I've been meaning to post something, considering it's been over a month since my last post, but I never seemed to find the time to do it properly. And I would want to publish a proper post full of juicy news instead of a piddly little placeholder post. That last sentence was far more alliterative than I intended.
Anyway, I am back in Boston now, not doing any clinical rotations at the moment. It's nice to have so much downtime, somewhat reminiscent of the luxurious month-long winter breaks in college, and to be able to sleep in and engage in mindless activities. Lest you should be under the impression that I'm slacking off, I have undertaken the sizeable task of a major clean-up of my room at home. I realized that I had a lot of clothes, books, and random odds and ends collected over many years ever since I left for college, basically. And considering that I moved seven times in the four and a half years since graduating from high school, it's no surprise that a whole lot of junk had accumulated which I had no time to sift through. So, capitalizing on this rare event of having an extended amount of time entirely at my disposal, I decided to carpe diem. Thus, I generated several large bags of clothes and books to donate (just in time for the holidays! I'm such a good doobie), as well as many bags of pure garbage. The entire project is about 80% complete, the remainder consisting mainly of adequately storing my summer wardrobe and organizing my make-up and jewelry, the latter being a lot harder than it sounds when you're a make-up and jewelry junkie such as myself.
Now that I've bored you to tears with that, I can share more interesting updates which will remind you why you even bother reading this blog to begin with. The main focus of my life at the moment, besides the thrilling project described in excruciating detail above, is interviewing at residency programs. Foolishly, I was anticipating this ordeal as "fun," an opportunity to "travel," "meet people," and "visualize my future." I'm sure you can surmise from the exaggerated use of quotation marks that my naïveté was indeed just that. Not that it hasn't had its moments. It has been fun and informative to meet my future colleagues and to reaffirm why obstetrics-gynecology is the only specialty I can imagine pursuing. I am more glad than ever that I took a year off because I know I needed those extra 12 months to really feel ready to become a physician. It still freaks me out, but not to the point of wanting to run and hide in my mother's bed.
Those are the highlights of late. Theoretically, I should post more regularly now with all this free time on my hands. Now if only I could tear myself away from A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila ...
Monday, December 3, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
I'm not really a doctor. I just play one on TV.
Having given a fair amount of thought to the way doctors, hospitals, and the general practice of medicine are portrayed on various popular TV shows, I thought I'd share my assessment. I've listed only the shows of which I have watched enough episodes to formulate an opinion, so any omissions are reflective either of my busy schedule away from the couch or an utter lack of desire to subject myself to broadcast garbage.
ER *** The first, the classic, the one that heralded the era of medical dramas! I have to say the show was strongest in the first three seasons and began to falter once George Clooney left. And I'm not just saying that because he's a hunk of burnin' love. He added a real depth to the show as a multidimensional character - a soft-hearted pediatrician dedicated to his patients and a bad boy who womanizes and breaks hearts - which is often hard to find. His friendship with Anthony Edwards' character was also a real highlight of the show. I wasn't a huge fan of his ongoing angsty entanglement with Julianna Margulies, mostly because it played up the stereotype of the doctor-nurse soapy romance. In terms of the show overall, however, there were definite medical inaccuracies, both in the science and the practice of medicine. I understand that reality is fairly dull, but I would have enjoyed the show more if it was a little bit more factually sound. I also have to say I was a big fan of Dr. Romano and the episode in which he is killed by a plummeting helicopter was the end of my failing patience with the show.
Scrubs ***** Easily my favorite medical show for many reasons. I have found it to be the most realistic portrayal of actual medicine on TV in the types of patients and treatments they depict. The relationships among the physicians and nurses are of course peppered with a healthy dose of scripted humor, but I will say that the characters are universal - the cocky but good-hearted attending, bossy protective nurses, and each of the residents remind me of someone I have worked with. The humor in the relationship between Dr. Cox and J.D. is one of the best developed. When I've had an especially difficult day in the hospital, there's no better way to lift my spirits than to watch Scrubs.
