My Cheeks Hurt

I just returned home from volunteering at the senior village for two hours. We played BINGO for the first hour, and chatted the rest of the time. One lady was a retired RN and had many stories to tell about her job. She absolutely loved being a nurse and misses it a lot. She had some great advice for me about entering the medical field. I definitely enjoyed the conversation with the ladies and the activities director. My favorite part about the visit, however, was that it was one of the resident's birthday, and she had a few visitors. Among the visitors was a dog. I have not seen as much joy radiate from a person as I did when this lady saw her dog. Even the activities director said it was the happiest he has seen her in a very long time. It is hard to become unmotivated to work with the older generation when moments like that happen. Why do my cheeks hurt? I smiled BIG for the entire two hours.

I apologize for not posting for a month, but I have been on winter break. I had a wonderful Christmas with family, and an uneventful New Year's. I have been reading a lot lately because I rarely have time to read for pleasure at school. I have also been using the time to restrengthen my relationship with God because I was a little distracted last semester with how busy I was. I was a little down, but once I realized what was missing I was able to pick myself back up, and I am now ready to tackle the extremely busy semester that awaits me.

Speaking of a busy semester, I'll let you in on what it will look like. I officially registered for the MCAT on April 28, so I will need to buckle down and study for that. Also, I will be taking Physical Chemistry II, Anatomy, Ethics, and Intercultural Communication, all classes I am confident will help me become a better doctor. I will also be working with one of my professors on writing and publishing a case report on a rare type of gall bladder cancer. I am hoping to get credit for a research seminar class through this project, and hope to continue with the research project I briefly started last semester. I will be continuing my work in the financial aid office, as well as being a part of the dance team, an intramural basketball team, and a captain on the track team. I haven't been able to work out as much as I'd like to due to a back injury, but I'm hoping a trip to the trainer next week will help me get back into it. I am not allowing any setbacks get in the way of my dreams.

With that said, if you are one of my friends reading this, I will go ahead and apologize now for any time I am too busy to hang out. Please don't take it personally. You probably won't see me as often, so don't worry if that happens.

Wish me luck for the coming semester! Hopefully I will be able to keep you all updated.

PS For those of you who are wondering if I have heard from WashU about the summer research program, I have not. Trust me when I say that you will know as soon as I do. Pray for good news!

"You cannot be anything you want to be. But you can be everything God wants you to be."
-Max Lucado

Maybe One Day I'll Make Up My Mind

I did it again. I changed my mind. I'm back on the path to becoming an MD/PhD. Why? Because I talked to an adviser, and she thinks it would be in my best interests to go for the combined degree. After an hour long discussion, the conclusion we came to was that at the age of thirty, having both degrees would be a great advantage. I do love school, so I don't think the length of time would be a problem. Also, it is hard to say whether I would get enough patient interaction by just doing a PhD program. I really love working with people, especially at older ages, and I think working with Alzheimer's patients would be really rewarding. By getting both degrees, I wouldn't necessarily need to use both. I could use one or the other, but would have the correct training to utilize both if I needed to. I still think working with patients would be excellent motivation to apply to my research.

With that said, the professor I talked to has confidence in me about getting accepted into such a prestigious program, which is quite encouraging. She has been to medical school and has her MD, so she knows what it is like and what it takes to get there, and she believes I am on the right track. While I am at school, I will be focusing on my coursework, grades, research, and extracurricular activities, and on my breaks I will be focusing on volunteering and preparing for the MCAT. I actually can't wait to get back to the senior village to volunteer again over Thanksgiving break.

I am, of course, still a little nervous about getting accepted into a program. Everyone keeps telling me that I won't have a problem, but it is extremely competitive. However, if I do not get accepted, I can still apply to PhD programs or take a year off to do research. I would rather not take a year off, but there is no way to tell what is going to happen.

This summer is going to have to be very productive if I want to get into a program. The application for the research program in St. Louis I really want to attend comes out this week! I am really hoping I get accepted into the program. It would be such an awesome experience. I have a backup plan with a neuroscience summer research program in Maryland, and beyond that I am going to have to make some phone calls. If anyone has any connections in the field of neuroscience, I would love to spend some time with them.

On a more personal note, classes are going okay. It has been a rough semester just out of business, but I'm hanging in there. Track has officially started and it should be a really good season. I am still having tons of fun dancing. Our last football game is next Saturday and then we switch gears to basketball season. Halloween weekend was pretty disappointing this year, but I got some relaxing in so I can't really complain.

Well I am off to organize my life and get some homework done. Thanks for reading.

Best. Weekend. Ever.

I figured I should share a little bit about my weekend since it was so great. Yes, I know it is Tuesday but I have been a little busy (as usual). This past weekend was definitely the best I've had this summer. Pretty depressed it is already over, but it happens to the best of us.

