Hello beginning of Peds!
Here's the story of the beginning of my next 6 wks in Pediatrics.
Today is my first real day of Peds. I arrived last night in York to be welcomed to my lovely new room. Picture - white cinderblock hallway lined on both sides by tan doors and the accompanying room numbers. Thankfully, my roommate is my good friend Melanie. We open the door to our lovely new home to find... white cinderblock walls, 2 twin beds with a shelf above each of them, 2 desks, 2 small closets and 2 dressers! For my Trinity readers out there - take our dorm rooms and shrink them about 25-30%. Down the hall would be where the bathroom and shower would be. I never got to experience the joy of a communal bathroom at Trinity, but now I have my chance!
It wouldn't be a true college experience unless...at 6:30 in the morning the fire alarm goes off! Yup - wouldn't you know it. Mel and I look at each other and are like - you've got to be kidding me. she's like if we are the only 2 people outside... So we throw on sweatshirts and walk out into the hallway. No one. Walk down a flight of stairs and there are a few boys standing outside their rooms on the 2nd floor. Walk down another flight to the first floor - no one is outside their rooms. This is where some of the on-call residents stay. They have some food for us on the first floor. Not smelling any smoke or seeing any sign of panic - we go grab b-fast to take back to our room. While getting b-fast we hear an all clear message and return to start our day a little bit earlier.
Now we're both ready with an hour to kill. Time for coffee.
P.S. I will post pictures once I have my camera here. I left it in Hershey, but I'll be going back this weekend!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The end of Rads
Today was the last day of my radiology rotation - it also signifies my completing 1/4 of my 3rd year. It's kind of crazy that I'm already a quarter of the way finished. What is even more unfathomable to me is the fact that at this time next year I will have chosen a specialty, applied to residency programs, and be anxiously awaiting to hear if and where I will be interviewing.
I feel like a small child being asked - "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Before, I would have said I want to be a doctor. This is obviously still true, but now I feel as if I am being asked almost the exact same question, "What type of medicine do you want to go into?" Deciding to become a physician was only the tip of the iceberg in this decision of a lifelong career. After my acceptance to medical school a whole new world opened up to me. I was no longer a college pre-med sitting there with my fingers crossed - "just let me in, just let me in" I had made it - I was accepted. I was going to be a doctor.
Now as a 3rd year medical student I travel through many different areas of medicine on various rotations. (family med, internal med, pediatrics, Ob/Gyn, psych, surgery etc) These brief 1-2 month exposures to the various specialties are supposed to guide me in my decision of how I want to spend my career in medicine. As I proceed through each rotation I am doing my best to reflect and analyze what is I like/dislike about it. This blog is supposed to help me do that. I do not remember if I posted about family medicine or not. If not I will relatively soon. I wrote about it in my journal.
As for radiology...
I decided to do rads for my elective, because I figured whatever field of medicine I decided to go into radiology would have a role. This past month was to serve me an opportunity to see what radiology had to offer diagnostically and therapeutically to patients and just to see the behind the scenes action. In many ways radiology is exactly what you think of - people sitting in dark rooms in front of a computer screen all day reading out "films" (which are now all digital). This is a big part of radiology. There can be patient interaction through Interventional radiology or though ultrasound or CT guided biopsies. There are opportunities to work with patients. But for the most part it is a lot of independent work spent in front of a computer screen.
This may sound very boring to some and at times it was - my head bobbed a few times, finding myself near sleep. And I did miss the sun - thankfully they let me out of work at 4 so there was still plenty of daylight to be enjoyed.
What I did enjoy about radiology was the variety. Even though they look at many x-rays, CTs, or MRIs over and over again - they see many different diaganoses. One patient is there to look for metastasis, another kidney stones, another internal bleeding, etc. I also enjoyed the anatomy aspect of radiology. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed anatomy. CT scans help visualize different organs in relation to one another throughout the body. X-rays help with recalling which bones are where and normal physiology as they heal and how that changes their look radiographically.
The big question though is - could I be a radiologist?
For me - probably not. I like the variety they see, the hours they work, and the salary they are paid...But it lacks a patient interaction that I need. It lacks knowing more about the entire patient and their story. I saw some interesting cases in radiology, but most of the time I was more interested in how do you manage or treat this condition or what does that feel like - more than concern with how it radiographically is expressed.
Also, sitting in a dark room all day cannot be good for you.
Next up - 6 weeks of Pediatrics. Bring on the babies. Any bets on if and when I will get peed or pooed on?