Grey's Anatomy ** Eh. I like the first season, mostly because the trashy love triangles and interpersonal angst was fresh and engrossing. And McDreamy really is, well, dreamy. But by the end of the season, I was frustrated by the lack of evolution in their relationship, and by the fact that every single heterosexual male who interacts with Meredith Grey can't help but come on to her. First of all, she's not hot. She's also not blonde, which for some reason the show's writers seem to be convinced she is. (You want a hot blonde doctor who is much more deserving of amorous attention? Katherine Heigl. Hello.) I also got increasingly irritated by Meredith's vapid monologues which, when you really listen, don't say much of anything. Example: Sometimes things seem to be going well. And then you realize they aren't. But you go on. Because maybe things will change. Thanks for that staggering insight, Dr. Grey. Now I see why everyone wants to hump you. And, lest we forget, aside from all this excruciating sexual drama, the medicine on the show isn't even accurate or interesting! The only thing that is worth all the hype is Sandra Oh. She rocks. And Katherine Heigl, as previously mentioned. Interesting how they are the only two actors on the show to have garnered awards...
House ***** Rapidly climbing the ranks to join Scrubs as my favorite shows, I just started watching the first season on DVD and I'm hooked. Loaded with multidimensional characters, not the least of which is Dr. House himself, this show is smart and doesn't assume its viewers are any less. Granted, the medicine is far-fetched, but that's kind of the premise of the show to begin with. And it's well-researched and 100% accurate. There is a fair dose of interpersonal drama but it's all believable and not over-acted. It's also not in any way the focus, either of the show or of any individual episode, making it beautifully subtle and immensely captivating. Speaking of which, I would be lying if I didn't admit that Hugh Laurie's I'm-a-sexy-asshole-and-I-know-it shtick is pretty alluring. He is also incredibly quotable and I wish that it would be appropriate to use House-isms in the real hospital.
Well, there you have it: my personal take as someone "on the inside." I know that I'm biased because I'm one of those people who criticizes these shows for being unrealistic and I realize that they aren't meant to be educational. That's why they have The Learning Channel. :-)
ER *** The first, the classic, the one that heralded the era of medical dramas! I have to say the show was strongest in the first three seasons and began to falter once George Clooney left. And I'm not just saying that because he's a hunk of burnin' love. He added a real depth to the show as a multidimensional character - a soft-hearted pediatrician dedicated to his patients and a bad boy who womanizes and breaks hearts - which is often hard to find. His friendship with Anthony Edwards' character was also a real highlight of the show. I wasn't a huge fan of his ongoing angsty entanglement with Julianna Margulies, mostly because it played up the stereotype of the doctor-nurse soapy romance. In terms of the show overall, however, there were definite medical inaccuracies, both in the science and the practice of medicine. I understand that reality is fairly dull, but I would have enjoyed the show more if it was a little bit more factually sound. I also have to say I was a big fan of Dr. Romano and the episode in which he is killed by a plummeting helicopter was the end of my failing patience with the show.
Scrubs ***** Easily my favorite medical show for many reasons. I have found it to be the most realistic portrayal of actual medicine on TV in the types of patients and treatments they depict. The relationships among the physicians and nurses are of course peppered with a healthy dose of scripted humor, but I will say that the characters are universal - the cocky but good-hearted attending, bossy protective nurses, and each of the residents remind me of someone I have worked with. The humor in the relationship between Dr. Cox and J.D. is one of the best developed. When I've had an especially difficult day in the hospital, there's no better way to lift my spirits than to watch Scrubs.
Grey's Anatomy ** Eh. I like the first season, mostly because the trashy love triangles and interpersonal angst was fresh and engrossing. And McDreamy really is, well, dreamy. But by the end of the season, I was frustrated by the lack of evolution in their relationship, and by the fact that every single heterosexual male who interacts with Meredith Grey can't help but come on to her. First of all, she's not hot. She's also not blonde, which for some reason the show's writers seem to be convinced she is. (You want a hot blonde doctor who is much more deserving of amorous attention? Katherine Heigl. Hello.) I also got increasingly irritated by Meredith's vapid monologues which, when you really listen, don't say much of anything. Example: Sometimes things seem to be going well. And then you realize they aren't. But you go on. Because maybe things will change. Thanks for that staggering insight, Dr. Grey. Now I see why everyone wants to hump you. And, lest we forget, aside from all this excruciating sexual drama, the medicine on the show isn't even accurate or interesting! The only thing that is worth all the hype is Sandra Oh. She rocks. And Katherine Heigl, as previously mentioned. Interesting how they are the only two actors on the show to have garnered awards...
House ***** Rapidly climbing the ranks to join Scrubs as my favorite shows, I just started watching the first season on DVD and I'm hooked. Loaded with multidimensional characters, not the least of which is Dr. House himself, this show is smart and doesn't assume its viewers are any less. Granted, the medicine is far-fetched, but that's kind of the premise of the show to begin with. And it's well-researched and 100% accurate. There is a fair dose of interpersonal drama but it's all believable and not over-acted. It's also not in any way the focus, either of the show or of any individual episode, making it beautifully subtle and immensely captivating. Speaking of which, I would be lying if I didn't admit that Hugh Laurie's I'm-a-sexy-asshole-and-I-know-it shtick is pretty alluring. He is also incredibly quotable and I wish that it would be appropriate to use House-isms in the real hospital.
