Week 1 - Fall

How do you organize your life when, all of a sudden, you have 8 new pieces to somehow fit into your life? That is what the first week of the fall was all about - 19 credit hours, 8 classes. Some of these classes only meet once a week. You may think "Only once a week? That should make life easier." Actually no. If you try to stay on top of the material and study right after you cover the material in class, you have a full week before you talk about it again. On the other hand, if you wait and try to study before you go to class, it has been a full week since you talked about any of it...it feels like a lose-lose. There is a benefit though - when you have an exam, you have a full week to study!

This fall we are taking: Women's Health, Neonatology, Physical Diagnosis(continued), Psychosocial (continued), PBL (continued), ISBM (Physiology and Biochem "on steroids"), Clinic, Microbiology.

Clinic is really interesting. My preceptor is a doctor working at a children's Endocrinology clinic. Endocrinology includes problems with Growth Hormone (GH), Thyroid issues, and even Diabetes. There are a variety of challenges that come up with each of these areas and it is very relevant to the ISBM class. I am thankful for this early exposure to Endocrinology. In the long run, I think this will be a good foundation to build upon.

One thing I have realized, in this short time of schooling, is that some medical issues are much more prevalent than you would think. For example, Growth Hormone affects more children than I would have thought. Growing up I thought most kids were "normal". I had no idea that kids were dealing with Hypothyroidism, GH deficiency, and diabetes, but the more I am in clinic, the more I see average kids on medications for these issues. I guess there really isn't a "normal" and I wish I had known that back when I was a kid.

Looking back, I actually knew a kid that had GH deficiency, but I didn't know that's what it was. I had heard that he was getting "shots to help him grow" - now I know that IS GH deficiency. :-) Oh, well. I guess some ignorance is a good thing while you are growing up.

I will continue to write about my clinic experience, but for the protection of my patients, I won't write anything too specific.