J Tree Summer 07

Shall I Try This Again??

Alright, let's give this another go. It's probably a better time anyways since I'm out on rotations and out of contact with yet even more people which I didn't think was even possible!! I'm currently in Worcester, Massachusetts starting my first third year rotation in Internal Medicine. This is the service that covers peoples care after they're admitted to the hospital. I'm at St. Vincent's Hospital. It's a great place with amazing people. The town was a little sketchy at first but I'm starting to find some places that are great, such as this little coffee shop called Cafe Dulce that has free internet and is open 4pm-12am, about the only time I get to study. The rest of the day (and I mean pretty much the WHOLE rest of the day) is spent running around the hospital seeing my patients (I have about 2 at a time now), looking at labs, looking at imaging, talking to my resident and interns, and going to lectures. We're in teams with a resident, two interns, and a fourth year student is also on my team. We're the red team, it's a good time!
So far so good. I still feel a little lost sometimes but that's to be expected. Today we had teaching rounds and the attending asked me what products the liver makes and my brain shut off. Of course I know what the liver makes but at the time he asked I may have not been able to tell him my own phone number! It's only been a week and a half and my brain is tired! It's exciting though and I've been having a great time. Already I've gotten to watch a lumbar puncture, look at slides with the pathologist, watch a colonoscopy (I can't wait to be 50!), and placement of a nasogastric tube. I'm just getting started!
I will try to write more updates, especially if something cool happens. In the meantime I'll work on updating things that happened this summer including boards (I passed) and Shawn and I GETTING ENGAGED!!! (I was saving that for last for those that didn't know :))
Be seeing you more soon... that's not a promise ;)