This is sad, but true
Credit for the cartoon goes to, Michelle, a radiologist who blogs and cartoons over at: http://theunderweardrawer.homestead.com/
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Medical School - full contact sport?
The foundation of the curriculum at my medical school is small-groups, referred to as Inquiry Sessions, or IQ groups for short. We’re given case vignettes at the beginning of each week, and during small group sessions, we discuss the case, in an effort to understand the problems facing the patient, identify learning objectives for ourselves, conduct research on the latter, and then discuss our research in subsequent sessions; we do this with the guide of a faculty facilitator, but their role is largely to guide us in a Socratic manner should we get off track. It makes for a very pro-active model of learning that is a departure from standard medical school didactics (many medical schools feature small groups, but few have designated them as the centerpiece of a curriculum). It also makes for absolutely priceless moments.
Small group are intended for us to learn to work with our colleagues (many of whom are completely fucking nuts) as much as with the material. Horrid tales of gunner excess have already emerged from small-groups; one nutty chick wrote up a 35 page report for her first IQ presentation (for comparison, the average person conducted about 2 hours of research for that case, and brought a few talking points). Thankfully, my IQ group has been one of the fortunate blessed with a complete lack of malignant personalities and basket cases; to boot we have an IQ facilitator who’s refreshingly down to earth.
But that doesn’t mean there is ever a dull moment. We’ve already had quite a few classic moments in IQ, whether it be yours truly bringing up “Two girls, One cup,” our Egyptian group member showing up 30 minutes later for everything, (his sad eyes always seem to say, “it’s in Allah’s hands ,” weakening any resolve we may have had to discipline him), or a number of other rich moments.
However, one moment towers above all others in our IQ group’s short history. We customarily start our IQ sessions with “check-in,” as a way to promote intra-group communication. People share stories about their weekend, their mood, anything at all really. Last Monday, rumors were buzzing about the class about weekend drama (med school is EXACTLY like high school with less sex, fewer attractive people, but more limited cruelty); one our classmates flipped out while drunk at a party, and started threatening drastic actions (I can't elaborate out of respect for privacy issues). It turned out one of our group members, we’ll call him Bob, was involved in restraining this girl, who we’ll call Jess; and subsequently calling campus security (which given the details he related, was entirely justified). The next morning, Jess sends Bob a message, in effect stating that Bob had ruined her life (by this point, the administration and his parents had found out about the incident). So Bob was worried about a physical altercation when he came to class that Monday, and jokingly related that he was wearing a cup just in case. We laughed heartily at the last detail, but Bob stared blankly at us, and once the laughter died out, somebody said, “Wait, you’re not serious, are you?” To which our intrepid friend replied by leaning back in his chair, thrusting out his crotch, and going tap-tap-tap. You really can’t make this shit up…..
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Revenge of the Idiots
Ahhh, it's that time of year. Fall is not far off, Target is rolling out the back-to-school supplies, and my world is contented. Except as the days get shorter, my lectures seem to get longer. It started with a few good questions at the end of lecture....smart questions, reflective of incisive thought and careful study. Then it degenerated a little. Dumber questions came out, as did questions that were clearly intended to make the asker look smart. And now it's really starting to snowball, with profoundly retarded questions likely just around the corner (I really hope no one asks if they can go to the bathroom). Yes, at medical schools all across the country, this phenomenon is likely to repeat itself as the year progresses. I wont discuss anymore though, as this topic has been covered in depth by another, far funnier blogger. Enjoy:
Hypertalkers
Hypertalkers
A sane voice
I found the following comment on the blog Panda Bear MD, under a post about whether medicine is really worth it (http://pandabearmd.com/blog/2007/05/16/is-it-worth-it/):
I’ve been out of residency 12 years and love love love medicine, especially since the advent of Google. So take heart- I guarantee you will be so much happier when you never have to deal with the interior of a hospital…if you like people, you will love medicine once you survive the trauma that is residency.
Of course I say this because I work half-time in urgent medicine and have for years…whenever I work full-time I start to feel creaky and crusted over. So keep all your other talents and wits sharp, make money in other ways if you can, to get rid of the loan.
Learn to cook quickly, cheaply, and well. Shop at goodwill. Drive cars with salvage titles. Buy a fixer house and sand windowsills on the weekends. Take in short-term exchange students from cool countries like Japan. Maintain a massage table and chair if possible. You think I am kidding, but I am NOT.
Noone told anyone the best-kept secret in medicine- 30 hours a week is what most people thrive on. Beyond that, it’s diminshing returns on your personhood.
I've already been wondering about my decision to go to medical school, and reading things like this gives me heart. It's pretty much the angle I'm playing, that basically, medicine is a great job, but in limited doses with plenty of free time (so surgery, as cool as it sounds, already is a hell no).