I feel like a small child being asked - "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Before, I would have said I want to be a doctor. This is obviously still true, but now I feel as if I am being asked almost the exact same question, "What type of medicine do you want to go into?" Deciding to become a physician was only the tip of the iceberg in this decision of a lifelong career. After my acceptance to medical school a whole new world opened up to me. I was no longer a college pre-med sitting there with my fingers crossed - "just let me in, just let me in" I had made it - I was accepted. I was going to be a doctor.
Now as a 3rd year medical student I travel through many different areas of medicine on various rotations. (family med, internal med, pediatrics, Ob/Gyn, psych, surgery etc) These brief 1-2 month exposures to the various specialties are supposed to guide me in my decision of how I want to spend my career in medicine. As I proceed through each rotation I am doing my best to reflect and analyze what is I like/dislike about it. This blog is supposed to help me do that. I do not remember if I posted about family medicine or not. If not I will relatively soon. I wrote about it in my journal.
As for radiology...
I decided to do rads for my elective, because I figured whatever field of medicine I decided to go into radiology would have a role. This past month was to serve me an opportunity to see what radiology had to offer diagnostically and therapeutically to patients and just to see the behind the scenes action. In many ways radiology is exactly what you think of - people sitting in dark rooms in front of a computer screen all day reading out "films" (which are now all digital). This is a big part of radiology. There can be patient interaction through Interventional radiology or though ultrasound or CT guided biopsies. There are opportunities to work with patients. But for the most part it is a lot of independent work spent in front of a computer screen.
This may sound very boring to some and at times it was - my head bobbed a few times, finding myself near sleep. And I did miss the sun - thankfully they let me out of work at 4 so there was still plenty of daylight to be enjoyed.
What I did enjoy about radiology was the variety. Even though they look at many x-rays, CTs, or MRIs over and over again - they see many different diaganoses. One patient is there to look for metastasis, another kidney stones, another internal bleeding, etc. I also enjoyed the anatomy aspect of radiology. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed anatomy. CT scans help visualize different organs in relation to one another throughout the body. X-rays help with recalling which bones are where and normal physiology as they heal and how that changes their look radiographically.
The big question though is - could I be a radiologist?
For me - probably not. I like the variety they see, the hours they work, and the salary they are paid...But it lacks a patient interaction that I need. It lacks knowing more about the entire patient and their story. I saw some interesting cases in radiology, but most of the time I was more interested in how do you manage or treat this condition or what does that feel like - more than concern with how it radiographically is expressed.
Also, sitting in a dark room all day cannot be good for you.
Next up - 6 weeks of Pediatrics. Bring on the babies. Any bets on if and when I will get peed or pooed on?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Open Mouth Insert Foot
I know it's been a while since I've written. My parents just left today and we had our fair share of adventures during this past week. I'm not going to rehash all of them for you right now - in due time. Right now it's my lunch break, so I have limited time and no pictures to post. So I'm going to tell you a small story of me doing something awesome / embarrassing on accident.
My parents, a friend of mine, and I went out to dinner on Sunday night. It was a nice evening with perfect weather to sit outside and enjoy the evening air. As we are walking into the restuarant where we are going to eat I notice a guy sitting at a table reading a book and smoking. Ok, no big deal. Let him do his thing, but we still want to sit outside. So I walk in and the host asks me where we would like to sit - I tell him 4 for outside please but ... not next to the smoker. He tells me ok and he seats us outside as far away from the smoker as possible. I'm happy. We sit down and are handed our menus and my mom is across the table from me giggling. She says - you know he IS the smoker. The host who seated us was the same guy sitting outside and smoking. Good one. Oh well - I think he finished his cigarette and went inside after that.
Maybe I need to be more observant or maybe it was a good thing because not knowing made me more honest!
My parents, a friend of mine, and I went out to dinner on Sunday night. It was a nice evening with perfect weather to sit outside and enjoy the evening air. As we are walking into the restuarant where we are going to eat I notice a guy sitting at a table reading a book and smoking. Ok, no big deal. Let him do his thing, but we still want to sit outside. So I walk in and the host asks me where we would like to sit - I tell him 4 for outside please but ... not next to the smoker. He tells me ok and he seats us outside as far away from the smoker as possible. I'm happy. We sit down and are handed our menus and my mom is across the table from me giggling. She says - you know he IS the smoker. The host who seated us was the same guy sitting outside and smoking. Good one. Oh well - I think he finished his cigarette and went inside after that.
