apartment/dorm within the week and will try to post then.