I'm finding that culturally, I already feel very out of place in my class. About 80 -90% of people have 1.) either come straight from undergrad or 2.) taken time off to do research and then came to school. The two are almost equivalent in my mind, since biomedical research doesn't give one a break from the achievement focused culture prevalent in the medical sciences. As a result, most of the folks I'm going to school with are pretty ambitious, and willing to put in the hours to do well (although there are a fair number of lazy folks too). Additionally, many people have little exposure to peoples and countries beyond their own. Most people are upper-middle class (or straight upper-class), have lived in the US for the vast majority of their lives, and frankly, don't seem to have a lot of exposure beyond their upbringing. I don't hold this against them, I honestly don't. If my background is different, it is much due to chance and I think, good luck.
However, the sum of this to me (and I may be a total douchebag for making judgements like this; feel free to comment to that effect if you think so), is that people have had a chance to find out what's really important to them, and to explore additional dimensions of their personality. That'd be fine for most 22-24 year olds, but not this bunch. I say that because the next 4 years don't seem like they allow much room for exploration beyond medicine, and I think what makes a lot of my peers really tick is probably outside medicine (not to say that medicine isn't right for them, but hey, a lot of people work jobs that have little/nothing to do with their happiness). And so I wonder what's going to happen to everyone.
As for me, I've decided I find the social and cultural atmosphere of the school a little too intense and removed from my own values. As such, I think I'm going to shoot for a 70/30 balance in my personal life, with 70 being devoted to non-medical school friends/activities to keep my even-keeled, and the remaining 30 so I don't cut myself off entirely from my class (plus, most people in class are genuinely quite nice, and there are a rare few I can really have fun with).
I’ve been out of residency 12 years and love love love medicine, especially since the advent of Google. So take heart- I guarantee you will be so much happier when you never have to deal with the interior of a hospital…if you like people, you will love medicine once you survive the trauma that is residency.
Of course I say this because I work half-time in urgent medicine and have for years…whenever I work full-time I start to feel creaky and crusted over. So keep all your other talents and wits sharp, make money in other ways if you can, to get rid of the loan.
Learn to cook quickly, cheaply, and well. Shop at goodwill. Drive cars with salvage titles. Buy a fixer house and sand windowsills on the weekends. Take in short-term exchange students from cool countries like Japan. Maintain a massage table and chair if possible. You think I am kidding, but I am NOT.
Noone told anyone the best-kept secret in medicine- 30 hours a week is what most people thrive on. Beyond that, it’s diminshing returns on your personhood.
I've already been wondering about my decision to go to medical school, and reading things like this gives me heart. It's pretty much the angle I'm playing, that basically, medicine is a great job, but in limited doses with plenty of free time (so surgery, as cool as it sounds, already is a hell no).
I'm finding that culturally, I already feel very out of place in my class. About 80 -90% of people have 1.) either come straight from undergrad or 2.) taken time off to do research and then came to school. The two are almost equivalent in my mind, since biomedical research doesn't give one a break from the achievement focused culture prevalent in the medical sciences. As a result, most of the folks I'm going to school with are pretty ambitious, and willing to put in the hours to do well (although there are a fair number of lazy folks too). Additionally, many people have little exposure to peoples and countries beyond their own. Most people are upper-middle class (or straight upper-class), have lived in the US for the vast majority of their lives, and frankly, don't seem to have a lot of exposure beyond their upbringing. I don't hold this against them, I honestly don't. If my background is different, it is much due to chance and I think, good luck.
However, the sum of this to me (and I may be a total douchebag for making judgements like this; feel free to comment to that effect if you think so), is that people have had a chance to find out what's really important to them, and to explore additional dimensions of their personality. That'd be fine for most 22-24 year olds, but not this bunch. I say that because the next 4 years don't seem like they allow much room for exploration beyond medicine, and I think what makes a lot of my peers really tick is probably outside medicine (not to say that medicine isn't right for them, but hey, a lot of people work jobs that have little/nothing to do with their happiness). And so I wonder what's going to happen to everyone.
As for me, I've decided I find the social and cultural atmosphere of the school a little too intense and removed from my own values. As such, I think I'm going to shoot for a 70/30 balance in my personal life, with 70 being devoted to non-medical school friends/activities to keep my even-keeled, and the remaining 30 so I don't cut myself off entirely from my class (plus, most people in class are genuinely quite nice, and there are a rare few I can really have fun with).
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The torch has been passed....
After raising a few red flags with the administration in the past few weeks, I'm happy to report that the torch has been passed. Following a night of heavy drinking, one of my peers sent the following email out to the entire class, and as it happens, our deans happen to be on the class listserve (FYI: Block one is the first portion of our curriculum):
BLOCK 1 IS BONK
"and you don't need to be sober for it"
And so flow the words of wisdom from those that come before us.
Take this as a challenge. We will not be sober. We will exceed nine days. We will be better. We will be stronger. We will push the boundaries of what is possible. We will go for at the very minimum ten days. We will make it clear that the class of 2013 will not be challenged, will not be surpassed. Will not be out-done. We will become what those before us have failed to be. We will be superior. We will be the best -- the greatest to grace the presence of Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine.
And it will come to pass.
Today was but the first day of the epic struggle that we face.
Tomorrow, we meet at the Winking Lizard (9pm) or earlier for those valiant few that dare stretch to our reaches.
And Thursday, we will continue drinking. At McNulty's they promise one dollar drinks from 7 until 9.