Maybe I need to be more observant or maybe it was a good thing because not knowing made me more honest!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Parents
My parents are in town for the next week or so. We spent Sunday in Philly - walking around exploring and going to the Mutter Museum which houses medical anomalies and pathology. There are all sorts of skeletons there - some bones with huge bone tumors, ankylosing spondylitis (where the vertebrae fuse together so a person cannot bend over, and the skeleton of a man who had myositis osificaans progressiva (something like that) - where one's muscles slowly turn to bone. There were jars and jars of other pathological specimens. Some things not so uncommon - a horseshoe kidney, a colon of someone with familial polyposis (1000's of polyps), a liver from someone with hemochromatosis (when one has a genetic defect so that they cannot excrete iron - so it accumulates in their body). Most of the pathological specimens look like what we see in pictures in med school, but it was neat to see them in person.
We went to the Reading Terminal which was filled with tons of little food stands and random booths, etc. Reading Terminal as in Reading Railroad in Monopoly (I think). This is where we ate our required Philly cheesesteak for the trip! We were also within walking distance of Chinatown - so I had my fill of dim sum before we had to head back to Hershey. This morning they dropped me off at school, just like in elementary school. They picked me up after I was done, too. Heck, it beats parking and having to walk the 10 minutes it takes to get to clinic. My Dad made me b-fast this morning, but I'm a big girl, because I did pack my own lunch!
Ok it's getting late - bedtime. Another day of radiology tomorrow. Heading off to Niagara Falls - part 2 this weekend! I'll try and post some pics in the next few days.
We went to the Reading Terminal which was filled with tons of little food stands and random booths, etc. Reading Terminal as in Reading Railroad in Monopoly (I think). This is where we ate our required Philly cheesesteak for the trip! We were also within walking distance of Chinatown - so I had my fill of dim sum before we had to head back to Hershey. This morning they dropped me off at school, just like in elementary school. They picked me up after I was done, too. Heck, it beats parking and having to walk the 10 minutes it takes to get to clinic. My Dad made me b-fast this morning, but I'm a big girl, because I did pack my own lunch!
Ok it's getting late - bedtime. Another day of radiology tomorrow. Heading off to Niagara Falls - part 2 this weekend! I'll try and post some pics in the next few days.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
State College and Memories
It's football season! To kick it off I spent the weekend in State College visiting a "friend" ;) ;) who is doing a rotation there for the next month. A group of us were going to tail gate on Saturday before the Penn State vs. Oregon game, but it started to rain and we wimped out. Instead we bbq'd on my friend's porch and watched the game at his place. I learned that Penn State's Beaver Stadium (the football stadium) is the 2nd largest stadium in the country, falling short to Michigan who apparently added a few more seats just to be larger than Penn State. I have yet to go to a football game and still need to experience it.
It was weird being in a college town and walking around at night with a bunch of college kids. It made me feel old - not because I don't look like I fit in, but because I know I'm older. Even though Penn State is very very different from Trinity - it took me back to the old days in Coates. The late nights eating ice cream or a grilled cheese on Texas Toast. I'll never forget the time Nava, Ashley, and I were sitting in a booth when a random guy came and sat down next to Nava. None of us said anything, because we all assumed that someone else at the table knew who he was. Well, he proceeded to lean over and kiss her on the cheek and then got up and left. At that point we realized something was up - we were confused and giggly as one would expect. It turned out to be for a sociology experiment.
We went out for b-fast the next morning and waited in line for these wonderfully delicious chocolate chip waffles. Yum! Again, taking me back to the mornings where we would venture out to our favorite b-fast taco place. Oh how I miss those homeade tortillas!
And.... my girls!
It was weird being in a college town and walking around at night with a bunch of college kids. It made me feel old - not because I don't look like I fit in, but because I know I'm older. Even though Penn State is very very different from Trinity - it took me back to the old days in Coates. The late nights eating ice cream or a grilled cheese on Texas Toast. I'll never forget the time Nava, Ashley, and I were sitting in a booth when a random guy came and sat down next to Nava. None of us said anything, because we all assumed that someone else at the table knew who he was. Well, he proceeded to lean over and kiss her on the cheek and then got up and left. At that point we realized something was up - we were confused and giggly as one would expect. It turned out to be for a sociology experiment.
We went out for b-fast the next morning and waited in line for these wonderfully delicious chocolate chip waffles. Yum! Again, taking me back to the mornings where we would venture out to our favorite b-fast taco place. Oh how I miss those homeade tortillas!