My boyfriend, Chris, drove about six hours to visit me, and we had an extremely fun time. He got here Thursday afternoon/evening and we rented The Lincoln Lawyer from Redbox. It was a pretty awesome movie and I definitely recommend it. The next day, we went to Zoombezi Bay Water Park and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. It was a blast. We got there shortly after it opened so we didn't have to wait very long to ride the water slides. Once more people started to arrive, we spent some time in the wave pool, then the rest of our time was spent relaxing and chatting in the lazy river. We went to the zoo for lunch and to observe all of the animals. We returned to the water park to spend more time in the lazy river until we decided we wanted to ride more slides. However, as soon as we got to the end of the line after climbing the entire set of stairs, the park closed all of their attractions due to a huge thunderstorm we saw rolling in. While most of the people left the park and went home, some of us stayed, and while the rest of the people who stayed were taking cover everywhere they could, Chris and I sat on a bench. We were already in our bathing suits at a water park, so what was the point in trying to stay dry? After we learned that they would not open the slides again until a half hour after the last sight of lightning, we decided to go back to the zoo. We went to see the polar bears, but they weren't out so we sat on a bench and talked some more. That night, my mom ordered pizza and Chris and I baked a cake for fun. We were so tired by the end of the day and slept really well that night.

Saturday, we drove to a mall about fifteen minutes away and shopped for a few hours. We weren't really impressed with the mall though, and ended up shopping at the mall right by my house. I got a ton of new clothes and a new pair of shoes thanks to Chris! I could have shopped longer than we did, but we had to hurry home so my sister could get ready for a concert we were taking her to. After we dropped her off, we went to the musical Chicago. It was a great show and we were both impressed by the talent. We had to fight traffic to get out of the city, and then a huge thunderstorm hit just as we got close to my house. I had to run inside in the pouring rain in my new dress! It was pretty late when we got back so we just cooked a frozen pizza and watched TV until we were ready to go to sleep, which didn't take long at all.

Sunday we went to church and I saw one of my high school teachers. It was nice to see her after two years. After church, Chris tuned up my mom's bike and I made grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch. The rest of the day was spent watching movies until dinner. After dinner, Chris had to make the drive back home. It was really a spectacular weekend and I couldn't have asked for anything better. (Except maybe less storms.)

Yesterday, I volunteered at the hospital again. It was a little more exciting than usual, mostly because there were more surgeries going on so the lobby wasn't empty. I also had a number of questions I had never dealt with before, but I am getting a lot more comfortable with the whole thing. Unfortunately, I had to give information on a patient that had passed away for the first time. It was over the phone, so it wasn't too bad. It made me sad, but that's the job. I have a lot of time to read and do puzzles and other things during my shift, and I read some pretty interesting things about the digestive system. The book I am reading is called Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is at all curious about how the human body works. It gives a lot of interesting information on how your body functions during different times a day.

I am looking forward to volunteering at the assisted living facility tomorrow evening. It will be a nice change of atmosphere from the hospital. My sister and I get to hand out ice cream and drinks for a concert there, so it should be fun. I also have to clean the house and work out tomorrow. Thursday I am planning on going with my best friend to her grandfather's house, and Friday hopefully I'll make it to the beach! I am pretty glad for the busy week since this summer didn't really turn out the way I had hoped. Only three weeks until I move back to school though!

In case you're wondering how studying for the MCAT is going, I am finally into some of the chemistry portion of the class on WikiPremed, and my stack of flashcards is about two inches thick so far.

As always, thanks for reading and God bless!

Another Day of Volunteering at the Hospital

I am a little disappointed in my volunteer experience at the hospital. My reason for volunteering was to have patient interaction and I have been getting about zero. I take care of the patient information desk by myself so all I am allowed to do is answer phones and direct people where to go. I still enjoy being helpful, but it just isn't fulfilling my desires as much as I had hoped.

However, my sister and I toured a senior residential community/assisted living/nursing facility and are pretty excited to start volunteering there within the next week or so. There I know we will get one-on-one interaction with the residents.

One detail I have to share about my experience at the hospital today was something that happened shortly after my shift started. Somehow, a little boy got his shirt stuck in the entry doors and couldn't move. It was so funny and his dad had to walk across the lobby to set off the sensors to open the doors so he could break free. It pretty much made my day.

The MCAT class I am taking online is pretty boring, but it has a lot of useful information and I'm sure making myself sit through the videos will eventually pay off.

I suppose that is all that has really been happening lately. It has been crazy hot outside, which makes it hard to be motivated to complete my workouts, but I just have to push through it if I want to throw in California next year. Maybe next time I'll write a little bit on the books I have been reading.

Thanks for reading! God bless.

What. A. Week.

I'm sorry for those of you that have been repeatedly checking back to see if I have posted something new in the past two weeks (MOM). I have done pretty much zero studying, and haven't really been home. Last Friday, I went to Indiana to visit family, go to a wedding, and traditionally celebrate the 4th of July.

