2015 Updates

Gosh this year has been going by fast. Fall semester was here and gone in a blink of an eye, and even though my winter break was an extra week longer than usual, it still wasn't long enough. I've already been back in school for a month and it feels like it might as well have been just a week!

The renal domain was a bit tough. I got my lowest score on any exam in the past year, but considering that a friend attempted suicide and I was sick with the flu for about a week during this domain, I was happy just to pass. It was still frustrating because I don't think the exam really reflected the knowledge that I gained and because my goal is to master every exam, but at least it is over.

Pulmonary seems to be going well so far, but I admit it's been a bit tough to find my groove this semester. I know part of it is due to the aforementioned events of my friend's hospitalization and my illness, but my depression seems to be rearing its ugly head and throwing things out of balance.

I tried reducing my medication dose over winter break (with permission/supervision from my therapist) -- BIG MISTAKE. I did fine at first, but after about 3 weeks of the reduced medication I kept wondering why I was feeling more anxious and panicky and lashing out at people and then it hit me - duh, I should probably go back on the dose I know that works. Since then, things have been *better*, but I still feel out of sorts. My sun lamp helps when I am studying, but I just overall have been feeling lower than I would like. Hopefully this changes soon.

I added a countdown clock to my first licensing exam - 121 days as of today. I am about 30% through my first run of my question bank. I was hoping to be at around 50% by now, but the way the domain schedule works there are a lot more questions related to school stuff in the spring semester, so hopefully I will be more on track soon. I am remembering a decent amount of things from last semester, or at least remembering enough to at least be familiar with what the test is asking, so I'm feeling pretty good about having a good intensive study period in May.

I also can't believe that beside my test being in 4 months, I also move to Flint in 4 months. I've got my apartment search narrowed down to two places, possibly plus or minus a few (there are a few condos/lofts downtown that don't really advertise online that I'm going to check out in the next few weeks). K and I were going to try to live in one apartment together, but due to some family stuff, that probably isn't happening. However, we are going to try to live in the same complex, just to have someone nearby.

Countdown to Step 1!

Fall average: MASTER

Got my overall grade average for the fall semester: 87%

My highest grade was 92, and my lowest grade was 84.

While I was hoping that all of my exams would be above 85, I am thrilled with my performance this semester. I am exactly where I want to be - mastering the subjects, and still having time to do all the costuming things I want to do.

This, according to CHM's studies, puts me in a great place for Step 1. The reason they set mastery at 85% is because if you "master", you are almost guaranteed to pass Step 1 on your first try, with an average of 225 for you score.

Woohoo!

Medical School or Art School?

"Gosh golly, Dr. Brit! We haven't heard from you in a long time. What have you been up to???"

I'm glad you asked, gentle reader. 

This. Lots of this:

 And a lot of this:

And even some of this:

Now, what do pro-wrestling, silly looking dinosaurs, and Clint Eastwood have in common?

They're all part of my story pneumonics to help me learn and memorize some odd-hundreds of drugs, their use, and their side effects.

Now, medical school may look like just a bunch of fun drawings, but this is just a small portion of what I've had to learn. I am 3 days away from completing my third medical domain of the semester. I already finished with Neurology and Infectious Disease, and I am just wrapping up Musculoskeletal.

So far, things are going GREAT. I have really found my groove this year - so much that doctors I have literally just met are telling me the same thing. My grades are in the mastery range - I actually got an "official commendation" from the school on how high my last exam grade was. Clinical skills is making much more sense as we dive into more specific physical exams, and I just feel like this is my year.

It's about damn time.

Last Aeromed Shift!

Today is my last aeromed shift! I am going to miss it very much, but it has been a great experience, and has confirmed my interest in emergency medicine.

I'll talk more about my experience later, but here is a fun selfie of me in my flight suit for good measure.

Flight

Today I helped bring a patient to the same room where Tori died.

I noticed, and remembered, and I *cared*, but it did not bother me.

I think I have made some progress.

There was the potential for a lot of triggers today - my first medical flight, lots of coworkers talking about drowning rates over holiday weekends, bringing a patient to the children's hospital....

However, instead of feeling triggered, I felt POWERFUL. I enjoyed the actual flying, of course. But I really felt like "a doctor" - I knew most of what the actual medical people were talking about, I knew what was going on when the physician was intubating, I knew what to say to the parents to help explain what was going on, I knew how to read the CT. I felt on top of the world (literally, especially when I was standing on the helicopter pad).

I was able to take some sweet photos while I was in the air - I will post them later, but for now, I just feel GOOD. And that's pretty damn awesome.

Awesome new shadowing/volunteering gig....