Year One - check

With a little luck and a ton of work, I am done with the first year.

Dear med school,
You made me gain weight. I'd like for you to take it back now. Maybe that's what summer is for, though? Losing weight and doing research? Food for thought.

I am not sure that I've ever felt this burned out, this distractable in my entire life. I do a few pharm flashcards and then see a kitty. I look at some pathology slides and then have an urgent need to find one of my classmates (this was mostly yesterday; i've sequestered myself in my apartment today). I look at bacteriology and freak out about how there's no conceivable way that I can pass it and the other four classes that will be on the written exam on Friday. Oh, and it's eight hours. Which is, y'know, totally awesome. There are a few classes, at least, where I can kind of just show up and look pretty for. Or I can try to do really well.

Bet you can't guess which one I'm trying to do. Oh and it's really stupid of me. Pharm, yeah, I have an 88% (or something near there). I could break into the high pass zone. OPP I have something similar...I actually might already be in the high pass zone...I actually don't know my average. BacT is one where I just need to get 70% to match my 70% on the previous exam. Nutrition is a "one and done" as we call them. Final exam is only worth 35% of our grade, but we have to pass it. Pathology is a "one and done" too.

At this point, I just want it to be Friday evening and know that I've passed everything.

The end is near. And I'm not talking about the apocalypse. I'm going to be studying for the rest of the week...after I see "Star Trek" tonight, of course. I shall emerge Friday, May 22, at around four pm. Hopefully I will be triumphant.

Then, I get a week off. Yay!

Why only one week, you may ask? Well, that's because I am doing research at a Large Prominent American Hospital for eight weeks. I got some grants and a research training fellowship from the American Foundation for Aging Research. I applied, thinking that there was no way I'd get it. My advisor even got me to apply to the program at Prominent Ivy League Med School. I did so, pretty much assuming that there was no way I'd get it.

And then I did. Huh.

Winding down

The first year is drawing to a close, although I'm really trying not to think about this too much. I still have quite a bit to do; drug names to be learned, bacteria to understand, pathology to be...stared at, I guess. Lots to do.

But I bet when it's over with, it'll feel awesome.

Then comes summer. I'm going to be staying in Boston during the weeks, doing research at a large, well known hospital and university. I'm scared, because I've only ever been to the Boston airport and I have no where to sleep during the weeks. A commute is technically possible but insane and impractical. I'm excited because I get to do things at places that I've never thought I'd be at.

I should learn some bacteria now.