Renée and Keith's Adventures in Life

So tomorrow school officially starts back up again. I’m feeling a mix of emotions this time around; mostly I’m excited and nervous.

This year is going to be completely different. I suppose that’s why I’m nervous. After 2 years of figuring out and mastering medical school, everything changes as I begin my clerkship. For 8 month I’ll be in North Bay learning how to be a doctor “clinically” (which is a good thing). Unfortunately, I will be spending these 8 months without my dear husband Keith. I will also be without my study partner, and general partner in crime Beth (who’s in Fort Frances for her clerkship).

From what I hear, this is the toughest year (but I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that about every single year so far… maybe med students like to be dramatic?). I’m taking my academic knowledge and now “running” with it as it were. Unfortunately though, I always feels like my academic knowledge isn’t much. In general, I just hate disappointing the doctor that I’m with. I think we all forget (the docs included) that we are learners and that we are here to do just that learn.

One doc I was with recently however referred to me as “doctor” all the time, and I asked him why. He told me that he wanted me to think of myself as doctor, that way whatever I do/say/answer would the best quality I could give. If I think of myself as “just” a student, then what I put out would be at “student” level… It was an interesting perspective.

I will try to keep up with this blog as much as possible… but as you all know, as I get into my year it becomes more and more difficult for me to keep up/remember.

Well, let’s see where this adventure will take me… hope you enjoy the ride.

Unbelievably, my 2nd year of medical school will shortly be over. As I once again sit in an office studying for 12 hours (or more) a day, I can’t help but think that time has flown by… but that some parts of these past 2 years have been so drawn out. Does that even make sense?

Shortly I won’t be considered a “grunt”, but a “clerk”… meaning, people are going to start expecting a certain level of functioning from me. I am very much looking forward to being on my feet and doing stuff with my hands. I’m very very tired of sitting at a desk and learning the “academics” of things… I’ve been doing this post-secondary didactic learning thing for 8 years now… I’m kind of over it and ready to spend my days on my feet, moving around (I think my body will be happy too).

I’m starting my electives this summer, which I’m looking forward to doing. I’ll keep you posted on those when I get to them (and when I’m not actively procrastinating).

Until next time!

Hey there everyone!

So this is going to be a short little blog, I have a few minutes before class begins.

Things are starting to get crazy here, the amount of assignments are starting to really pileup and I find myself struggling to keep up. But I am doing well still, my lowest mark so far is a 68, and my highest is a 89.

Alright back to class,

Cheers!

Sorry folks, I’ve been lazy and forgetful.

So what have i been up to lately?

Well I have been continuing my efforts at school, it’s getting harder! But it’s going good, I had a bit of a slump, but I am over it now.

Currently I am sitting in my Management Information Systems class and it’s pretty basic, right now the professor is discussing e-businesses, like Amazon.ca and ebay.com. I actually find the class very interesting and have decided to declare it as a minor.

Exams are coming up and its been getting pretty hectic with the amount of assignments and presentations that i have to complete.

So far I have done a very successful presentation on “The Basics for Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse” and tomorrow morning my team and I are doing one on “PC vs Mac: The Better Business Solution”. We’re pretty stoked about it.

Ok, I should probably get back to class,

Cheers

Unbelievably, I’m reaching the end of my second year.

Our last module of the year is a mixed bag of items, sort of everything that we didn’t quite cover in the other systems, but that we should know. The main focus is dermatology (skin) and dealing with difficult patients/situations.

This week the “patients” were angry or talkative (like way too talkative). I’m always impressed with the standardized patients. Last week, we were wrapping up the psychiatry module, and the two “patients” we got were a paranoid schizophrenic and a very manic person with bipolar disorder. They are such phenomenal actors! This week’s angry patient was by far one of my all time favourites. Not only did he walk into the exam room yelling, but he also pulled out all the stops like “look at you, you’re not old enough to be a doctor”, ” why would I speak to you when there’s a doctor who actually knows what they’re doing here somewhere”. Fun times. The rumours are that next week we get patients who hit on you… should be interesting. Yup, I pay for this.

Since we’re so close to finishing our year, plans for next year are in high gear. Again, with NOSM being an untraditional school, our third year is quite different from other schools. We are basically on a 8-month placement. I found out this week that I will be spending my 8 months in North Bay. I’m looking forward to moving away from the more didactic learning, and getting into more hands-on/real-life training. I’m glad NOSM’s curriculum is set up that way, because I have to be honest: I’m getting tired of going to school in the more traditional sense. I can’t even imagine what kind of adventures are waiting for me… it’s going to be a great time.

So this placement has been very different from my first one in Hearst. Our focus has been much more on extra curricular activities than clinic time (which I will admit is exactly what I needed).

The most exciting extra curricular has so far been downhill skiing. Last weekend we went, and it was my very first time out on a hill. This weekend, we returned with plans to go up the big hill (since we only stayed on the practice hill last weekend). My experience with the ski lift has moderately traumatized me (yup, I fell… and they had to turn off the lift… and they all had to wait for me to get up, which I couldn’t do without help…and so on). Once I finally got up the hill it was beautiful! Then we went down the bunny hill. This bunny hill was really intense however, but very fun! Beth and I returned to the practice hill after that little adventure. Next weekend we’re going to go down the big hill at least twice (ok, my issue is more going up the hill).

