Your time, Your Choice

Sometimes in life, you have to find those little things that you take for granted, and look forward to them with more anticipation than you usually do. I’m finding that I have to do that frequently. Most recently, I looked forward to Christmas break. Normally, during undergrad, I would have taken it for granted to some degree. I mean, after all, it was just part of the schedule to make things work out for the academic calendar. This year though, was something all together different. It was an incredible, needed relief from the rigorous academic life in medical school. Two whole weeks of doing nothing really, and there in lied the problem….doing nothing. Never during the course of the year will we have two whole weeks in which we have nothing to do (except our last summer break). That is two weeks that one could potentially go out and make a difference in the lives of people that don’t have anything during Christmas. Did I do that? No? I selfishly consumed all of the time for myself, and the thought of giving my time and talents to somebody else never occurred. So, if I can encourage my classmates in this one thing, yes, the time you have off is yours, but it is also yours to give. Making a difference in somebody’s life is so much more worthwhile than spending all break watching Northern Exposure (though Northern Exposure is a phenomenal TV show).

On the other side of things, I’m currently in the midst of learning the ins and outs of metabolism from a biochemical point of view. I actually find it rather enjoying, though I’m still trying to get into the swing of academic life again after break. This weekend (post exam), I’m going to go visit my aunt and uncle down in Eugene. It will be a great weekend, as it always is (minus being in Duckie country). I like medical school. I’m slowly learning to enjoy studying. To those of you that read this, and are thinking about applying to medical school, do it. It will be the ride of your life, but it is well worth it (well, I still have 3.5 years left, my opinion may change). Anywho, I need to get going to study. Just thought I would throw out a pseudo update to those of you that read this.

Mark Halvorson

“Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

In the Midst of it All

I know, I know, it has been quite some time since I have written anything. I have been busy, believe me. Medical school…the bane of my existence, yet the most fun thing I have done in a long while. I’m still trying to figure out how that can be, how one thing can be so fun, yet so mundane and horrid at the same time. Medical school is more fun than horrid though. The horridness only appears at 2 AM the night before an exam, when I realize that I still don’t know anything and I’m not going to remember anything more, so I might as well just go to bed. That is horrifying.

Recently, the class just finished Anatomy…recently as in three weeks ago. We weren’t even given time to dwell in our accomplishment of having completed our first medical school class before we were kicked in the face by cell structure and function. I’m told that this is the hardest class we have in medical school. I’m inclined to believe what I’m told, but then again, what class isn’t hard? Once we finish CSF, we move onto systems processes and homeostasis, which will be the hardest class we have ever had in medical school. The level of difficulty is determined by, I think, the amount of stress and fatigue one experiences during a given class.

Last Friday, I was able to experience, firsthand, my first CSF exam. It was fun, especially having had only four hours of sleep prior. I think the exam went well, but I will find out Monday. What I perceive and what actually happened are two different things. The most exciting thing about having finished the exam was that it marked the beginning of Thanksgiving break. Now, normally, I would be excited for Thanksgiving break, but it isn’t a giddy, overwhelmed excited. Thanksgiving break occurs every year, and usually I have had homework or studying to do, but it wasn’t imperative that I do so, so I could slack off for five days or so and still not be behind. This year however, I had four whole days where I didn’t even have to THINK about school, because I had not scholastic responsibilities whatsoever. How is that for having your cake and eating it to!? I have never been so excited for four days in my life, and I’m sure that as I approach Christmas break, I will become unbearably excited for that as well. I’m already listening to Christmas music, trying to spread the holiday cheer, though I don’t know if my classmates will have any of it. If one were to come visit campus, they would see the wear and tear that is befalling us Med 15ers. As the weeks pass in CSF, I am beginning to see more and more coffee mugs sprout where there were none before. My classmates are beginning to look like zombies, hungry for sleep rather than human flesh. It is at this point, more than ever, I believe in the existence of zombies.

I think I should close this post now, as I’m beginning to talk about zombies for no apparent reason. Well, I close for now, and to my fellow Med 15ers, hang in there. We must pin our ears back and attack CSF for another three weeks. We have made it thus far, there is no reason we can’t go farther!

Blessings,
Mark

It has Begun!!!!

Hello All!
Things have been rather hectic since I last wrote. I have since moved to Portland and begun medical school! I started this last Monday (the 15th) and have been going through orientation activities since. I do not yet have internet at my apartment, I am still waiting for the internet peeps to arrange a time to come out to my apartment to set things up. Apparently I am incapable of doing so myself (though, they never really let me try, I was just told they were going to set it up).

This week has been fun and tiring all at the same time. I have orientation everyday for about 7-8 hours...I did not know I could be oriented on so much stuff in a given week. I have listened to 75% of it and retained maybe 1/3 of that :). One thing I do remember is this...in one of my courses, the Biological Basis of Disease, my class will go through 6,000+ power point slides, 1,000+ pages of lecture notes and seven different textbooks...all in 10 weeks. That does not sound like fun...at all...but I am remaining optimistic that it will be fun indeed.

