Rhythms of Life

Last week, my clinical supervisor called me into his office to deliver my final evaluation. He wore a stern expression on his face as he looked it over. “You did terribly,” he said in a frustrated voice before adding “Just kidding!” with a big smile. I shook his hand, and with that, wrapped up the third foundation of my medical studies.

For the last two months, we’ve been knee-deep in the renal and reproduction systems. Surprisingly, the kidneys are some of the most complicated organs in the body and inevitably a challenge for those trying to master their physiology. They involve a seemingly endless number of intricate mechanisms and functions, including the regulation of blood pressure, electrolytes and acid-base balance. It took several grueling study sessions before these concepts finally “clicked” in my brain. As part of clinical skills training, we’ve learned how to do a Pap smear on a model and watched a rather graphic video about childbirth.

Undoubtedly, though, my best learning has taken place in the clinic. I spend ten hours a week doing electives in Family Medicine, Hematology and Pediatric Neurology, which, in my opinion, are far more immersive and interesting than the monotonous pages of any textbook. Surprisingly, I’ve had several minor accomplishments. I counseled a woman about quitting smoking. She’s now trying out Champix, an effective new drug that diminishes nicotine cravings. I’ve also done my share of physical exams, finding a couple suspicious lumps on a routine lymph exam last week.

It feels good to immerse myself into a steady rhythm of life, a rhythm that involves solid study sessions, clinic time, lectures and tutorials. The day begins at 7 with a hot cup of tea and ends with a trip to a yoga studio, where I do plank poses and Downward Dogs in 40-degree temperatures.

I'm currently reading Dr. James Orbinski's "An Imperfect Offering", a fascinating glimpse into his life as a doctor with Medicins Sans Frontieres. I enjoy reading medical memoirs because they give me some perspective; that, despite seeming like I'll be in school forever, one day I will indeed be a trained doctor and able to pursue my dreams. 

Tomorrow we start bright and early with our fourth foundation, which will cover immunology and neoplasms. I'm looking forward to meeting my new tutorial group and tackling "Janeway's Immunobiology." By this point, I've learned how to study well and have become quite comfortable in the curriculum. I feel an urgent desire to get as much knowledge under my belt before rotations begin in November, when the real challenge begins.