It's official

It's official!! I've incorporated medical school into my dreams!  The other night I dreamt about lipids traveling in my blood stream... I dreamt I could feel them coursing through my veins after I had eaten a blueberry muffin from Costco.  It was very dramatic.  But I guess that means that I am officially in medical school.  Well that, and the fact that I have a student ID AND a white coat that say I belong here!! I am finally growing accustomed to life here I suppose. 
On another note, I officially passed my first "mid block".  Let me tell you that studying for exams...oh, and taking exams is stressful!  This is nothing like a regular college course where you have a whole semester to learn a few topics...oh no.  This is now undergrad on steroids mixed with PCP and crack!  It seems like whole semesters are crammed into a few hours of lecture.  I am surviving, however, and in addition to surviving, I'm actually learning stuff about medical things!  Professionalism blablabla.  In addition to all the medical mumbo jumbo that I've learned so far...I've also realized some things that I probably shouldn't do.  As I was taking my mid block exam and deciding whether a direct inguinal hernia would be seen at the superficial inguinal ring or the deep inguinal ring, I found myself chuckling.  "Eric, what is so funny?"  I said to myself (yes, I talk to myself sometimes). Then out of nowhere from the voice in my head explodes  "Encarnaaaaaacioooon, En- car- na -ha - ha - ha - ho - ho - cion!"  I let out one of those nasal laughs, but I made sure to cut it extremely short (so as to not disturb my fellow test taking amigos).  I was actually singing that song in my head while I was taking a test!!  I couldn't believe it.  You see, I had grown tired of studying the night before, and Nacho Libre happened to be on TV.  I promise I only watched for a little while, but at that moment I learned that I should not be watching Nacho Libre the night before a test, and I quickly diverted my thoughts to more pertinent matters, such as gluconeogenesis pathways....some people's kids...I tell ya. 
 

To Study or not to Study??

CRUNCH!  That's the sound a ribcage makes when it is being pried open with a chisel and hammer.  I expected to be hearing that sound at least some time during my medical career...but I never thought I'd be so absolutely elated to be the one causing the sound.  The human body is truly amazing!! I must admit I am slightly conflicted about anatomy lab though.  On the one hand, I am learning soooo much.  On the other hand, a man had to die in order for me to be able to be learning sooo much.  Thank you, cadaver man! 

I've made a few realizations in the two weeks of medical school now under my belt.  One, I don't know a dang thing...Two...neither does anyone else!  There might be a student here or there that studied a little harder and has memorized the names of a few muscles or the metabolic pathway of lipids in the body...but when it comes down to it, we are like babies experiencing the world for the very first time...  Does that make anyone out there nervous?  Future doctors are like babies?  I wouldn't be too worried about it.  If there is one thing that medical students and babies have in common besides getting super cranky when hungry, is that of an unusual capacity to learn new things at an astoundingly accelerated rate.  Fear not future patients!!  You WILL be in good hands by the time I'm done here!!!

What's up DOC?

There comes a time in everyone's life where all of your decisions, good or bad, are laid out before you in this sort of road map of accomplishment or regret.  When this happens you are either filled with a strange eerie anticipation for what will come next, or absolute dread for the days to come.  You've made your bed, so to speak, and now you have to sleep in it.Well, I can tell you my friends, that my bed is filled with an eerie anticipation and desire to begin this next chapter in my life...Excited and feeling wholly unprepared for the privilege and burden of taking on the healer's art, but I guess that's why I'm going to medical school, right?

I was told today that I am now a professional...or at least on my way to becoming one.  Professional...they actually used that word.  It filled me with a sense of responsibility and maturity...  I was on my way to becoming a respected and productive member of society... and all while this was happening, a huge spider out on the prowl descended from the ceiling onto the professional shoulder of another medical student sitting in front and to the left of me.  It promptly scampered from the shoulder down the man's chest.  "Dude!!! You've got a huge spider on your shoulder!!!  kill it...KILL IT" I whisper shout.  As the words leave my lips, the unfortunate arachnophobic sole begins this jitter bug dance of jerks and squirms in his chair that I could not help but laugh out loud....Maturity?  Responsibility?  HA!  Well, it is the only the first day of medical school....