Well, there you have it: my personal take as someone "on the inside." I know that I'm biased because I'm one of those people who criticizes these shows for being unrealistic and I realize that they aren't meant to be educational. That's why they have The Learning Channel. :-)
Monday, September 24, 2007
A bite out of the Big Apple
Hello dear readers! I apologize for the lengthy hiatus and I hope that there are still some of you out there checking this blog for updates. Your patience has been rewarded.
So I completed a month at Einstein Hospital in the Bronx which was literally a drink from the fire hydrant that is obstetrics. I think I averaged five hours of sleep each night and often went a whole day having consumed only dry cereal, tea, lots of coffee, and ice cream. No wonder I was constipated. Anyway aside from the toll on my sanity and personal well-being, I also got to do some pretty exciting stuff. By the end of the rotation I was delivering babies entirely on my own with the attending watching over my shoulder. It was an odd experience the first time I delivered a baby without anyone else's hands guiding mine - it was bizarre that I knew what to do without even really thinking about it. This culminated in a precipitous delivery which I ended up doing with only a nurse and a third year medical student to assist me. That was kind of a trip. Terrifying and thrilling at the same time. I rode on that adrenaline buzz for at least 48 hours after the fact.
Now I'm beginning a month at Beth Israel Medical Center in downtown Manhattan which is going to be a very different experience. The ob/gyn service isn't quite as chaotic for one, since women in Manhattan have a range of excellent hospitals at which to receive their care, whereas Einstein-Montefiore is really the best place in the Bronx to give birth, hence EVERY SINGLE PREGNANT WOMAN was there. Also, the residents are much more chill and not as tweaked out as the Einstein residents are. Don't get me wrong - I had a blast with the folks I worked with last month, and even made friends with one or two of them outside of work. But when I think about how I want to spend four years of my life in a rigorous training program, there are nuances which I have to consider.
New York City itself fits me like a glove. People here, contrary to popular belief, are not cranky and obnoxious. I have found New Yorkers to be content, down-to-earth people who don't put on airs and mire themselves in superficial bullshit. I also love the diversity of this place - I've never been someone who walks around feeling my "brown-ness" every second of every day, but when I'm put in a place with lots of other brown people, I feel myself becoming more relaxed and at ease involuntarily. All that being said, I will always be a Bostonian at heart. Go Sox.
In a lovely pause from the madness, I had the honor of reading a poem at Marisa and Ed's wedding in August. I chose my favorite love poem of all time, "Soneto XVII" by Pablo Neruda. The wedding was easily the most beautiful and enjoyable celebration I have ever attended and I am so lucky to know these two fabulous people and to be a part of their lives.
I am feeling quite burned out though. I will be glad when this rotation is over so that I can take a break from the intensity of impressing everyone and going the extra mile. As soon as I get home on October 20th, I plan on sleeping until my back aches from molding into the mattress. (But only after we celebrate Raju's 21st birthday, at long last.)
So I completed a month at Einstein Hospital in the Bronx which was literally a drink from the fire hydrant that is obstetrics. I think I averaged five hours of sleep each night and often went a whole day having consumed only dry cereal, tea, lots of coffee, and ice cream. No wonder I was constipated. Anyway aside from the toll on my sanity and personal well-being, I also got to do some pretty exciting stuff. By the end of the rotation I was delivering babies entirely on my own with the attending watching over my shoulder. It was an odd experience the first time I delivered a baby without anyone else's hands guiding mine - it was bizarre that I knew what to do without even really thinking about it. This culminated in a precipitous delivery which I ended up doing with only a nurse and a third year medical student to assist me. That was kind of a trip. Terrifying and thrilling at the same time. I rode on that adrenaline buzz for at least 48 hours after the fact.
Now I'm beginning a month at Beth Israel Medical Center in downtown Manhattan which is going to be a very different experience. The ob/gyn service isn't quite as chaotic for one, since women in Manhattan have a range of excellent hospitals at which to receive their care, whereas Einstein-Montefiore is really the best place in the Bronx to give birth, hence EVERY SINGLE PREGNANT WOMAN was there. Also, the residents are much more chill and not as tweaked out as the Einstein residents are. Don't get me wrong - I had a blast with the folks I worked with last month, and even made friends with one or two of them outside of work. But when I think about how I want to spend four years of my life in a rigorous training program, there are nuances which I have to consider.
