Good things come to those who wait

I just got one of the best Christmas presents ever today!

My friend ordered me award-winning lobster pot pies from Maine.  OMG they were divine!

This was my contribution to the meal: garlicky spinach and mushrooms (tryin to make it a tiny bit healthy)

Oh yeah, and this weekend was the 31st annual UCD SOM Wine Auction to benefit the free student run clinics.  I bought my mom a ticket as her Christmas present, and we both had a wonderful time.  There were lots of wonderful wines, everyone dressed up all classy, live performances, and cool stuff to bid on.  It was really fun!  I definitely hope to go all four years!

We have our first quiz on Friday.  I'm not really looking forward to it.  So far, I haven't really liked the stuff we have been learning the first week back in class.  Lots of boring, detailed, stuff.  I like Pharmacology so far though.  It's cool to learn about the drugs and how they work.  Next weekend I am off to LA to visit my friends and my bf.  Look out for a post from that!

Red October

Flu Shots!

The second years warned us that October would be a crazy month, and I don't think I realized it until this week.  The first week, we had Quiz #5 and our second anatomy practical in the same week.  Next up, biochem final on Monday, then we have Quiz #6 the next Tuesday, which covers three weeks worth of material instead of two.  And personally, I have my anatomy oral presentation the week after Quiz #6.  This month has absolutely no breaks whatsoever, and it's getting exhausting!  On the other hand, I can't believe that Block one is over half way done!  I have learned so much in such a short time.  But I guess that is what med school is all about!  I have loved every step of the way so far... I can't wait to see what else is in store for me.

I am feeling relatively okay with the upcoming biochem final.  Luckily, I only need less than 50% on it to pass the class (there are no grades at UCD).  That has not helped with motivating me to study, but at least I am not stressed out.  To be honest, I'm not really feeling very stressed about school anymore, just a little tired.  I'm still getting the hang of having tests so often.  And going from a 10 week quarter system to a 4.5 month block has been an adjustment in itself.  If I was still in undergrad, I would already be done with the quarter!

The one downside of "Red October" has been that I have sort of been putting off exercising and eating healthy.  Being busy is no excuse not to exercise, I know.  I am working on it!  Tomorrow I am getting back into it.  I especially love zumba... it's so fun you forget you are exercising.  As far as not eating healthy anymore, I don't really know what happened between the beginning of school and now.  I am less stressed than I was then, so that isn't it.  I am definitely an emotional eater though (*gasp* my secret is out!) but I am still learning what triggers it.  I noticed that I tend to want to "console" myself with comfort food after a long, exhausting, draining day.  Or when I am feeling restless/bored with studying.  I was doing so well a few months ago, and the only thing that has really changed is that I am just worn out now.  I am often behind on sleep and I have been in much need of a real, true, non-studying break.  Well, I am aware of it now, and I am making an effort to not eat when I'm not truly physically hungry.  Also, I am going to go back to not buying any sort of junk food.  It's so much easier not to eat crap when it's not waiting for you in the fridge.

Enough about my issues (haha, bet you didn't think I was gonna get all self-analytical on you, did you?)... I have achieved some more medical school milestones!  On Monday, I gave my first real female pelvic exam.  I actually did a pretty good job (verified by our preceptor).  Yes, I did have the advantage of going last, but at least I learned from everyone's mistakes - unlike one person in my group haha.  I thought the procedure was pretty cool (in a non-creepy way) and I am looking forward to seeing more ob/gyn related stuff!  I also shadowed a doctor in family practice/OB this week, which was an inspiring experience.  Although we mostly saw family practice patients, I thoroughly enjoyed my day following her around.  The whole time I just kept thinking, "I can't wait to be a doctor".

Okay, I know this has been a long post, but one more funny story: so in a doctoring lecture, we were learning about examining ears.  The physician needed a volunteer and no one wanted to do it, so I volunteered and showed the whole class my tympanosclerosis!  It looked just like the slides the doctor showed us right before!

I lied... ONE last thing.  Our friend Eric dropped off pumpkins for all of us on our porch to wish us luck on the final! So nice! :)

An enlightening day

The beginning of this week was a but of a downer (biochem kicked my ass on quiz #4.  probably because we had an anatomy practical smack in the middle of our time between quiz 3 and 4).  It's alright though, I will just do better next time!

