Thursday, May 08, 2008

Med students aren't the only ones with a sense of humor

In less than a day my first year of medical school will be complete! (hopefully?)

Here is a gem that I didn't catch until the third time through our physiology notes...

b. Stress: Plasma cortisol levels can be increased by numerous factors characterized as stressors, both physical and psychological. Burns, infection, physical restraint, surgery, anxiety, reading the syllabus, and strenuous exercise will all elevate plasma cortisol levels.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Patch Adams

I met Patch Adams on Friday. My school, in typical form, notified us that he would be making an appearance in the atrium of the Children's Hospital a few hours before he was to appear. Only a handful of my classmates were present since it was short notice, and, never forget (oh, if only I could forgot!), one week till the final. Now, Patch Adams was interesting and all of that. Wacky. Dressed as a clown. In fact, he showed up with an entire clown entourage, when he finally did show up. He wrapped most of my classmates in enormous underwear and forced them to lead a parade of children down the hall of the hospital. The only reason I escaped this fate was that during the 45 min wait I stopped caring about meeting Patch Adams, as I had found myself in an enormous, airy, brightly decorated room chock-full of books and toys and children to entertain. I did not know that such a wonderful place existed! (Being a first-year, I've rarely explored the hospital.) First of all, this place is swank. The entire ceiling and outer wall is glass, with a view out over the city and the ocean beyond. It beats the pants off our dimly lit, freezing, burber carpeted library, a.k.a. "The Frozen Wasteland." Second of all, kids! Third of all, toy dinosaurs! Man, I hadn't played with toy dinosaurs in ages. I met a delightful 11-month-old in the process. (Years from now this same child will be coping with a deep-seated clown-fear, with no knowledge of its source.) I don't know about all the clown business, but there is something to be said for making a hospital more cheerful. I know it did wonders for me. Nothing like the sight of kids with bald heads and IVs just being kids to warm the depths of your "oh why the heck did I ever get myself into all this?" first-year med student heart.

Friday, May 02, 2008

Scheduling

One week till our final exam. Yesterday everyone in my class received a delightfully informative email from the new Associate Dean for Curriculum and Evaluation, detailing the "need to know" facts of our test. It included such helpful information as the number of questions (about 2/3 the number there will actually be), what material will be covered from our Doctoring class (including physical diagnosis, which is not included in the written exams), and the overall scope of the exam (both fall and spring semesters! Please fail us now and spare us the pain.) One would think that in 180 years, our college could manage to run a bit more smoothly, or, at the very least, learn to not irritate the crap out of its students.

One more week. One more week. One more week.