April

I can't believe it's already April and we're in the last week of classes! It seems only yesterday that we began the program. April has been a time of last moments for us pharmers. We have finished up our exams and (most of) our lectures. Nidhi, Derek, and I presented a paper on Preeclampsia for our Cardiobiology presentation. For our last Environmental Pharmacology class I gave a short "elevator talk" on the environmental impact of increased meat consumption. While our workload decreased, I kept busy by working, volunteering, and enjoying the lovely New Orleans spring weather with my friends.

This past week I also finished up volunteering at University Medical Center. I am sad to say goodbye to the staff that I have worked closely with since beginning volunteering there in February 2015. I loved the fast paced nature of the job and all of the interesting people I met.

As I look back on this past year, I am very appreciative for the knowledge that I have gained and the people that I have met. I know that the training I received during this program will help me succeed as an incoming medical student in the fall. But before medical school begins, I will be taking a trip with one of my friends that I met during the program. I will also be traveling to South Korea to see my younger brother.

Volunteering:
April: 8 hours
Semester: 17.5 hours
Year: 48.25 hours

March

March was definitely one of the busiest months of the program! This month we took the NBME Pharmacology Shelf exam. I carefully prepared for the exam by reviewing old lectures (and pharmwiki, of course). I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of information I had retained over the entire program. Overall, I felt the exam was a fair representation of what we have learned this year. Based on my scores, I know that I am capable of excelling in medical school.

This month we also collected soil for our Environmental Signaling course with Dr. Mielke. I chose to collect soil uptown in the Touro neighborhood. We just received the results of our tests and I am happy to say that the soil outside of my house is surprisingly safe. On the other hand, the levels were much higher near a charter school several blocks away. I believe this is of serious concern as these lead levels could potentially harm the students of the school.

This past weekend I went home for Easter. It had been a while since my last visit and I was excited to see my family. I ended up bringing back a large bag of boiled crawfish to peel. I think next week my roommate and I are going to try our hand at cooking crawfish etouffee.

Several days ago we took our second Cell Control exam. We are now one exam and several classes away from finishing up the program. I am proud of what I have accomplished so far and I am looking forward to attending medical school in the fall! 

Volunteering
Soil collection: 2 hours
UMC: 4 hours
March total: 6 hours

Happy Mardi Gras!!

February has come and gone and now we are revving up for the shelf exam! Ahh, I must start studying more! This month went by incredibly quickly, likely because of the welcome distraction that is Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I enjoyed showing going to parades with my classmates and exposing them to Mardi Gras for the first time. I also had the opportunity to attend the Bacchus ball with some of my friends.

During February we focused on the endocrine/reproductive and psychiatry blocks. I really enjoyed the endocrine/reproductive block as I am interested in becoming an OB/GYN. As a female who grew up in Louisiana, I feel many women here are not well-educated with regards to safe sex practices, birth control options, and their reproductive rights. We are currently in the psychiatry block and, because I do not have a significant background in it, I find it both challenging and rewarding to learn about.

While I was worried about the "flipped" classroom style of our Endocrine Pharmacology course, it has quickly become one of our more interesting electives this semester. I have enjoyed several of the guided meditation videos. Additionally, it has been refreshing to learn more about my classmates, including their stressors and how they respond to stress. The course is a welcome addition to my Friday afternoons.

With regards to volunteering, I have not been going as much as I would like because I have been picking up more weekend night shifts at the hospital. In March, I intend to spend more time at UMC.

Finally, it is strange to realize that this is our last block before the shelf exam. The medical pharmacology course has been one of my favorite courses throughout the entire program and I am sad to see it end.

February volunteering 2 hours:
Total semester: 3.5 hours

January 2016

It seems so long since my last post! Happy New Year and Happy Mardi Gras!

Volunteering with Derek Song at UMC

Since my last post we have started and finished the Neurology Block. This was my first exposure to neuro and I found it both challenging and interesting. In addition, we have several new classes this semester including Endocrine Pharmacology, Environmental Signaling in Medicine, Cellular Control Mechanisms, and Advances in Cardiobiology. I'm particularly interested in the topics of Endocrine Pharmacology as it relates to my future career as a physician. I also enjoy the "flipped" classroom aspect of the class.

Outside of school, I have continued to work in the ED as a medical scribe. As Mardi Gras revs up, more and more party-goers are landing in the ED with various interesting complaints.

I have now been volunteering at UMC (formerly ILH) for one year now. I have worked closely with the staff of Patient Liaison and have made many friends along the way. (I've even convinced some classmates to start volunteering there with me. :D) I am certainly going to miss them when I leave at the end of this year.

This is likely my last year living in New Orleans for the foreseeable future and so I will be celebrating Mardi Gras as much as possible. I have been to two parades already and will be attending a ball this weekend!

January:
UMC Volunteering: 1.5 hours