Father Time…supposedly he exists, but I think he is dead. I haven’t seen anything that resembles time since med school started. Classes officially began on August 22nd. Richard Jones Hall 4320 was filled to the brim with bright eyed (some more than others) medical students, physician’s assistant students, and radiation therapy students, all eager to start class. I’m rather certain none of us really had an adequate grasp of what would lay ahead of us these next two years, but rest assured, by the end of the first lecture and anatomy lab, we all had a pretty good idea. Dr. Gary Ciment, our anatomy professor, began class at 8 AM. We started with the peripheral nervous system. Lecture resembled something like this “The peripheral nervous system…(insert a whirlwind of words).” Then two hours later, “Okay, that is the peripheral nervous system. Know it for the exam on Sept 12th.” Uhhh, sure, I think I can do that. After lecture, we hurried down to the anatomy lab to begin dissecting. My first dissection was a rather intense experience. I felt privileged to be able to go past the exterior surface of a person and see what was inside…I think we all did. I do know we are all very thankful to those that donated their bodies (and will donate) to further our education and the education of those after us. We are deeply indebted to your gift.
As for the rest of the week and this week, the lectures were all very similar. In the course of seven days, we have covered the PNS, the back, the posterior shoulder, the axilla, the arm, and the forearm (and dissected each, except the PNS). Next week, we will finish out the extensor compartment of the forearm and the hand, and then take our first exam on Monday, the 12th! The second year students say this is the easiest class we will have in school. Right now, I have a hard time believing them, but I probably should.
Amidst all of this “learning” life still happens. So, yes, I still have to make coffee in the morning (not saying I’m opposed to that), go to different training session things, meet with advisers, meet with preceptors and watch football. I’m still trying to figure out the balance between this “life” and school. Some days, I tend to focus exclusively on school, other days (don’t worry, not THAT many) I tend to focus exclusively on life. Eventually, I will be able to focus on both throughout the course of a day, but I am not yet a master.
I was also assigned my faculty adviser this week. This was a very interesting situation. His name is Dr. Darin Friess, an orthopedic trauma surgeon. As I do with every doctor I follow or come into contact with, I read his CV on the OHSU website. When I arrived at the education part of the CV, I noticed he graduated from Tulane School of Medicine in 1999. For some reason, this year rang a bell in my head. “1999, wait, didn’t Dr. Moore graduate from Tulane in 1999?” Dr. Moore is one of the primary people responsible for my desire to go into the field of medicine and has been a mentor and role model since. So, realizing this, I shot Dr. Moore an e-mail, and sure enough, Dr. Friess and Dr. Moore were good friends in medical school and continue that relationship to this day. What a small world!
Lastly, I met my Principles in Clinical Medicine preceptor, Dr. Shinpei Shibata. He just started working at OHSU as an attending in the pediatric intensive care unit in June. This is actually his first attending job! I have so much to learn, and have been blessed with somebody who really wants to teach. My fears have more or less been alleviated and I can’t wait to start working with him. I can only pray that I get to make some small difference in a child’s life in the next 10 weeks time.
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