When I got home on Wednesday, I unpacked to repack for Cincinnati on Thursday. I accompanied my mother to the North American Christian Convention, "Unleashed". What an experience it was. We only went for the one day even though it lasted all week, but it was our first time attending such an event. Honestly, it was completely exhausting physically. We woke up at 6am, drove two hours to Cincinnati, listened to a number of wonderful speakers, sang praise songs, attended workshops, zig-zagged our way through a huge room of exhibits, and spoke with many people about all sorts of things.

We bought some things from the Rapha House, supporting the rescue and support of girls exposed to slavery and sexual exploitation. You can visit their website at http://www.raphahouse.org/ if you are interested in learning more or would like to help support the cause. We also spoke with many different organizations about mission opportunities since I am interested in traveling to Europe for a cause. I probably won't have time to travel next summer, but a trip after graduation is being kept in the back of my mind.

The speakers we listened to at the convention were uplifting. They had some great ideas and wisdom to share. One of them was also a comedian, and connects to her audience through laughter. We arrived to our hotel around 10pm and didn't want to do anything but sleep. Although physically exhausting, it was definitely spiritually refreshing. I am seriously considering attending next year's convention in Orlando.

Yesterday, I volunteered at the hospital for the second time. Once again, I couldn't help but smile as I was assisting with all sorts of people and tasks. I met some other great volunteers and we enjoyed each others company when work was slow. I even found out one of them attends the same church I do. I discharged a few patients by myself and ran specimens to the lab. I answered many phone calls and directed many people to where they needed to go. I became much more familiar with the hospital and believe I am ready to take on the job next week by myself.

Because I only volunteer at the hospital once a week, I have been looking into other volunteer opportunities since getting a job didn't really work out. At the convention, I spoke with a man involved with one of the assisted living communities and asked if they had a need for short-term volunteers. He told me they absolutely had a need, so I plan on calling the facility early next week to see what I can do for them.

Not much is happening around here otherwise. My best friend just returned from a study/internship abroad experience in New Zealand, so I am definitely looking forward to hearing all about her trip and having someone to hang out with for the rest of summer. I need to get back to lifting weights and working out next week and step up studying after my "vacation". I am definitely looking forward to getting back to real life when I return to school in August.

Sorry this post wasn't more exciting, but thanks for reading!

Hospital Volunteer: Day 1

Today was my first day volunteering at the hospital! It was a training day, so I had a wonderful group of ladies to show me the ropes. I work at the patient information desk so basically I do everything. I can give visitors room numbers, answer questions, direct people, take food or flowers to rooms, and discharge patients.

The minute I got to the desk today, a very old lady was having trouble with her computer. She could not connect to the wi-fi in the hospital. The other ladies at the patient information desk were also older, so they didn't know how to help her. Luckily, I knew just how to get her connected. The issue didn't end there, however. She didn't know how to send an email. Since that kind of thing is so easy for the younger crowd (like me), I taught her how to send a message to her daughter. She was having trouble reading the screen and typing on her new keyboard, so I offered to type the message for her. After I sent the message, we sat and talked for probably a good five to ten minutes. It felt great to help someone out, and she was so thankful. It was a really good start to the day.

After that, the ladies at the desk ran through the basics with me. I then toured the maternity pavilion and ICU units. I also went on any type of run we got a call for, which included taking food from nutrition services to the chest pain unit, taking paperwork to a nurse's station, and discharging a patient. I also got a grand tour of the radiology, cardiology, emergency, surgery, and chest pain departments.

Toward the end of my time volunteering, I was answering phones and directing visitors on my own. I also got to discharge my own patient! I couldn't stop smiling the entire time I was there. I suppose that's a pretty good sign. My cheeks hurt a little, though. Unfortunately, it wasn't as busy today as it usually is, so it wasn't as exciting as it could have been. I will be training again next week and the following week I'll be on my own! I'm pretty excited for it and am really glad I chose to spend some of my time volunteering this summer. I might have to pick up some more hours!

What I'm Doing Now to Prepare

I studied A LOT today. I'm trying to get a lot of studying for the MCAT out of the way over my summer break because I know time will be limited once school starts in two months. I am doing a few things either every day or at least regularly to prepare myself for the admissions process:

