The rain is pounding down outside, and I am not sure why I am wide awake. This week we have had a lighter lecture schedule, and I don't have to be at school until nine...and I went to bed late...why am I up and ready to go at 6am? Doesn't my body know what's going to happen in the coming weeks? (i.e. my schedule is going to increase in stress-levels and obligations about 100x!). Sigh.
Last I wrote, I had just finished third term, which already seems like ages ago. This time last week I was getting ready to the take the final. One week can seem like a month in this place - for better or worse! Last weekend was really fun, and everyone spent a lot of time at the beach, and just catching up with friends and sleep and eating normally post-exams. On my part, I did another hash with some friends, went to a great Sunday morning yoga class at La Luna with my roommates (which is a gorgeous resort on BBC beach), had some nice meals, and got painted and partied until the sun came up on Monday for J'Ouvert. J'Ouvert is the first day (Jour + Ouvert in French) of Carnival in Grenada, and everyone parades, drunkenly for the most part, around St. George's covered in paint. There are also the Jab Jab (from the French word for devil, "diable"), who are covered in motor oil and chains and are really intense - I prefer the brightly colored painted people...just saying. Anyway, I didnt go last year because it was the first day I arrived on the island, so I wanted to make sure and get a true dose of the festivities this time, and my roommates were smart and committed me to buying a ticket early in the day so that I couldn't back out and get sleepy :) which I'm notorious for. So glad I went though, it was a totally unique experience, and just a ton of fun. Plus we had Monday off so I could be totally lazy without too much trouble!
This week in class, we have just begun our introductory to Microbiology and CPD, which is a Clinical Skills class. Pathology starts next Monday. So far, I do sort of like Micro, but it has been very dependent on the lecturer. I liked Parasitology a lot, and the initial parts of the course have not been so different, so I like learning about all the bugs and their "techniques" for attack, etc., but I may have a different opinion once the memorizing and amounts of material ramp up. I guess I need to just take one day at a time, right? That's what they tell me...
The clinical skills class itself was really boring for the first day, but in our lab, we are put into groups of 6, and we spent this week doing patient histories and interviews with a mock patient. I thought it was really fun! It is totally uncomfortable to dress up (we have to be formal anytime we're with patients), and be sweating in Grenada weather (and broken A/C conditions in the exam rooms...), but the actual interactions and talking to patients, real or fake, was a lot of fun. I was nervous at first, but then remembered as soon as I began my turn with the patient, that interactions are what I love and what I am more natural and excited about getting to do as a physician. I mean studying and going to lecture is great and all...but I am so much more confident with my people skills than my lecturer-deciphering ones! It was a good experience, and I think it will be a good addition to this year.
This weekend will be attempts at previewing next week so that I don't drown in anxiety about my new schedule; we have class and lab until 5pm every day and then studying of course until our brains can't process any more. I also have to get to Hog Island and get some good fresh air while the stress levels are still low. Oh! And there is an Orientation Bazaar for all the new kids on Sunday, and I have to go and recruit people for the Orphanage Student Organization. OSO Beach Days will start next week, and I cannot WAIT to see my favorite kids!
Alright, well maybe I should look at a book or do something productive with my weird overzealous morning energy :) Or maybe reading the information about bacteria will help me get another little bit of sleep before class...!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Term THREE is DONE!!!
As of 11:30 am yesterday, I am officially 3/5 of the way through with the SGU of Grenada...again, if all goes according to plan (but I'm trying to stop giving myself those little caveats all the time...gotta have confidence!).
The final exam for our Behavioral Science course was yesterday, and it was definitely a long one. The 120 question stems were all paragraphs it seemed, and everyone was just so tired of reading (let alone coming up with the right answers) by the end. SO glad that's done. The knowledge we all now have of Health Care Policy, Law, Ethics, Epi, and learning behavior will certainly play a big role in our future lives, but when you're in full exam prep mode it's hard to keep that perspective and appreciation :) The beach time afterwards was glorious. Always see the brighter side of this island when my brain is a little emptier.
Now we have a three day weekend to celebrate the end of this term as well as Carnival in Grenada, which is always insanity. We are also all trying to get motivated and rejuvenated before the dreaded fourth term begins next week - Micro, Path, Nutrition and Clinical Skills. I am definitely not excited to lose my "free" time, run less, relax less, etc. etc., but I am also excited to dive into more clinical and just medically related stuff. In addition to the "warnings" about the intensity of next term, I have also heard plenty of people tell me that it's very interesting, pertinent, unique and worth the challenge. Right now in my rested state, I say "Bring it". Check in with me in a month or so!
Running has been great lately; the inspiration of the Olympians has something to do with that no doubt. Channeling Galen Rupp, Allyson Felix, or Kara Goucher definitely gets my adrenaline going a little more and I find some extra push that I didn't realize was buried in my seemingly tired legs. Been getting back and better at my hill and stair workouts too, and while they definitely are horrible in some ways (mostly in the "come on just go DO it now" phase), they are also really motivating and the hip strength is really helping my IT band issues. Foam roller is still my best friend too.
Well, enough of that, but today is going to be filled with some good hanging out, a picnic lunch with Angela as long as the impending tropical storm doesn't arrive, and another hash this afternoon, read: as much fresh air, moving around, and good people as possible!
The final exam for our Behavioral Science course was yesterday, and it was definitely a long one. The 120 question stems were all paragraphs it seemed, and everyone was just so tired of reading (let alone coming up with the right answers) by the end. SO glad that's done. The knowledge we all now have of Health Care Policy, Law, Ethics, Epi, and learning behavior will certainly play a big role in our future lives, but when you're in full exam prep mode it's hard to keep that perspective and appreciation :) The beach time afterwards was glorious. Always see the brighter side of this island when my brain is a little emptier.
Now we have a three day weekend to celebrate the end of this term as well as Carnival in Grenada, which is always insanity. We are also all trying to get motivated and rejuvenated before the dreaded fourth term begins next week - Micro, Path, Nutrition and Clinical Skills. I am definitely not excited to lose my "free" time, run less, relax less, etc. etc., but I am also excited to dive into more clinical and just medically related stuff. In addition to the "warnings" about the intensity of next term, I have also heard plenty of people tell me that it's very interesting, pertinent, unique and worth the challenge. Right now in my rested state, I say "Bring it". Check in with me in a month or so!
Running has been great lately; the inspiration of the Olympians has something to do with that no doubt. Channeling Galen Rupp, Allyson Felix, or Kara Goucher definitely gets my adrenaline going a little more and I find some extra push that I didn't realize was buried in my seemingly tired legs. Been getting back and better at my hill and stair workouts too, and while they definitely are horrible in some ways (mostly in the "come on just go DO it now" phase), they are also really motivating and the hip strength is really helping my IT band issues. Foam roller is still my best friend too.
Well, enough of that, but today is going to be filled with some good hanging out, a picnic lunch with Angela as long as the impending tropical storm doesn't arrive, and another hash this afternoon, read: as much fresh air, moving around, and good people as possible!
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