The week has just been getting better and better though.  We gave our first male pelvic and digital rectal exams (sticking our fingers up someone's rectum) on a standardized patient.  It wasn't that bad at all!  Today we had a class officer meeting, and I am really enjoying being involved with the social aspect of our class.  I am one of the officers in charge of putting our "talent act" together for the annual "roast of med school/UCD" that the school has.  So it's fun, but not TOO much of a time commitment, which I enjoy.  Also, I went to a book club meeting for Medical Students For Choice (MSFC).  I didn't get a chance to actually read the book, but that's okay because I got to listen/participate in some good convo surrounding the topic and some fellow students let me borrow the book!  I really enjoyed just going to absorb other people's thoughts and experiences.  I love hearing new ideas and expanding my mind to things that were never even on my radar to begin with, so I really enjoy going to MSFC events.

Oh also, we had an amazing "lecture" today by a truly inspiring physician in doctoring today.  It's hard to explain what he talked about (it was basically a pep talk about life as a med student/later on as a physician), but basically in a nutshell he just gave us all "warm and fuzzies" about life, medicine, and being the best person you can be.  :)  Sometimes, you just need someone to give you the warm and fuzzies.

Great Day

I was having a little trouble earlier this week, but things have been really looking up in the last couple of days.  Today was an absolutely fabulous day!  Even though we had a long day of class and lab, lectures weren't too bad and lab was pretty fun today.  Our instructor even told us we had a "beautiful dissection" of the axilla!  Then, after class I went to the Ob/Gyn student interest group potluck.  I brought stuffed bell peppers, which actually turned out quite good, even though I totally improvised on the recipe.  I had a really good time, and met some more new people that I really like!

I saved the best for last... my mom called saying that she had landed safely in the US!  She won't be back home for another couple of weeks, but I am so glad to at least have her back safe.  I can't wait to see her.

After such great news, and a very long, but good day... I decided to take the rest of the night off :)  We all need a break sometime, don't we?  Looking forward to this weekend despite the fact that I am going to spend most of it studying.  I'm still going to try to be social by studying with friends and eating with friends on breaks.  I am actually feeling a lot less stressed about Monday's quiz.  It's so weird... just a few days ago I was having a mini-breakdown.  Well, I guess I am still getting used to med school haha.  

Med School Is Hard. Imagine That!

I just started my third week of medical school, and I am definitely feeling overwhelmed at this point.  I am just not used to the pace yet.  Basically, it's like we have a midterm every other week, and I am studying like I did during finals week at UCLA every day.  Haha.  I know, I know... I got myself into this.  I am well aware.  I am not complaining, I am merely describing my current emotional state!  I am busting my butt studying for the 2nd quiz coming up because I do not want to fail any subjects.

It's also overwhelming because there are so many things going on outside of the classroom: a ton of student interest groups, volunteering at clinics, etc...  It really irritates me when certain classmates have been asking me OVER and OVER "so, you volunteering at clinic this weekend?  Oh, I am!" since before the first week.  For the millionth time "I AM NOT READY YET!" Some of us need a little time to acclimate ourselves to something so new before jumping in to a million commitments.  I would love to volunteer at one of the student run clinics, but I would like to feel comfortable with school first, thank you very much.

But don't get the wrong idea... I love it!  I love med school, I love UCD!  I am just in that awko phase where I am trying to get into a routine and feel comfortable in my new environment.  So far, I love going to yoga at school, taking care of and eating from my garden, and studying or hanging out with my friends.

And here is a little fun story:  like I said, I was feeling overwhelmed and a little down last night and earlier today, but then in anatomy lab, one of the orthopedic surgeons walking around saw me dissecting and said "You should be an eye surgeon!"  I know he probably wasn't serious, but it made my day!  It was nice to hear some sort of encouragement after losing some self-confidence in the last week or so.

Quiz 2, here I come!

I survived my first med school test! (kinda)

So yesterday we had our first quiz (more like an undergrad midterm).  It wasn't TOO bad, and I passed all subjects except one (oops)!  It's okay though, I have plenty more opportunities to make up for the few questions I got wrong.  I definitely feel like I studied enough, but the questions I got wrong were just really tricky and threw me off.

Moral of the story: I survived!

Other than that, everything else is pretty much the same.  Loving life!

Oh yeah, I had a GREAT birthday this year.  Went to dinner with my family, got a very nice surprise from Omar in the mail, and my friends threw me a mini surprise party/study break!!!  It was so awesome and I was legitimately surprised!  No one has ever surprised me before so it was really cool.  I can tell I have made some really good friends here :)

:)