Let the Voting Begin!

More than 20 years of working towards a life dream now fulfilled, I have shared my medical school experience for four years; week by week, dose by dose, the journey has been a roller coaster of fascination. Recently nominated as one of the most fascinating student blogs of 2012, the voting process has begun and I am asking for your participation. 

TO VOTE:
1. Follow this link to the voting page today through August 28th, 2012.

2. Make sure you have Google Plus. If not, you will find the Google Plus UPGRADE Button on the Top Left of the page. Creating your profile will only take a few minutes.

3. Click on the double arrow beside "Comments" to view the entire list of nominees and look for your blog of choice...Your vote for Life as a Medical Student would be much appreciated, it's a little more than halfway down the list :)

4. Hover your cursor at the end of the blog url and click the "+1".

5. Invite your friends to cast their vote!

6. MOST IMPORTANTLY: If you cast your vote for me, please send me an email here with your name, one of your dreams and a picture of yourself to be featured on my next blog post!

Updates from residency are soon to come, so stay tuned. Thank you for coming along for the ride.

Nominated Most Fascinating Student Blog of 2012

It is with great pleasure that I announce a nomination recently received for 2012's most fascinating student blog. Just being among the few student blogs on the internet has been quite a thrill, but this consideration is one I humbly accept. If you would like to voice your opinion and vote, the process will begin on August 21st and close on the 28th.

TO VOTE:
1. Follow this link to the voting page on or after August 21st, 2012.

2. Make sure you have Google Plus. If not, you will find the Google Plus UPGRADE Button on the Top Left of the page. Creating your profile will only take a few minutes.

3. Click on the double arrow beside "Comments" to view the entire list of nominees and look for your blog of choice...Your vote for Life as a Medical Student would be much appreciated :)

4. Hover your cursor at the end of the blog url and click the "+1". (Its in the same location where you see the votes for the other blogs.)

5. For blogs that already have votes, the  "+1" should be immediately beside the vote count to the right.

6. Invite your friends to cast their vote!

Thank you all for your support and encouragement! It has been a wonderful ride and I couldn't be happier living the dream that started so many years ago.

Things I Wish I Knew - Fourth Year

Once again, with my fourth year of medical school completed, it is time for me to break out the inner nerd and share the pictograph of my numerical note-taking. The chart above representing my fourth year of school with obvious end points when interviews finished and graduation approached.

The next chart is a culmination of first, second, third and fourth years combined. Initial observation would suggest that second year was almost twice as difficult as first year if not more so.The deep troughs usually representing times of vacation after exams or between years. The steady third year was a result of various preceptors and the work loads with each specialty. Obviously this would look different for every student depending on their scheduling. Things picked up again in fourth year with interviews, audition clerkships and the match process. Once matched, the intensity levels dropped significantly until the end of school all together.

Thoughts in Retrospection

Attempting to look back and decide on the few things that helped me along the way this last year is proving difficult, but as time passed, I have been looking forward to this post and mentally banking ideas along the way. Below are the top five things I wish I knew before my fourth year of medical school and probably could have been useful before school started.

1. Stand Tall - It can be difficult to show courage on rotations. Many times preceptors will "pimp" students or question our thinking to the point of making us feel smaller than ever before. Standing tall, using direct answers and showing interest made the difference on more than one occasion. Confidence, even if simulated, lets others know you have what it takes when challenges come.
2. Read regularly - Medicine is a profession of lifelong learning. Getting into the habit now of seeking the latest research in your field will serve you well when it comes time to managing your own patients. Obviously, there is more to know than can possibly be memorized, but taking an active roll in consistent reading can set you apart from your peers who only read to cram for exams. Make reading a regular part of your study routine.
3. Follow the rules - While this might seem like a no-brainer, it is surprising how many do not. Whether an assignment to study for the next day, a sterile field you are not to touch or paperwork your school needs, abiding by given instruction will only serve to help make your life easier. You will have a lifelong career where you get to be your own boss. Save your rule breaking and adventure seeking for then. Being a student means you are still governed by the rules of those who decide the receipt of your degree. 
4. Be proactive - Set up clerkships early, arrive on time ready to start everyday and actively look for opportunities to participate in patient care. Having my interview application submitted early allowed me to be on my eighth interview when some students were just starting their first. Procrastination means you may be eating crumbs. 
5. Have fun - This is what you came to medical school to do. You are paying good money to make the most of a four year education, even if long hours of studying depress you. The least you can do is make some friends along the way and have a good time in the process. There are some great memories to be had in medical school, don't miss out.

