Top Medical School Memories

Today I officially completed medical school. I have been feeling a little nostalgic and wanted to pass on some of my favorite memories from the past four years. Some were funny in the moment and some are enjoyable only now in hindsight, but I laugh whenever I think of these moments. Some are probably not funny at all but experiences that have stuck with me. While they are a reminder that there is a huge learning curve in medical school I take great comfort in the fact that in 10 days I will receive my medical degree.

Some of these aren't PG because medical school wasn't.

• On the first day of Gross Anatomy lab we unzipped the body bag to our cadaver Glenda (our name for her). She was nothing like I expected (for some reason I was imagining an embalmed body, not one that had been bathing in formaldehyde for months) so I stood in silent horror wondering how I was going to touch her let alone dissect her for 4 months. One of my partners (who is now one of my closest classmates) processed things completely differently and wouldn't stop talking to me while I sent her silent vibes to be quiet. We still laugh when we talk about our impressions of each other based on that first experience together.
  
• We had some problems with a couple of our cadavers so new ones were shipped from Indy and the delivery man left the cadavers in their body bags just sitting in the quad on Notre Dame's campus outside of the building. Needless to say it drew a lot of attention.
  
• On our last day of Gross Anatomy we had to dispose of the remains of our cadavers and clean the lab. Let me just say it was the nastiest experience. Afterwards (before showering) we went to the grotto and lit candles and "prayed" for our cadavers. Then we went out for pizza (again before showering) with the physicians. It was an interesting day.
  
• In my first meeting with an attending who was to teach 4 of us the basics of the physical exam he used a really lame analogy and I couldn't stop laughing as he re-referenced the analogy. I was intimidated by him and felt horrible, but I couldn't get over the analogy. He eventually stopped talking and asked what I was laughing at. I told him honestly that his analogy was a little lacking and that started a friendship that has lasted through med school. I have worked with him for many months, am publishing a paper with him, have exercised with him, gone out to coffee with him. He has encouraged and challenged me in ways no one else has (including a long lecture on the fact that I need to find a husband soon).
  
• When we were learning the female exam a lady came to be the patient whose sole job is to teach med students all over the region how to do the pelvic exam. She literally has 20+ pelvic exams done on her in an average day. (Remember that if you ever feel like your job is bad). We were talking with her afterwards and she said, "I feel much more comfortable talking with you guys when I am in the stirrups." We looked at each other in horror.
  
• While learning the male exam with another actor patient the medical school thought it would be appropriate timing to have a photo shoot for their fundraising campaign. Of course they came in while I was beginning the exam. Let's just say it was a little awkward.
  
• One day we had to drive to Gary, Indiana for a practice session with actor patients. I was really sick, but I didn't have a choice in participating. While interacting with one of the actors I was smiling a lot because I kept coughing and sneezing and blowing my nose and it was ridiculous. She was trying to pour her heart out about this fake scenario and I couldn't keep it together. Needless to say during the feedback time she literally yelled at me for my lack of compassion, professionalism....
  
• During my obstetrics/gynecology rotation I was sent into a room to do my first cervical check. The room was very dark and I was going in blindly. I put my finger in the wrong orifice and immediately knew I wasn't where I was supposed to be, a fact the patient quickly pointed out. I tried to pretend that I knew what I was doing as I stuck my contaminated finger in her "sterile" cervix to conduct the exam. I knew ob/gyn wasn't for me.
• On my pediatric neurology rotation my evil attending yelled at me in front of a small child and his parents for not conducting a proper neuro exam (I did what every other physician does and used my stethoscope head as the reflex hammer). She literally lectured me every chance she got for the next 3 days on the need to be prepared every day of every rotation with all of the required equipment. So for those 3 days I had every piece of neuro equipment imaginable in my overstuffed white coat pockets. It was priceless but admittedly very passive aggressive.
• During my first day of forensic psychiatry they gave me a razor and told me to help this lady shave. I knew that she had recently killed her husband in a psychotic rage so I just stood at the door ready to run if she tried to make a move on me. I thought my life had reached a new low.
  
• One late night on internal medicine my attending was giving me a really hard time in front of our entire team of residents and students. He had been giving me and the other student a hard time for 2 weeks and I snapped. He asked me if I understood what he was telling me to do and I said, "Obviously I don't get it or I would do what you are asking." It didn't go over very well. I received multiple lectures from him on the need to control one's emotions but by the end of the rotation he was impressed enough that he told me I should strongly consider internal medicine.
  