And.... my girls!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
radiology
I am just about to finish my first week of my 1 month radiology rotation. Thus far, it's been interesting. Currently I am working in the peds department. Sometimes in the morning I watch fluroscopy - where kids drink some barium drink and we take x-rays if it to see if they have GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) or if they have an obstruction in there GI tract, etc. It's sort of interesting. Today I saw 2 girls come in to see if they are having continued vesicoureteral reflux (reflux of urine from the bladder back into the ureters going towards the kidneys). In this situation a catheter has be stuck into the girl's bladder and then we fill the bladder with something that can be seen on x-ray and look to see if there is reflux once the bladder is fully distended.
Other than that I sit in a dark room looking at x-rays, MRI's, and CT scans. It can be boring at times, but I do find some of it interesting. My goal for this rotation was just to gain some basic knowledge about radiology. I'm learning. I like the variety of the different things I get to see, because we are able to get through many films in a day. Actually there aren't real films anymore - it's all digital. The problem I have is that I want to know how to treat these kids and what happens to them. You don't get to find this out as a radiologist. For example I've seen x-rays of some pretty bad scoliosis and I want to know what can be done and how do things work out for these kids.
I'm more interested in the treatment aspect and what happens after diagnosis aspect rather than the radiology aspect. I'm learning though, relaxing, and enjoying myself.
Heading to State College this weekend to visit a "friend" ;) ;) - It should be fun. There's a Penn State Game. We don't have tickets, but that doesn't mean we can't tailgate with everyone. I'll post pictures when I get back on Sunday!
Other than that I sit in a dark room looking at x-rays, MRI's, and CT scans. It can be boring at times, but I do find some of it interesting. My goal for this rotation was just to gain some basic knowledge about radiology. I'm learning. I like the variety of the different things I get to see, because we are able to get through many films in a day. Actually there aren't real films anymore - it's all digital. The problem I have is that I want to know how to treat these kids and what happens to them. You don't get to find this out as a radiologist. For example I've seen x-rays of some pretty bad scoliosis and I want to know what can be done and how do things work out for these kids.
I'm more interested in the treatment aspect and what happens after diagnosis aspect rather than the radiology aspect. I'm learning though, relaxing, and enjoying myself.
Heading to State College this weekend to visit a "friend" ;) ;) - It should be fun. There's a Penn State Game. We don't have tickets, but that doesn't mean we can't tailgate with everyone. I'll post pictures when I get back on Sunday!
Monday, September 1, 2008
B-I-N-G-O
The last Saturday of every month the volunteer fire department in Hummelstown hosts BINGO! Mel and I have been talking about going for months now. And... we finally made it this past Saturday. Bingo Blast and a $1000 grand prize is what the sign out front said.
I know what most of you are thinking - that we would probably be the youngest people there. That's what we thought, too. I told Mel we just needed to find a grey haired elderly lady and pretend she was our grandmother.
But...we weren't the youngest people there. Families brought their children. We may have looked like a couple seeing as it was just the 2 of us and we did sit side-by-side sharing 12 bingo cards. We split a huge sheet that had 12 bingo cards on it. These sheets come in packets for the number of games. There were 26 or so games. Regular bingo and then every so often something more exciting like making an X or a T.
The catch that we didn't figure out until halfway through is that there are multiple ways to get Bingo aside from a straight or diagonal line. You can get a "postage stamp" - 4 in one corner like a box or 1 in each of the 4 corners and various other ways. We may have won earlier and not even have known. Which means... we must go back, because now our odds have increased since we know how to play. The $1000 at the end is a black out game. As you probably can guess - we didn't win that round either even though we knew what we were looking for.
oh well...there's always next time!
I know what most of you are thinking - that we would probably be the youngest people there. That's what we thought, too. I told Mel we just needed to find a grey haired elderly lady and pretend she was our grandmother.
But...we weren't the youngest people there. Families brought their children. We may have looked like a couple seeing as it was just the 2 of us and we did sit side-by-side sharing 12 bingo cards. We split a huge sheet that had 12 bingo cards on it. These sheets come in packets for the number of games. There were 26 or so games. Regular bingo and then every so often something more exciting like making an X or a T.
The catch that we didn't figure out until halfway through is that there are multiple ways to get Bingo aside from a straight or diagonal line. You can get a "postage stamp" - 4 in one corner like a box or 1 in each of the 4 corners and various other ways. We may have won earlier and not even have known. Which means... we must go back, because now our odds have increased since we know how to play. The $1000 at the end is a black out game. As you probably can guess - we didn't win that round either even though we knew what we were looking for.
oh well...there's always next time!
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