Medical school is honestly the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. The journey has been amazing to say the least. To be done is not only a dream come true, but a gift only I could have given to myself. I am grateful for all the support my family, friends and readers from around the world have given me along the way. While I do not know what awaits me over the next four years of residency, I am excited to be moving in the right direction. Now to start working on that quarter million dollar student loan.

Question of the Week

A 30 year old male medical student blogger has just graduated and is moving on to residency. If he continues to blog in the little free time he will have, where can his writings be found?

A. www.lifeasamedicalstudent.blogspot.com
B. www.lifeasaresident.blogspot.com
C. www.lifeasamedicalresident.blogspot.com
D. All of the above

Answer: It will not likely be all of the above, but all those are all good places to check. I will try my best to keep this site updated with changes or news.

Medical Records

Sitting at my computer typing away as I contemplate my week in medicine reminds me of the 90's television show Doogie Howser. My screen is not limited to white text on blue, but essentially is the same idea in a different century.

Doogie Howser M.D.

As I type this, the digitized theme song plays in my head, while a young boy with a stethoscope parades around a hospital in an over-sized white coat. When I was younger I thought being in his shoes would have been great. Now learning medicine some 20 years later, I'm glad I had the time to mature and develop an understanding of the challenging subject. The time it takes parallels the lessons learned; unfortunately I cannot put them all in my digital diary.

In one of his journal entries, Doogie writes,

"The best success is usually the one you risk the most to achieve. But tonight I learned that sometimes just taking the risk is its own reward."

I certainly agree that in taking risks we push ourselves to new heights and grow exponentially from the lessons learned. Being involved in the hardest thing I have ever done is also one of the most rewarding. Finally realizing what I had always dreamed has never felt better. For those of you who may have missed Dr. Howser, it's not too late to get your fill thanks to the internet. Watch Doogie Howser M.D.

Question of the Week

A 22-year-old female college student is brought into the emergency room by the police, who found her walking back and forth across a busy street, talking to herself. The young woman appears to be oriented with respect to person, place, and time. Her first hospital admission was two months ago for a similar condition. During a psychiatric interview, she has difficulty concentrating, and seems to hear voices. A phone call to her sister provides the additional information that the girl dropped out of school three months ago and has been living on the street. Urine toxicology is negative. This patient is most likely exhibiting the signs and symptoms of

A. Schizoaffective disorder
B. Schizoid personality disorder
C. Schizophrenia
D. Schizophreniform disorder
E. Schizotypal personality disorder

Answer & Explanation

Medicine in Words

Although I never thought I would be saying this, the last two years have gone by so quickly. The new medical students just arrived for orientation and are sitting in the chairs we once occupied. My chronicled experience is but one among many fellow students.

Sharing the Journey

I can honestly say that I would still be confused if it were not for the students who went before me that took a minute in the hall to explain how to best prepare for what was to come. The confusing calendar of classwork, clinical rotations and residency that we describe to our family and friends dozens of times over was as foreign to me as a new language. The internet has made it easy to find answers in a matter of seconds, but the genuine experience can be lost along the way. For that reason I started this blog to share my experience with others who might be looking for an answer to the question, "what is medical school like?" Until recently, I had difficulty finding any such documented experience.

Not long ago, I was invited to be a contributing author on the combined blog, "The Differential." It is certainly an honor to be among students from around the world who share their ups and downs in regards to their medical education. Our blog is hosted by the well known medical resource Medscape, which increases the exposure our posts receive more than we could achieve on our own. After a little research I learned that there is an entire community of medical provider blogs on their site. At any stage in your training and for almost any specialty, there is a blog just for you. When you get a minute, I recommend creating an account and exploring some of the writings for yourself. Should you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Question of the Week

A 6 year old girl is being evaluated for short stature. She is at the 12th percentile for height and the 34th percentile for weight. Vital signs are within normal limits. And physical exam shows widely spaced nipples and a high arched palate. Karyotyping shows 45XO. Which is she most at risk of developing?

A. Bipolar disorder
B. Breast cancer
C. Mental retardation
D. Mitral valve prolapse
E. Osteoporosis

Answer & Explanation