New York City itself fits me like a glove. People here, contrary to popular belief, are not cranky and obnoxious. I have found New Yorkers to be content, down-to-earth people who don't put on airs and mire themselves in superficial bullshit. I also love the diversity of this place - I've never been someone who walks around feeling my "brown-ness" every second of every day, but when I'm put in a place with lots of other brown people, I feel myself becoming more relaxed and at ease involuntarily. All that being said, I will always be a Bostonian at heart. Go Sox.
In a lovely pause from the madness, I had the honor of reading a poem at Marisa and Ed's wedding in August. I chose my favorite love poem of all time, "Soneto XVII" by Pablo Neruda. The wedding was easily the most beautiful and enjoyable celebration I have ever attended and I am so lucky to know these two fabulous people and to be a part of their lives.
I am feeling quite burned out though. I will be glad when this rotation is over so that I can take a break from the intensity of impressing everyone and going the extra mile. As soon as I get home on October 20th, I plan on sleeping until my back aches from molding into the mattress. (But only after we celebrate Raju's 21st birthday, at long last.)
Sunday, July 29, 2007
It's going to be a good year
Today I am officially 26 years old so I would like to take this opportunity to reflect a bit, and share my thoughts about the next 12 months which will be a time of tremendous transition and discovery.
For the longest time, I had this idea, this vision, that my life would become complete by the time I graduated from medical school. I used to think that turning 25 would be like flipping a switch and all my dreams and goals would fall into place. By the time I started medical school, I was doggedly set on this notion, fully convinced that it was the best path for me, indeed, the path for which I was destined. In this spirit, I threw myself into a relationship with someone who was far from the ideal life partner I was certain he was meant to be. I told myself that if he wasn't "the one," then my perfect little plan would start crumbling. So I stuck it out for as long as I could - until our jokes about living together and getting married started to become less jocular and more serious. I realized at that point that if I was to adhere to my lifelong imagined future, then clearly I should marry this person. I also realized that if I did marry him, I was certain to be miserable and unfulfilled for the rest of my life. And that had not figured into my idealistic plan.
So, at the tender age of 23, I overhauled my entire approach to my future, my plans, my goals. To myself. It became clear to me that 25 was no magic number. Looking around me, I saw people my age who, like me, were making major life decisions on the basis of fear, uncertainty, and insecurity. I vowed that I would not let myself fall victim to the lure of the path of least resistance. Armed with this new resolution and self-assurance, I did something that the "old me" wouldn't have even considered doing. I took a year off after my third year of medical school. Since I had become more attuned to my innermost yearnings, I knew that I was not ready to graduate and start an internship in 2007. The very thought of it filled me with fear and anxiety, not excitement and anticipation. This major deviation from the beaten path was one of the best things I have ever done for myself. Over the course of my year off, I was able to examine my past, present, and future without the external pressures of school and my peers. I was also able to reaffirm all the reasons I went to medical school in the first place. I attended weddings of fellow classmates with nothing but peace in my heart, whereas the "old me" would have felt sadness and a sense of failure that I was not having a wedding of my own.
I am now 11 months away from becoming a physician. When I ponder that fact, I am still plagued with fear and anxiety. But those feelings give way to a greater sense of anticipation and fulfillment that I have come so far and am truly ready to take this next step in my career. As for my personal life, I have never felt more content and enriched by my relationships with my family and dearest friends. I feel complete at this moment, not because of any outward symbols of success, such as a graduate degree and a husband, but because I have decided to feel complete with what I have, since what I have is priceless. I don't know where I will go after graduation, or who I will meet, or what direction my career will take. But I know that, no matter what, I will be true to myself, so I have nothing to fear.
For the longest time, I had this idea, this vision, that my life would become complete by the time I graduated from medical school. I used to think that turning 25 would be like flipping a switch and all my dreams and goals would fall into place. By the time I started medical school, I was doggedly set on this notion, fully convinced that it was the best path for me, indeed, the path for which I was destined. In this spirit, I threw myself into a relationship with someone who was far from the ideal life partner I was certain he was meant to be. I told myself that if he wasn't "the one," then my perfect little plan would start crumbling. So I stuck it out for as long as I could - until our jokes about living together and getting married started to become less jocular and more serious. I realized at that point that if I was to adhere to my lifelong imagined future, then clearly I should marry this person. I also realized that if I did marry him, I was certain to be miserable and unfulfilled for the rest of my life. And that had not figured into my idealistic plan.