My classmates are all super cool. The average age of my class is 26, with about 26% of my class being married. Consequently, most people are pretty laid back. We have 128 students in the class of 2015. I know maybe 60 of them???

On Friday, I will be cloaked with my white clinical lab coat and the school will make the dangerous assumption that I am ready to begin the steps towards becoming an excellent (their word choice, not mine) clinician. I think the publicity of the white coat ceremony is not only to allow our friends and family to join with us in the celebration of the start of medical school, but also to secretly tell us students, in front of 800 people "Don't make us look bad." I hope I do not do so, but at this point I can make no guarantees...only with an exasperated sigh will I say "I will do my best."

Well, this is about it for now. I will post more once I have internet functioning in my apartment. Also, I would like to apologize in advance to all of my family and friends for my coming disappearance. School is going to take a lot of time, and consequently, I may not have time to hang out with all of you at the drop of a hat. Actually, I won't have the time. So if I disappear, and you don't hear from me in months, assume that I am hunched over a desk, coffee in one hand, highlighter in another and my nose in Clinically Oriented Anatomy! Cheers!

Mark

OH! SU, You have Called my Name

Well, I figure the time has come for an update. Don't expect many updates until medical school starts, as not much is really happening. I could probably surf the web for the most mentally stimulating articles about medicine, but alas, I don't really want to spend that much time in front of this square screen. I expect I may end up doing more of that in the future.

Anywho, to the meat of this post. I am no longer attending DMU. I was kicked out before I even started. Supposedly, I was the first student to have done so. So, as that is the case, OHSU had compassion on me and gave me a spot in the incoming class. I am sure you all are wondering "How did he get kicked out?" Well, I will have to work out the details on that story, but when I do, I will get back to you ;). In all honesty, I actually gave up my spot at DMU as I made it into OHSU off of the waitlist. Somehow, OHSU went through an unprecedented amount of waitlist spots and found their way to me, at #96. All I can say is...God is good. 

The unfortunate event about this is, I had already signed a lease on an apartment in Iowa, and am now responsible for the first two months of rent (the consequences of signing a lease before you actually have the intent of moving). So, if anybody is moving to Iowa, and wants a one bedroom apartment with french doors, I have one available for 545 a month! Once I was accepted into OHSU, I faced the problem of finding someplace to live. Now, I don't know if you have ever been to OHSU, but it is in the worst possible place one could put a hospital, so trying to find a place to live that has a minimal commute time, is cheap, and not sketchy is a difficult thing to do. Well, I have done so. I found a first year dental student looking for a roommate. So I took him up on his offer, and my new apartment is 900 ft from school, only 412 a month (for my half) and in pretty good condition. AWESOME!

Well, that is it for now...at least until I start orientation on August 15th (or classes on Aug 22nd). Adios!

Beginning of the End Update

Well, I know it has been some time since I have added anything on this blog. I know I promised many MCAT tips, but to be honest, there wasn't much point to that. Now here I am...posting...something. In all reality, I just wanted to apprise all of the people that may read this blog of my situation regarding medical school and what not.



At the end of my interview cycle, when all was said and done, I was accepted to two out of the three schools at which I received interviews. I was accepted at Midwestern University (in Glendale, Arizona) and Des Moines University (in Des Moines, Iowa...how fitting). While Midwestern was technically closer to home, I would still have to fly and, well, that still costs money and Glendale is ugly and horridly hot and life cannot exist there, nor will I. Consequently, I put a seat deposit down at DMU while waiting to hear from OHSU about my status. Wait and wait I did, until eventually, I was put on hold (hold is the exact same status I was in before, only with a label) and I would not hear anything regarding my acceptance or rejection until May 15th. Eventually, May 15th rolled around and I found out I was wait listed....#96 to be exact. OHSU typically only goes through about #30 or so on the wait list. Knowing this, I had resigned to the fact that I would be moving to Iowa come mid/end of July. BUT WAIT! As I followed my status and the wait list status on my OHSU student admissions portal, I realized that they were burning through the wait list! OHSU had given the students that were wait listed a form to fill out in order to remain on the wait list, and this form had to be turned in on May 27. Obviously, May 27 has come and gone. Currently, I am #96 (well, this actually won't change, I will forever be remembered as #96) and the wait list stopped at #59 over the weekend, with the May 27 deadline passing. So, I hope, Lord willing, that tomorrow, many people will be removed and my chances of getting into OHSU will have increased dramatically. Please, please be praying for me and this situation.

If I don't get into OHSU, as I have said, I will be moving to Iowa. What this move means for all of you...my friends...is that I will want to some how, some way, see you before I leave. Please call me, e-mail me, something me so we can try to find time to get together!

Ciao and God Bless
Mark