Game Face

My GI exam is coming up. I have a lot of studying left to do. I still love this block and I'm still not going to be a gastro enterologist.

I took a mental health day today and it was fantastic. Most of the day was watching "How I met your mother". Not exactly ideal study conditions, but wonderful for making me smile and lose track of my stresses. And there was chocolate. Far too much chocolate. Tasty tasty chocolate.

But I digress.

There are many students in my class who are focusing on studies alone, leaving all the organization and advocacy to other people. That's fine, I respect that. I just wish they wouldn't rub my nose in it.

I know that I am just as smart and able to succeed in school as well as advocate for my fellow students.

I am currently giving myself a pep talk. One that will allow me to get to work and learn everything I could ever want to know about the pancreas and liver (and more). I'm putting on my game face and being the strong woman I know I can be.

Driven to Drink

My partner and I have been incredibly social over the past few days. It's unusual for us. Both of us find being in socially heavy situations to be difficult. I know there's irony there, the woman who is going to be a doctor is uncomfortable talking to people. I think that situation will be different though since my patients will be coming to me with an agenda, and unlike our sneaky standardized patients, they will let me know what it is they want from me.

I've been asked at each of these events what I want to specialize in. I DON'T KNOW!! Family medicine looks good because there are so many options available for me. If I learned nothing else this summer it's that family docs can have a wide breadth of practice. It would help my attention deficit ways.

I've also been asked about my children. Someone has been telling people in the first year class that I have kids. This amuses me but also upsets me. I hate gossip...when it's about me. It really is amazing how quickly gossip spreads around and between the classes.

In other news, I passed Endo!! Yay! I've really got to start studying for the final so I can maintain my pass. Even though we have a saying in this pass-fail program (six-oh and go) I'd still like to learn the material well before heading into clerkship and having to attempt to diagnose a real live prolactinoma. Or at least put it on the differential.

I'm still enjoying digestion, but think that I've fallen further behind in it than I would have liked. What's new. More studying is definitely on the agenda for this week.

Mini Vacation

We've been given 4 days off. I might be in heaven. There's definitely a huge list of things that I need to get done, but knowing that I have 4 whole days to fit them into is lovely. Plus there's no one else around so I'm not expected to show up for meetings anywhere. Pretty much divine.

I had my first large scale mistake last week. No one got dead, but an entire class of students was subjected to my idiocy. It really threw me because I was just starting to feel as though I had things together (well, non academic things). It's surprising to me how important it was that I get praise rather than chastisement for the effort I'd put into the project. I think it's indicative of a mindset I need to change for next year. I will be making more mistakes than a kid learning how to walk and I need to be ready to listen to the criticism. Now to make that magically happen...

We've moved on to the Gastro Intestinal tract and nutrition. I love it. Apparently I'm the only one in the class that does. Their loss.

I don't think I'll ever specialize in GI, but the anatomy and physiology is so interesting that I love it. There are so many mechanisms set up that make sure that we get all nutrients from our food - it's fascinating. The anatomy is simple and logical. What else could you ask for in a block??