• On an important surgery rotation I was working with an attending that I needed a good letter of recommendation from. I apparently was doing something wrong in the OR and he yelled, "You still haven't learned the one thing I wanted you to gain from this rotation!" If only he had told me beforehand what it was that he wanted me to learn. Thankfully I impressed him enough to get a really good letter.
• While talking with a patient a few days before Easter about what he needed to do to make sure that the life-threatening problem he had experienced wouldn't happen again he yelled at me, "You're treating me just like the Jews treated Jesus. No one wanted to take responsibility for him." I wanted to enter a theological debate with him, but knew that he wasn't rational enough for such a discussion. I'll think about this as I spend time in Israel.

These have been four of the hardest and best years of my life. I never knew it was possible to put in the hours that we have and I am more and more convinced that I am doing exactly what I was made to do. I am only able to laugh at some of these stories because I have been encouraged and affirmed by many surgeons that I am capable and qualified to become a surgeon. I've got an intense 5-10 years of training left and I only hope I can continue to laugh at the inevitable moments of stupidity that I will have. In the meantime I have two months of vacation to enjoy!

My Favorite Possession

I know life isn't about stuff, but sometimes a certain item allows one to enjoy life at a different level. For me that item is my road bike. It is beautiful and exhilarating to ride (and extra rewarding since I bought it with money I earned from working in the ER this year). When I am on my bike nothing else matters. I don't even mind wearing spandex in public- something inconceivable 2 years ago.

Saturday I went for a ride through some of the trails in Indy. For 90 minutes I rode through the IU medical center campus, along the White River, through the IMA (Indianapolis Museum of Art), the Lily Gardens (in the pictures), through Broad Ripple, and then I finished it off with some all-out sprints back to downtown on the Monon trail.

I am so thankful that I have found an activity that allows me to get great exercise outdoors. I covered some serious ground while enjoying phenomenal views that prior to Saturday I didn't know existed in Indy.

I can't wait to go back to the Lily Gardens (yes it is named after Eli Lilly the large pharmaceutical company based in Indy). So if you've ever taken Prozac or Humulin insulin you've helped fund this beautiful garden in Indianapolis. You should come and check it out!

Politics

I am so excited that Indiana actually matters in politics this year! The fact that most years we don't count is ridiculous to me, but I'm choosing to focus on the fact that our state is likely going to decide on the democratic candidate this time which is very exciting.

I'm not even a democrat, but I try and stay open-minded. I want to hear what everyone has to say and then vote accordingly. I can't say that I've ever been a fan of the Clinton family, but they are making their presence known in Indy right now. Today I attended the rally Hillary was holding a block from my apartment. It was so fun! I love the secret service and the press and all of the energy.

I was pretty much right in front of Hillary just a few rows back and dressed in scrubs since I had come from a long overnight shift in the hospital. I don't think I helped generate the energy she would have liked from someone obviously in medicine as she discussed all of her proposed healthcare reform.

I must say I was impressed with her intellect, public speaking ability (especially without a prompter for an hour-long speech), and her wealth of experience in politics. If I felt that she could accomplish even half of the lofty things she spoke about I would give her my vote. She was very specific in what she wants to do and I appreciate that.

I got to shake her hand afterwards which was fun, although not nearly as cool as when I shook George W. Bush's hand a couple of years ago.

Tomorrow Chelsea Clinton is speaking at the medical school on healthcare reform which should be interesting. I'm sure I'll stop by for a little bit of it.

The Clinton's have already visited Indiana over 50 times and that number is growing rapidly.

The best part of the whole experience was while waiting to get through the secret service they had us fill out information cards with contact info as our "tickets". I didn't fill in the blank saying I would vote for Hillary so I knew they would call me. I figured my parents, being about as anti-Clinton as anyone, would really like a phone call from a fanatical supporter, so I gave them my parents number. They already received a call tonight. I wish I could have heard that interaction. The only person more opposed to the Clinton's was my Grandma who actually had a book titled, "The case against Hillary Clinton". I love my Grandma!

I'm excited to meet Barack Obama sometime in the next couple of weeks and really hear him speak. Hillary is hoping to have a debate in Indiana and I will do everything I can to get a ticket to that.

