Non-weekend Update

So it seems to me that the majority of my posts are just what I did over the weekend. This is mostly because this seems to be the most interesting aspect of my day-to-day affairs. For instance, this weekend I had fried ice cream for the first time at “The Authentic Mexican Restaurant,” had a Tim Curry marathon by watching Clue and Rocky Horror Picture Show back to back, and entered a Pinewood Derby using a potato fashioned into a Graboid from Tremors. Some interesting stuff I think. But perhaps you’re more interested in medical stuff.

We’re currently half way through our Host Defense Unit. This is pretty much a compilation of microbiology (bacteria, viruses and fungi), immunology and some pathology. The microbes don’t bother me much, but the immunology is annoying. Everything is named after arbitrary acronyms which start off cascades of dozens of other arbitrary acronyms. All the systems are redundant and overlapping, and it’s just generally a mess. But I’ve made it through one exam and have another two weeks to shape up for this upcoming exam. This wouldn’t be so bad, but they are making things difficult by adding all kinds of extracurricular requirements. These include:

I have a “senior partner” who I have to visit and analyze her health problems. She’s a nice old lady, but the program is just slow and seems relatively pointless since we practice these skills in a number of other ways.

I’m putting together a presentation on diabetes for the local free clinics. Admittedly this isn’t taking a lot of time, but it’s just an extra thing over my head.

I’m attending the Ultrasound Academy where we learn how to use these machines for diagnoses. It’s pretty interesting, but I’m not very good at it and the meetings are always set for times when I’d rather be studying.

We just had DPR, Doctor Patient Relations, added to our schedule. I agree with the idea of this class (basically working on bedside manner) but it covers a lot of the same material as Patient Centered Medicine, and the meetings sometimes last 4 hours.

I’m the head of the Communications Committee for Project Professionalism. Again this doesn’t really take up that much time, but it’s always added pressure when you’re not only in charge of yourself, but of others as well.

All in all it makes for a busy day. Add to these time constraints that for the last two weeks I’ve been applying for summer grants, and that I now have to apply for scholarships for next year, and it gets very hectic.

And really, this is all quite boring, hence the reason I don’t often go into it. But it is what’s filling my life these days.

I’m currently listening to: The Cat Empire, Lily Allen and The Format.