It's All Perception

While I was at my locker this afternoon, in the dark, a classmate walked in and asked me why the lights where out.  I said that I never turn them on, as long as I can see...maybe I'm just lazy.  She responded "you're in medical school - you're not lazy".  I really liked that response...  I feel like a lazy slug when I don't want to study (even though I've been in class all day).  I have never experienced anything like med school (I am certain that it falls in it's own class).  School started a little over two months ago, but it seriously feels like a year.  Ugh...   Jen

Another Med School Joke

This one is from our Histo prof...   Three vampires go to a bar.  Waitress: (to the first vampire) "What would you like to drink?" 1st Vampire: "I vant a glass of blood" Waitress: (to the second vampire) "What do you want to drink?" 2nd Vampire: "I vould like a glass of blood" Waitress: (to the third vampire) "And, what can I bring you to drink?" 3rd Vampire: "I vant a glass of platelets" The waitress goes to the bartender to place the order and says "two bloods, and one blood lite"

More Cool Running Stuff

I know, I'm getting all crazy - two Blogs in one day (I should be studying)...  We learned a really cool technique in OMM today.  It's called muscle energy (a lot of physical therapists use it); it's one of the methods of treating restriction of motion.  Everything we learned today just happens to be perfect for runners - it all focuses on range of motion in the legs.  I sure am learning a lot about running lately...maybe that's a hint...  I'm going to use it on Brett to help get him ready for the run this Saturday; he's going to do great, by the way.  He has been working very hard.    Jen

Does That Count as Good Stress?

One of our anatomy professors always puts questions at the end of her power points; if she is lecturing the next day, and if she gives a quiz - it is usually over one of her questions from the previous lecture.  We had one of her quizzes this morning...when I got to answer C, I recognized it as the right answer - so I keyed it in on my key pad.  We have 10 seconds to answer and I had a few seconds left, so I thought I would read the other two choices.  When I read the answer for E, I panicked; I thought -crap! that's right, too!  I thought about changing my answer, but I knew that C was also right; then I ran out of time.  Both answers were right - she was trying to give us a better chance of getting the point (I think she feels a little sorry for us; we must look desperate for every point - I know I am).    Jen

Learning About Running...in Anatomy?

I am so exhausted...and my head hurts...but midterms are over (sigh).  I don't have anymore tests for 1 1/2 weeks!  That means I can actually study anatomy tonight (in case we have a quiz tomorrow).  I am really far behind in anatomy...and histo is really confusing right now - I did get two bonus points today, though :-)   Brett has been finding lots of new recipes to try for dinner; I get excited, and can hardly wait to find out what is for dinner each night; I've been thinking about it all day.  We celebrated our 6th anniversary on Sunday night with a bottle of champagne and one of his tasty dinners.  We both think it's a pretty big deal that anyone could put up with either of us for that long.    Brett is running in The Tulsa Run on Saturday.  I wanted to run it, but I haven't been keeping up with my running lately.  No need to get onto me, Dr. W, I haven't given up on running - I'm just taking a rest, for my sanity.  I'll be cheering Brett on from the sidelines, with Meredith - she has been working so hard for the run, but has a stress fracture :-(    I learned some interesting info in anatomy today that relates to running...  Why men tend to be faster runners than women (I've always wondered): Women have wider pelvis bones (for childbirth), our femurs (long bones in upper legs) have a greater angle (between the hip and knee).  This makes us less effecient runners.  The really fast female runners tend to have narrow hips.  This greater angle of the femur also makes women 4-6 times more susceptible to knee injuries (than men).    Jen

Trust Me, I'm Not a Doctor

We got a lecture today about our performance on the diagnostic imaging test...apparently it was as bad as we all thought (we don't have our scores yet).  Our prof said that we obviously don't know where the pancreas is...that the head is near the duodenum (first part of the small intestine) and the tail is near the hilum of the spleen (where the arteries/veins enter the spleen).  The good news is that I got both of those questions right.  We did not cover that in DI, but we just dissected it in anatomy - I'm not sure how most of the class missed it...  He went on to say that they (the professors) have failed us, and that he is sorry...it made me feel like crap...and I don't even know if I failed.    In anatomy lab, we're dissecting the pelvis.  My group is observing (the other half of the class is dissecting - we take turns), but it is still an unpleasant area to work on.  The next test is in 2 weeks, and we have almost 700 structures to learn for lab, plus lecture.  I can't even think about that now...   We're covering nutrition in depth in biochem, so that's really interesting (even for two straight hours).  Unfortunately, it isn't on this test.  Our current prof does his research in nutrition, so he is reporting the results of lots of "fancy" studies from "fancy" med schools (Harvard, Stanford...).  Apparently, Harvard is on the cutting edge of nutrition.  So, I feel like I need to lecture you all about eating enough Omega 3 fatty acids...  Eat lots of fish (as long as it wasn't corn-fed), walnuts, flax seeds, free-range or Eggland's Best eggs, or take supplements...it helps control cholesterol and it's anti-inflammatory.  You don't need to know what that means (trust me, or ask Brett - the details are boring, unless you're a science geek), just that Harvard (and lots of other smart people) think that's what you should be doing...   Time to study more biochem...   Jen

I am Not Falling for that Again...