What a privilege to live in a country where every voice counts!

A Funny Night

Today I was driving to my apartment which is across the road from a major concert venue and I saw lots of girls sitting around obviously waiting in line to for a concert that was scheduled to start 8 hours later. I quickly discovered that Hanson was the band performing. All I know about Hanson is "Mmm Bop". I thought they had stopped making "music" years ago.

Tonight I heard the squeals at about 11:30 when they were leaving the show. There is a nice area in front of my apartment where artists come out and sign autographs and take pictures (it's where I met Norah Jones last year). At midnight when the parking lot was still very full I decided to wander down and see what the guys looked like and who their fan base really was. I was shocked by the number of college and beyond crowd mesmerized by whatever member of the band happened to be greeting fans. I heard one girl say, "I'm 23 and look at me. I am freaking out that I got a picture with Hanson." Another girl was on her cell phone and I heard her say, "Oh my gosh. He just looked at me!"

I was going to take a picture with them and get their autograph to give to a friend as a joke. Once I saw all of the undignified girls and one boy swooning over this guy I couldn't do it. So here is the one picture I took before gathering my remaining dignity and walking back to my apartment.

My First House

Last night I got the call at around 11:30pm that they had accepted my counteroffer for the house. I am thrilled to be a home owner- well at least on my way to becoming one. I've already got some furniture picked out. I can't wait to continue decorating my house!

My Grandma

My maternal Grandmother passed away early this morning. Because of some health problems it wasn't entirely a surprise, but it was a shock. You can't be fully prepared to lose someone you love.

I love my Grandma.

She loved God with her whole mind. She was constantly reading books and learning about new subjects. She gave books to encourage based on whatever season of life I was in. She supported and nurtured my desire to pursue medicine and missions from a young age. When I was first wondering if I could be both a physician and overseas missionary she gave me a book called, "Ten Fingers for God" about Dr. Paul Brand (one of my heroes thanks to her) who was a hand surgeon specializing in the care of people with leprosy. Before going to Calcutta, India she also gave me a couple of Mother Theresa books that enriched my experience immensely.

One thing that I loved about her was that she was a woman who wasn't afraid to let her opinion be known. Her inhibition led to some funny moments that I will never forget. When she was in town for my high school graduation and I was slightly addicted to Hawaiian rolls she made it clear that if I kept eating like that I would become very overweight. Over Christmas last year when I was struggling to decide what specialty to pursue she made it very clear that I was crazy if I didn't become a surgeon.

I don't think she appreciated my sense of humor too much. She was the most avid George W. Bush fan I know. She worked with his campaign and talked about him like they were close friends. When I suggested maybe I would vote for a democrat and spoke of my love for the Clinton family (as a complete joke), she just couldn't stand it. I think she might have kicked me out of the house had I not relented. If she could she would probably have a few words for me about that last picture of her in the classy shades in Mexico.

I'm heading down to San Antonio to celebrate her life knowing that she is with Jesus. She isn't in any pain and her body has been made new. She lived a full life and has left behind many who love her deeply and look forward to seeing her again.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Revelation 21: 3-5a

Reflections on Oprah

I just finished watching Oprah and am just amazed at the ways God works. The whole show was about the tragic accident involving 9 Taylor students and staff nearly two years ago. I have followed the story of the mistaken identities and the healing of the student body at Taylor. I'll never forget the night of the accident when I received (and didn't answer) several back-to-back phone calls from friends at Taylor and finally answered one of them knowing something must have happened. I can also remember right where I was when I heard the news from my dad that the bodies had been mistaken.

I was moved to tears while watching the show today as I saw the grace of the Van Ryn family as they spoke of the gut-wrenching pain they have endured. It is obvious that God is living and active in their lives to allow them to not simply face the Ceraks, but to share their lives (and the Cerak's joy) with them.

I love the way God redeems horrible situations and allows Christ-followers to share the reason for the hope they have on worldwide platforms.

I'll be at Taylor on April 26th (the 2 year anniversary) for the dedication of the memorial chapel in their honor.

If anyone wants to join me, Taylathon (a barbaric bike race) will also be taking place. I am also excited to enjoy a grasshopper shake from Ivanhoes, which I haven't had in over 2 years.