I also did a ride along with the OPP here in Manitouwadge. That was rather fun and very interesting because it’s a field that I frankly know nothing about. I think the officer was a little weirded out about my serious lack of knowledge of weapons and general law lore. It was really quite fun to do something else that was, again totally unrelated to medicine… Another nice break.

So in general, things are going quite well… If anything I’ll be nice and relaxed for when I return to “real life”.

I can’t believe it’s february 1st today. That means I’m only in Manitouwadge for another 18 days. I’m stunned at the speed at which time goes by.

Things have been really great here during placement. I’ve learned and seen a lot. My biggest adventure yet though is not related to medicine: I went downhill skiing for the very first time.

Upon pulling up to the ski hill, I was instantly terrified as a giant wall of ski hill was looming down at me. Thanks to Beth, I managed to get myself into the chalet, paid for my rentals and before I knew it, was skiing. It was super fun! I also think that my past as a figure skater might have helped.

We’re going back this weekend, and I’m going to try a bigger hill.

So I’m sitting in another “strange” bed, blogging about another placement. This time I’m in a town called Manitouwadge. It’s quite a secluded and small town, but it’s beautiful!! For those of you who don’t know, Manitouwadge is somewhere between Thunder Bay and Wawa (you turn off the 17 and head north… and that’s pretty much it, the road stops at Manitouwadge).

As per usual for small towns, the locals are super friendly. The hospital is quite nice (it’s only 10 years-ish old) and the staff are very interested in teaching us. There isn’t much in way of stores and etc here… but the town seems to keep itself busy with skating, skiing, skidooing and work (well, this is probably not an exhaustive list of their activities). Beth and I are planning on going out down hill skiing this weekend. I’ve never tried it (and Beth has only tried it once), so it should be fun. We’ve agreed to let each other set our broken bones if need be.

I think I’m going to have a good time here… I’m also hoping to maybe get a wee bit of relaxing in as well (fingers crossed). I’ll keep you posted.

I woke up this morning dreaming of blood product transfusions. I think I was working out the procedure and indications for plasma vs. packed cells. I woke up to the same thing yesterday morning.

I have an exam tomorrow. Another one of those that start at 8:30am and end at 4pm (yup, this is all ONE exam). As per usual, I’ve been studying more than I ever thought was humanly possible and I can’t wait for Monday to come so that I can be done… and technically (as far as exams go) 2/3 done my 2nd year.

A week from Monday I’ll be finding myself in the small town called Manitouwadge Ontario for another month-long placement. I’m very much looking forward to this, as I get to “play doctor” rather than just read about it. So it’s time to consider re-packing my still-not-totally-unpacked-suitcase once again and head off to another adventure.

I will keep you updated on my discoveries in Manitouwadge! (OK, I need to go study now)

As per usual, I haven’t been regularly blogging… but at least it gives me the opportunity  for an update.

In October I wrote an exam, one three exams for this year. This particular exam covered Endocrinology (hormones and etc) and the Reproductive system. The exam was uncharacteristically difficult, and we waited a very painful 10-11 weeks for our results. I’m glad to report however, that I passed! Now I’ll soon be writing the 2nd exam in a few weeks (that one will be on Nephrology (kidneys), Immunology, Paediatrics, Hematology (blood)). This is the true life of any student, living from one exam to another… I suppose medical school isn’t quite as glamorous as some might think, but it’s fun.

At the very moment I’m home in Corbeil, sitting on a love seat with dear Bazil (whom I miss very much during the school year as he does not come to Thunder Bay with me). It’s boxing day and I’m feeling entirely merry and relaxed. I haven’t touched anything school related in three days… and it feels rather fabulous actually (however, I must admit that I keep on thinking about it though). This year’s Christmas celebration has been a wonderful one, the best part is being with my family.

True to the holiday season, we’ve been doing a lot of visiting (best part of Christmas I think, second to giving gifts), and one question always comes up: “Do you know what kind of doctor you want to be?”.  This is always a tough one to answer, because I’ve never been really certain… mostly because I like too many things. If I could have it my way, I would do a little bit of everything! Which leads to me what my choice might be: General Practitioner. Now, my general disclaimer is that I’m 90% sure that this is what I want to be “when I grow up”, so I could still change my mind somewhere along the way. However, as a family doc I can do a little bit of everything through my practice as well as add on all sorts of extras as per my interests. See my other big interests are Emergency medicine, Obstetrics (delivering babies) and Surgery… So I could choose to do just one of those, or I could choose do bits of those WITH my family practice (which is cool right?). I really like that with this route, I would be able to mould my practice to whatever my current interests are, so that I can always keep it fresh. Anyhow, I still have 2 years to decide.

So all in all, life is good.

Merry Christmas everyone, and happy new year!