So, at the tender age of 23, I overhauled my entire approach to my future, my plans, my goals. To myself. It became clear to me that 25 was no magic number. Looking around me, I saw people my age who, like me, were making major life decisions on the basis of fear, uncertainty, and insecurity. I vowed that I would not let myself fall victim to the lure of the path of least resistance. Armed with this new resolution and self-assurance, I did something that the "old me" wouldn't have even considered doing. I took a year off after my third year of medical school. Since I had become more attuned to my innermost yearnings, I knew that I was not ready to graduate and start an internship in 2007. The very thought of it filled me with fear and anxiety, not excitement and anticipation. This major deviation from the beaten path was one of the best things I have ever done for myself. Over the course of my year off, I was able to examine my past, present, and future without the external pressures of school and my peers. I was also able to reaffirm all the reasons I went to medical school in the first place. I attended weddings of fellow classmates with nothing but peace in my heart, whereas the "old me" would have felt sadness and a sense of failure that I was not having a wedding of my own.
I am now 11 months away from becoming a physician. When I ponder that fact, I am still plagued with fear and anxiety. But those feelings give way to a greater sense of anticipation and fulfillment that I have come so far and am truly ready to take this next step in my career. As for my personal life, I have never felt more content and enriched by my relationships with my family and dearest friends. I feel complete at this moment, not because of any outward symbols of success, such as a graduate degree and a husband, but because I have decided to feel complete with what I have, since what I have is priceless. I don't know where I will go after graduation, or who I will meet, or what direction my career will take. But I know that, no matter what, I will be true to myself, so I have nothing to fear.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Home is where the heart is
Take this cool quiz to find the cities in the U.S. best suited to your individual preferences. Here's my list, with the cities I have already checked out in bold:
Baltimore, Maryland
Honolulu, Hawaii
Little Rock, Arkansas
Hartford, Connecticut
Boston, Massachusetts
Providence, Rhode Island
New Haven, Connecticut
Portland, Oregon
Las Vegas, Nevada
Charleston, West Virginia
Frederick, Maryland
San Francisco, California
San Jose, California
San Diego, California
Washington, District of Columbia
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Worcester, Massachusetts
Orange County, California
Oakland, California
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana
Alexandria, Louisiana
Not sure how Boston and Worcester both got on there, considering that I love the former and loathe the latter... But of the other cities I've visited on the list, I have to say I concur. Outside of the U.S., I could see myself living in London and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Baltimore, Maryland
Honolulu, Hawaii
Little Rock, Arkansas
Hartford, Connecticut
Boston, Massachusetts
Providence, Rhode Island
New Haven, Connecticut
Portland, Oregon
Las Vegas, Nevada
Charleston, West Virginia
Frederick, Maryland
San Francisco, California
San Jose, California
San Diego, California
Washington, District of Columbia
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Worcester, Massachusetts
Orange County, California
Oakland, California
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana
Alexandria, Louisiana
Not sure how Boston and Worcester both got on there, considering that I love the former and loathe the latter... But of the other cities I've visited on the list, I have to say I concur. Outside of the U.S., I could see myself living in London and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Friday, July 20, 2007
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Yes, I realize it has been quite a while since I last updated my blog, and I apologize to my faithful readers. All three of them. :-) But, in my defense, quite a lot has happened in the last few weeks, such that blogging was relegated to the dusty corners of my brain, to be pulled out and cleaned up as time allowed. So I present for your consideration the main highlights of late:
I wrapped up my stint at MGH, which ended in a whirlwind of training the new staff, bidding farewells/see-you-laters to my co-workers and supervisors, and making sure all loose ends were addressed. It was a great year, but definitely confirmed my place in clinical medicine, and not in research.
Along the theme of whirlwinds, my mother and I traveled to India in the last week of June to deal with some ongoing family drama. We're trying to sell her family home and it would be a lot simpler if her brother wasn't the psychotic freak that he is. The whole thing has devolved into legalities and contracts, and my uncle refuses to communicate directly with my mother so they have two lawyers and a real estate broker relaying messages back and forth. Aside from that, the trip was great. Delhi is a lot cleaner than it was three years ago and the weather was quite pleasant since the monsoons have started. My aunt, Nandini, is a riot and it's always great to see her. And we got plenty of retail therapy amidst our stressful meetings and jet-lagged naps. Actually, the jetlag wasn't that bad because I took melatonin to put myself on IST and then back onto EST when we returned. Also, we took a direct flight on Continental from Newark to Delhi, which perhaps counterintuitively, was far more comfortable and stress-free than stopping in Paris or London. After a while you forget you're on a plane and you just nap, eat, watch movies, and walk around as if you were in a tiny house. Seriously.
