Up for air

Hello! I am finally coming up for air. The past twelve weeks have been rigorous. Following Labor Day weekend began six weeks of musculoskeletal classes followed by six weeks of neuroanatomy classes. In the custom of the curriculum of my school we learned the basic sciences using those systems as the model. For instance, while studying the musculoskeletal system I learned the muscles, their actions and innervations, what makes a muscle contract, some of the pathologies that afflict the muscles and bones (bugs), how to diagnose and treatment options (drugs). Concurrently in one of my practical classes, Medical Skills, I learned how to perform physical exams of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, hip, etc. In the other practical class, Osteopathic Manual Treatment, I learned some techniques and treatment for relieving certain physical conditions. At times it has been difficult to see the connections between the classes but the material is clearly intertwined. One disappointment was the loss of cadaveric dissection due to some ventilation problems. The anatomy faculty developed other tools for learning but I think everyone hopes that there will be a solution to the lab soon. The high temperatures of late summer are over and most days it ranges between 70 and 80 degrees. There is no physical sign of fall or winter approaching except for a few brisk nights and the lights that glitter on homes and cacti. Oh – and the ten day vacation for Thanksgiving (well deserved, I might add!). Steven has joined me here and we plan to have a few southwest adventures. Yesterday we hiked up Camelback Mountain and we plan to visit Tucson for a couple of days. I hope that everyone reading this is well. Send me a note or message when you have time. I am busy, but it is always nice to hear from friends.

Resident Scorpion Eater

View from my Kitchen window

Camelback Mountain View

Final Exam preparations

With Dad at the White Coat Ceremony, it's official!

HABOOB

Hawk and Scorpion on the lawn (zoom in)

entry

Hello! It looks like I am finally getting this off the ground thought I cannot promise any sort of schedule of posts. All is well in Arizona and I am adjusting to medical school. This first year is broken down into blocks, each with a different focus in the sciences and for different lengths of time. The first block finished just before Labor Day weekend. In the first block, a basic science bootcamp, we covered immunology, microbiology and labs, introduction to radiographs, physiology, anatomy, pharmacology and more as it pertains to health and then more focused topics such as fever and sore throat. For instance we studied the various causes of sore throat , let’s say a bacteria – to learn about the characteristics of the bacteria, the types of lab tests used to confirm it, transmission, treatment or the outcomes if it is left untreated. The focus of the current block is Neuro/Muscular/Skeletal and includes dissection lab twice a week. In addition to the science classes, one day a week is dedicated to learning more about the osteopathic philosophy and manual manipulation as well as certain medical skills such as taking a history and performing physical exams. Does it sound busy? It is! But it is also exciting. I think the school did a good job of easing me and my classmates into the program. With the start of this new block it feels how I imagined medical school to feel – a mix of overwhelming (the amount of material with respect to the number of hours in a day) and exciting (from all the learning of course!). In addition to surviving the first ten or so weeks (and performing well on exams) I have survived multiple days of 110+ degree days, wild dust and wind storms called haboobs, thunderstorms and torrential downpour that results in flash floods in some places. I am slowly exploring the area, mostly locally, and am able to get out on my bike from time to time. I wish I had time to write more, I will . . . in the future. Jenn