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Last week I visited beautiful Bellingham, Washington to see my mentor. I saw the removal of tonsils, ear tubes being put into the ear drum, and a few broken nose fixes. I also got to see a lot of patients, each of which had a unique story and reason for visiting the doctor. I also got to experience a drug rep lunch (when drug reps bring lunch and make doctors listen to why their product is absolutely the best..pisha).
Highlights included seeing the inner-workings of a doctor's office, meeting incredibly competent and polite surgeons and staff, watching the beautiful Washington sunsets, and getting a first class trip back to Cali (I had to leave a day later than scheduled due to the airline's late plane); which meant I got good food and another beautiful night of breathing fresh air.
On another note, I just planned my trip out to Philly - my dad and I are traveling out a week before school starts to get settled into my apartment (I may have found the place already). So begins a new academic saga. But in the mean time I am getting my ass to Europe so I can be drinking and talking and relaxin and acting like a kid with Jon.
I'm flying to Bellingham, WA tomorrow to see my mentor (an Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeon) and watch him perform operations and see patients. I also get to see beautiful Washington, which is a bit rainy at the moment. Yay!
Now that my university days are over, I can finally enjoy meals that come in a cup.
Brilliant!
That's a picture of Temple School of Medicine (Go Owls!) students during the infamous 'white coat' ceremony (where med students get their first white coat) when the Hippocratic oath is read in unison. That may be me in a matter of months as I wait to hear if I am accepted off the waitlist. That means I may be starting medical school on August 4th. Let's keep our fingers crossed...
Last night the science department at Vanguard had a senior dinner at the great Italian restaurant. After dinner, the various science departments gave out awards - I received Biological Sciences Student of the Year! I got an incredible plaque signed by all my profs and received a brand new Littmann (aka the legit brand that doctors/nurses use) Stethoscope that I will definitely use in medical school/my career.
As my final week winds down I find that I am blessed with continual celebrations: having lunches/dinners with good friends and professors and a countdown till Jon and I are in Europe (only 35 days...).
My roommate decided to take my clothes, cellphone, a book, Hawaii hand, sunglasses, and shoes and make a fake me. This was pretty creepy to see when I walked into my room. Crrreeepppy.
We are entering a fascinating and rapidly-evolving era of biotechnology that is quickly broadening the horizon for medical advances. I recently read the essay "The Coming Death Shortage" by Charles C Mann (found in The Best American Science Writing 2006), which explains the many societal changes that would be implemented if science allows the average life expectancy to rise.
A lot of these changes seem harmful and unnatural - instead of passing money from one generation to the next, there would intergenerational fighting over money (in the past, the majority of businesses and enterprises were created by money provided by older folk passing it along) & the rich would be able to extend their lives and create a strong bifurcation in society (via stem cell transplants, enhanced bacteria/viruses designed to clean up the body) to name a few.
I must admit I am bit scared of what science is going after. While these are simply theories of economists and such, they do hold a bit of weight. Yet shouldn't our focus be to better our current health state of frequent errors and the lack of trust in humans (which is being replaced by America's trust in technology) to make diagnoses?