I have re-entered the wards, working at Memorial Hospital in high-risk obstetrics. It has been incredible. I really missed being in the hospital so it feels great to be back and having real patient interaction. I also forgot how much fun the OR is! This past week I worked the night shift since students typically get to do more and there's more time for teaching. It was exhausting but a great experience. I had one difficult night during which I assisted in the delivery of a 24-week old baby who is currently in the NICU, the delivery of deceased twins who had died at 16 weeks in utero, and a very easy delivery of a perfect baby boy after which the placenta resolutely remained in the uterus, resulting in an OR procedure to remove it. I chose Ob/Gyn because it is on the whole a happy specialty: healthy women with healthy babies. This has been my first exposure to the small but intense area of obstetrics when things go wrong. And the reality is that when things go wrong in a place where things usually go right, it can be devastatingly sad.
Finally, I have begun the application process for residency! There's this whole online rigmarole called ERAS which is used to enter all your information and then you send it off to all the programs you're interested in. My goal is to have it sent off by September. The biggest hurdle is writing my personal statement. I have a rough draft but it's so hard writing something that isn't cheesy/trite/dumb. So I'm putting it aside for now and will come back to it with a fresh outlook in a bit.
Well, that's it in a nutshell. I have one more week of high-risk obstetrics and then I switch to gynecologic oncology which will be a very different patient population and workday. Hopefully I'll have more time to blog and catch up with friends in general. In the meantime, please accept my apologies for being incommunicado. I pray that things are on a downswing...
I wrapped up my stint at MGH, which ended in a whirlwind of training the new staff, bidding farewells/see-you-laters to my co-workers and supervisors, and making sure all loose ends were addressed. It was a great year, but definitely confirmed my place in clinical medicine, and not in research.
Along the theme of whirlwinds, my mother and I traveled to India in the last week of June to deal with some ongoing family drama. We're trying to sell her family home and it would be a lot simpler if her brother wasn't the psychotic freak that he is. The whole thing has devolved into legalities and contracts, and my uncle refuses to communicate directly with my mother so they have two lawyers and a real estate broker relaying messages back and forth. Aside from that, the trip was great. Delhi is a lot cleaner than it was three years ago and the weather was quite pleasant since the monsoons have started. My aunt, Nandini, is a riot and it's always great to see her. And we got plenty of retail therapy amidst our stressful meetings and jet-lagged naps. Actually, the jetlag wasn't that bad because I took melatonin to put myself on IST and then back onto EST when we returned. Also, we took a direct flight on Continental from Newark to Delhi, which perhaps counterintuitively, was far more comfortable and stress-free than stopping in Paris or London. After a while you forget you're on a plane and you just nap, eat, watch movies, and walk around as if you were in a tiny house. Seriously.
I have re-entered the wards, working at Memorial Hospital in high-risk obstetrics. It has been incredible. I really missed being in the hospital so it feels great to be back and having real patient interaction. I also forgot how much fun the OR is! This past week I worked the night shift since students typically get to do more and there's more time for teaching. It was exhausting but a great experience. I had one difficult night during which I assisted in the delivery of a 24-week old baby who is currently in the NICU, the delivery of deceased twins who had died at 16 weeks in utero, and a very easy delivery of a perfect baby boy after which the placenta resolutely remained in the uterus, resulting in an OR procedure to remove it. I chose Ob/Gyn because it is on the whole a happy specialty: healthy women with healthy babies. This has been my first exposure to the small but intense area of obstetrics when things go wrong. And the reality is that when things go wrong in a place where things usually go right, it can be devastatingly sad.
Finally, I have begun the application process for residency! There's this whole online rigmarole called ERAS which is used to enter all your information and then you send it off to all the programs you're interested in. My goal is to have it sent off by September. The biggest hurdle is writing my personal statement. I have a rough draft but it's so hard writing something that isn't cheesy/trite/dumb. So I'm putting it aside for now and will come back to it with a fresh outlook in a bit.
Well, that's it in a nutshell. I have one more week of high-risk obstetrics and then I switch to gynecologic oncology which will be a very different patient population and workday. Hopefully I'll have more time to blog and catch up with friends in general. In the meantime, please accept my apologies for being incommunicado. I pray that things are on a downswing...
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