I return at 4 am from a night of clubbing at Sizzle & Koi, a popular dance club in Hamilton. It's probably a bad idea to pull an all-nighter only a couple of nights before med school starts, but it's my last chance to see a couple of good friends before they take off to various parts of the world.
After four hours of restless sleep, I wake up with no hearing in my left ear. I figure that the loud, pounding music has temporarily deafened me. It's the day before school starts and I feel uneasy. I don't like being the new kid, even though everyone else is new as well. It's hard being thrown into a new environment surrounded by hundreds of people you've never met and expected to make friends, establish a routine and generally succeed.
Monday, August 29th
I file into a huge lecture hall in the McMaster School of Medicine at 8 am. Each administration member impart a few "words of wisdom". We get fitted into our new white medical coats and scrubs, the clothes you wear in the operating room. I hope that I don't have to wear scrubs too often, since seeing surgical procedures up close makes me a little queasy. The administrator implores us not to wear our scrubs while at the gym or out shopping - apparently it's happened before!
Next, our class of 207 is divided into teams and set out on a scavenger hunt. Our mission is to locate a list of places (eg: the fake goldfish bowl in Mills Library) and take funny pictures beside them. Since I know Mac so well, it's fun giving my fellow team-mates a little tour.
In the late afternoon, I collapse into bed exhausted. I'm sapped of energy and my hearing is still gone. I really didn't feel like going to the evening barbeque for the med students in the Dundas Driving Park, but the promise of free food is too much to resist. I should really see someone about my health. If only I was a doctor.
Tuesday, August 30th
The day begins with safety training and a lecture on financial management. These activities are followed by - SURPRISE - a huge bouncy-castle obstacle course! Two med students compete at a time, climbing over walls, throwing themselves down slides, and shimmying through narrow tunnels to get to the finish line. Even though I feel half-dead with whatever strange ailment is afflicting me, my competitive side kicks in and I win my match.
Wednesday, August 31st
We start with a thorough lecture on infection control. The speaker passes around a UV light that lets you see all the germs on your hands. Ew. From now on, I think to myself, I may carry around a bottle of Purell at all times. In the evening, I go with my family to "Little India" in Toronto to celebrate my dad and sister's birthdays. They happened to have both been born on August 23rd. Unfortunately, I discover that my favourite Indian snack has been banned from Canada by the government. That seems to be the fate of many imported Indian foods, which tend to be manufactured in unhygienic conditions.
Thursday, September 1st
Medical class formal at Liuna Station, a beautiful former train station near downtown Hamilton that has been converted into a place for formal functions. It's also where my high school prom was held. I spend a lovely evening joking and laughing with my med school colleagues. Starting to make some friends.
Friday, September 2nd
Crisis. My left ear, which I've been neglecting for days, suddenly bursts during the night.The pain is so bad that I can't sleep or do anything. It feels like someone is dragging a serrated blade through the left part of my head. I finally see the doctor and she diagnoses a severe infection, prescribing a course of antibiotics. She tells me that this is one of the worst pains that the human body is capable of feeling. I somehow make it to the Niagara Wine Tour, the last event on the O Week calendar.
Since then...
Despite my ear problems, O Week was a great experience. Just like in Artsci, I found the people really interesting and friendly. I don't think there's such a thing as being a "nerd" in medical school, since every one is a nerd in some or other way. It's OK to break out into a conversation about classic novels or the merits of different voting systems without receiving a hostile stare.
Even better, the days of cut-throat competition in medical schools are gone. The School of Medicine doesn't assign marks or rank its students, and instead students work collaboratively in groups. This fosters a trusting and non-competitive atmosphere. I appreciate that on an academic and personal level. I also feel excited to meet my first patients and begin to delve into the world of medical knowledge. In a profession where one has so many encounters - with patients, other med students, doctors - there are bound to be challenges. I plan to continue to use this blog to reflect on and share my experiences while on this incredible journey.