1. I have been "attending" class at http://www.wikipremed.com/. This site has a completely free MCAT course to take online. It features online videos in a spiraling curriculum to cover topics in physical and biological sciences. A spiraling curriculum means that you don't just cover one science group at a time, but rather look at each topic in the entire context of the sciences. That way, you can more easily see how everything in your science courses tie in with each other. The site also has many more resources for premeds (such as review cards, crosswords, vocabulary, etc), and none of the site is restricted. Printed material is available to purchase if you learn better that way, or just want even more practice. I would highly recommend this site to anyone preparing for medical school. It would be a really helpful resource to everyone in the undergraduate sciences, but it definitely takes a lot of time as there are hours of video review. I have been taking notes on the videos and have put together a binder with the outline of the course so I can have all the notes in one place. 
2. I downloaded the "MCAT A Day" app on my IPod Touch. I have this huge dry erase board in my room and every morning when I wake up I write the MCAT question of the day from the app along with the date and a bible verse (usually from the app "365 Devotions"). This is great because I am in the habit of practicing at least one MCAT question every single day. It even gives you an explanation of the correct answers and why the other answers were wrong. Also a highly recommended resource for future medical students. 
3. I bought and read The Medical School Admissions Guide by Suzanne M. Miller, MD, and use it as a resource. It is a week-by-week guide to medical school admissions written by a Harvard graduate who has been through it all and is now helping other students pursue their physician dreams. In the book, Dr. Miller discusses everything from the money you will spend during the admissions process, to recommendations, MCAT preparation, applications, essays, interviews, and decisions. It is a fantastic resource on the entire process, although not specifically geared toward MD/PhDs. 
4. I keep a virtual journal called iDailyDiary. You can download it from http://download.cnet.com/iDailyDiary-Free/3000-2124_4-10211308.html?tag=mncol;1 and it is totally free. I use this to take note of any volunteer, work, academic, or volunteer experiences so I can discuss them in detail later if ever asked to write an essay on any of them or asked questions about them in an interview. I also want to have enough information to be able to fill out the activities section on the AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) in great detail. Even more, I like to use the admissions book stated above (in #3) and other resources to get examples of questions asked on essays and in interviews to brainstorm in my journal possible answers. This way I won't be forcing my brain to think about a topic enough to write an entire essay when I have never thought about it before. 
5. I have started volunteering weekly at a local hospital. It is not a clinical position (volunteers are not allowed to touch patients) but I will be spending time in a clinical setting and will have many opportunities to interact with patients and medical professionals. This will also be an experience I can add to my activities section or be able to discuss in essays and interviews. 
6. I read PreMed Life magazine at http://www.premedlife.com/ (another free resource). It gives a lot of different information for premeds and comes out about once every other month. There are many different types of articles in each issue and every issue has a list of books to read, a list of gadgets to look into, and a specialty spotlight. It also features a list of summer premed programs across the nation (and a few in other countries).
7. I have been reading medical-related books for pleasure. Some I get off the book list in PreMed Life magazine, and others I just find browsing the library bookshelves. Right now I am reading the book BioMedical Ethics, a book in the "Opposing Viewpoints" series from Greenhaven Press. This book looks at each side of many different ethical issues in medicine including stem cell research, organ transplantation, reproductive technology, and human genetic testing. I have not gotten very far yet, but may give a review later in the blog after I have finished. Recently I finished How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman, MD. Although not exactly the most exciting read, it definitely got me thinking. It pointed out a lot of ways doctors are trained to think and how it can be good or bad in different situations, and also how you as a patient can ask questions and communicate with your doctor in order to find a correct diagnosis for any problem you may be having. It opened up my eyes to a lot of things that enhances my desire to be a communicator between physicians and scientists so we can improve the quality of medical care. 
8. I researched a lot of schools and have narrowed my list to 11 different schools. I have made a sheet for each school that includes information about the school itself, its MD/PhD program, and the location it is in. Information such as the curriculum, the graduate programs offered, and activities students participate in is included on the sheets among other things. These sheets have been placed into a binder and are ranked from my top choice on. The ranks are definitely not set in stone as I haven't even visited most of the schools yet. I plan to place all of my application and interview information and materials in the binder with its corresponding school. 
9. I have been working closely with my academic advisors to make sure I am taking all the recommended courses throughout my undergraduate career in order to make sure I am ready for the challenge of medical and graduate schools. 

Well I think that's pretty much all I've been doing so far (not that it isn't enough). If I think of something else I will add it later. Now I will list just a few things I plan on doing in the near future to help me prepare:

1. Make flashcards for the MCAT
2. Review for the MCAT using my notes and a review book
3. Take practice MCATs
4. Start a research project
5. Continue to do what I have already started

I think I have a pretty good list here. It may seem like a lot, and it is, but it doesn't seem so bad when you do a little at a time. It also helps that it is impossible to get a summer job around here. I'm doing odd jobs for a few bucks here and there, and may be increasing my volunteer work this summer. Totally unrelated to my preparation for an MD/PhD program is that I am training year-round as a hammer and discus thrower on my track and field team. I have potential to compete at the national competition, so I am working hard! I have found it very difficult to find motivation to work out a lot of days during the summer, but if I want to get to California to compete next season, I know I have to suck it up, step it up, and work as hard as I can for it. I think that's all for now. Thanks for reading!