by Erica | Oct 31, 2012
When I last posted on this blog, the M1 students were in our Clinical Foundations of Medicine week. We are now in our fourth week of our Cardio/Respiratory sequence, which is a huge departure from everything that we had been doing up to this point. Previously, we were studying biochemistry, genetics, and general medical decision-making methods. The cardio sequence is the first part of medical school that is similar to what I imagined medical school would be like. Although, the pace increased quickly after our Clinical Foundations of Medicine week, I feel much more engaged with what I am learning. Almost everything we learn in physiology or anatomy relates to at least one disease that is very common both in the United States and internationally.
I have also appreciated the transition to fall. Many students come to Michigan anxious about the cold, but I love the drop in temperature. Granted, I am from the northeast and I went to school in Minnesota; but I can objectively say that this fall has been lovely. In my free time I have tried to be outside as much as I can. I recently ran in a 5-person relay of the Detroit Marathon with four of my classmates. To train for my 10K leg, I spent a lot of time running in my neighborhood and the arboretum. The arboretum is right by the medical school and it had some incredible fall colors this year, but unfortunately I do not have pictures. I did take pictures of the Detroit marathon when I was running my leg. The portion that I ran went over the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit to Windsor, Canada. The marathon began at 7:00 AM; it was very surreal to begin running in Detroit without any natural light, then run over the bridge to Canada during dawn, and end in Canada after sunrise.
Ambassador Bridge During Detroit Marathon
To sign off, I will leave you with an image of the Jack-O-Lantern that my classmate carved. It was his first time carving a pumpkin! I was very impressed with his skills and I not at all surprised that he is interested in a surgical specialty. Happy Halloween!
Carved by Dushyanth Srinivasan (M1)
by Erica | Oct 3, 2012
The first year medical students just finished our Cells and Tissues sequence. Cells and Tissues is a great deal of Biochem over four weeks. At first it started off at a pace that I felt like I could grasp, but the third week became uncomfortably similar to my postbaccalaureate experience. For you of those who don’t know, a postbaccalaureate or “postbac “program is for non-traditional students who decide to complete their premedical requirements after graduating from college. My postbac program fit all premed requirements into one year, and I felt that the pace of Cells and Tissues was similar to what I experienced during that year. Everyone who decides to enter medical school is a hard worker, but I think that by the final exam most of my classmates were ready to learn about patients rather than protein import to peroxisomes.
This week is a Clinical Foundations of Medicine (CFM) week. Rather than basic science, our lectures are about topics such as health care disparities, complementary and alternative (CAM) medicine, geriatrics, and end of life care. We have four field trips over the course of this week from a CAM field visit to an interview with a senior citizen. Switching from Cells and Tissues to a CFM Week is a welcomed change, but it is also an adjustment to move from the microlevel to the macrolevel. Last week we were talking about membrane potentials and this week we are discussing how we would create an ideal health care system. Both are important topics, but they require analyzing problems in a very different light.
The most enjoyable part about CFM week is the fact that we get a lot more time to socialize. On Monday, I went out to get a beer and dinner with a friend after yesterday’s classes ended. Yesterday one of my classmates had a bonfire at her house.. These are the same people who I was studying with this past weekend and now we actually get a chance to discuss our lives before medical school. CFM week has also provided the opportunity to compare our thoughts on patient care, the health system, and the doctor’s role in medicine. Although I feel that I am working harder than I have previously worked, I am actually very happy in medical school so far. I know that my classmates contribute a great deal to my happiness.
Thank you for reading!
Erica