We took our radiology (diagnostic imaging) midterm today (there is only a midterm and final).  We have been told the entire semester not to stress over this class, and that we hardly need to study - just come to class and listen.  The test was supposed to be "very easy", "almost laughable" and "see spot go".  Of course, no one studied very much...    During the test, I felt like a complete moron (this is a very famililar feeling for me), and was convinced that I was going to be the first, and only, person to ever fail DI.  I barely know what I'm looking at on any radiograph...  To my relief (somewhat), practically everyone else felt the same.  We have several profs for this class, and they all told us specific material that we would be tested over...but only about half of that material was actually on the test.  The other half included material that they barely mentioned and, definitely, did not emphasize (and maybe some material that wasn't mentioned??).  So, the very valuable lesson I have learned from this is that "easy" in med school is not the same "easy" that I'm used to.    Jen

Midterms...

I can't believe we are already halfway through the semester.  I only have two more histo and anatomy tests, and three more biochem tests (plus OMM and radiology).  I'm still not sure what to think of Biochem; it's hard to know, since we have so many professors who teach and test differently.    My histo test this morning went much better than the first one (huge sigh of relief)...I still have plenty of room for improvement, but I'm happy with my progress.  I'm also starting to get used to being tired all the time.  I was up late studying last night but, surprisingly, I have felt pretty good all day (except for a few pre-test jitters).  Plus, I feel a little less stupid today (I know that's poor grammar, but you get the point).    I'm taking most of tonight off from studying, and it feels really weird.  Today at lunch, I didn't have anything that needed my immediate attention and I felt a little lost, like I should be juggling eight different tasks.  It was funny; I couldn't just sit there and eat lunch - I had to find something else to do...   Jen

Lots of Bad Days...and More to Come

So far, I've had many more bad days than good...  Med school actually induces anxiety and depression; maybe they want us to be able to relate to our future patients.  Yesterday, I experienced the most anxiety I have ever had; I thought I was going to have a panic attack during anatomy lab.  I went home after class and cried...poor Brett...he tries to help me, but I'm the only one that can pass my tests and that's all I want - just to pass.    We got our anatomy scores back today.  40% of the class failed...and I am one of them.  The rumor is that they made the test harder, because our class average was really high and they had to bring it down (we have a lot of really smart people)...but that's just a rumor.  I think it's just part of med school.    On the brighter side (yes there is one, however dim it may be)...we took our OMM midterm today, and I definitely passed that one.  It was a really easy test, though; I would, literally, go home if I couldn't pass it.    Well, I'm off to find an anatomy tutor...apparently I really need one.   Jen

They are Very Tricky

I took my second anatomy test this afternoon.  As predictable, it was awful.  For the lab portion, we have one minute, at each of 50 stations, to identify whatever is tagged.  I'm sure I made several mistakes, but this one is really frustrating...the thoracic duct was labeled as a "vessel", which generally means it is a vein (but vessel is also correct in this case).  When I first looked at it, I immediately thought "thoracic duct"...but then I looked at the tag, which confused me.  I ended up writing down a vein that I knew was a wrong answer.  The worst part is that last night I told a classmate that if they labeled anything that low it was the thoracic duct, because it couldn't be anything else.  I had a similar "incident" on the first lab practical; they pulled the trachea out from the muscles in one of the cadavers, and tagged a muscle that was now behind the trachea.  I knew the muscle, but totally panicked and made up a name.  I knew it was wrong, because I invented it...but I wrote it down anyway.  Maybe the professors got a good laugh out of it. I love it here...I feel dumber every day Jen

Pancakes for Breakfast

A med school analogy...   They give you three pancakes for breakfast everyday.  At first it doesn't seem too bad, but then you start to get sick of pancakes.  Of course, you're supposed to eat them all before the test; if you don't, you have 60 pancakes to eat the morning of the test.    Those must be some really big pancakes...that you have to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner...7 days a week.  If we're talking about regular pancakes, I say bring it on.  I may hate pancakes for the rest of my life, but it sounds like a good alternative.    Jen