On Friday, McNulty's promises once again, one dollar drinks from 7 until 9.
We shall prevail.
We shall surpass the weak nine days of drinking the 4th years have laid before us.
We shall show them how the class of 2013 drinks.
And we shall show them that we will not be stopped. We shall not be dominated. We shall not be shown the way that Block One will be approached.
We will make the way Block One is approached. We will be valiant. We shall be vigorous. And we shall be the best.
In other words, drink my friends. Drink the twenty-second of the month. Drink the twenty-third. Drink until the tenth night is reached. And once that is achieved - drink again. Drink the whole block through. Drink until the block is done. Drink until as a whole, we cannot continue any longer. If any one of us can continue, so shall we all.
"Sober is as sober does, and sober does as boring does."
"Drink Like a Champion EVERY Day."
These are the words of the strong.
Become the strong.
Come to the Winking Lizard on 7/22/09.
Drink on Thursday. (Dollar Power Hour at McNulty's)
And drink of Friday. (Again with the dollar power hour at McNulty's)
We shall overcome. We shall "Beat It".
We will be the "smooth criminal"
And we will be those that drink the whole ten days. We will even drink two weeks through. Join me, and we shall not be stopped. Come and be all that you can be. In the Block One drinking army.
Gregariously, affectionately, brutally, and honestly yours,
Student X
My entire class woke up the next morning, and when we got to lecture the next morning, found this email in our inboxes. And wait for it, waaaaaaait for it.....yup, the other shoe just dropped:
I would like to apologize for the e-mail I sent out to the listserv last night. It was inappropriate, unprofessional, and was in no way representative of myself or the way I want to be perceived. It was a very poor decision and I sincerely regret it.
The statements that I made regarding block one were uncalled for. In fact, the setup of this first part of the curriculum and its ease into the bulk of medical school contributed strongly to my decision to matriculate at Case.
Also, I think it is important that we have fun and find time to socialize during block one, but we need to be smart about it. We should not act in a way that would cause the community around us to see us in a bad light and we should be careful about what we post to the public domain.
Again, I am sincerely sorry for what I did.
Thank you,
X
Apparently the Deans ripped this poor person a new one, but I can't say I feel that bad, because I don't look so bad now with the d-bag comment.
BLOCK 1 IS BONK
"and you don't need to be sober for it"
And so flow the words of wisdom from those that come before us.
Take this as a challenge. We will not be sober. We will exceed nine days. We will be better. We will be stronger. We will push the boundaries of what is possible. We will go for at the very minimum ten days. We will make it clear that the class of 2013 will not be challenged, will not be surpassed. Will not be out-done. We will become what those before us have failed to be. We will be superior. We will be the best -- the greatest to grace the presence of Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine.
And it will come to pass.
Today was but the first day of the epic struggle that we face.
Tomorrow, we meet at the Winking Lizard (9pm) or earlier for those valiant few that dare stretch to our reaches.
And Thursday, we will continue drinking. At McNulty's they promise one dollar drinks from 7 until 9.
On Friday, McNulty's promises once again, one dollar drinks from 7 until 9.
We shall prevail.
We shall surpass the weak nine days of drinking the 4th years have laid before us.
We shall show them how the class of 2013 drinks.
And we shall show them that we will not be stopped. We shall not be dominated. We shall not be shown the way that Block One will be approached.
We will make the way Block One is approached. We will be valiant. We shall be vigorous. And we shall be the best.
In other words, drink my friends. Drink the twenty-second of the month. Drink the twenty-third. Drink until the tenth night is reached. And once that is achieved - drink again. Drink the whole block through. Drink until the block is done. Drink until as a whole, we cannot continue any longer. If any one of us can continue, so shall we all.
"Sober is as sober does, and sober does as boring does."
"Drink Like a Champion EVERY Day."
These are the words of the strong.
Become the strong.
Come to the Winking Lizard on 7/22/09.
Drink on Thursday. (Dollar Power Hour at McNulty's)
And drink of Friday. (Again with the dollar power hour at McNulty's)
We shall overcome. We shall "Beat It".
We will be the "smooth criminal"
And we will be those that drink the whole ten days. We will even drink two weeks through. Join me, and we shall not be stopped. Come and be all that you can be. In the Block One drinking army.
Gregariously, affectionately, brutally, and honestly yours,
Student X
My entire class woke up the next morning, and when we got to lecture the next morning, found this email in our inboxes. And wait for it, waaaaaaait for it.....yup, the other shoe just dropped:
I would like to apologize for the e-mail I sent out to the listserv last night. It was inappropriate, unprofessional, and was in no way representative of myself or the way I want to be perceived. It was a very poor decision and I sincerely regret it.
The statements that I made regarding block one were uncalled for. In fact, the setup of this first part of the curriculum and its ease into the bulk of medical school contributed strongly to my decision to matriculate at Case.
Also, I think it is important that we have fun and find time to socialize during block one, but we need to be smart about it. We should not act in a way that would cause the community around us to see us in a bad light and we should be careful about what we post to the public domain.
Again, I am sincerely sorry for what I did.
Thank you,
X
Apparently the Deans ripped this poor person a new one, but I can't say I feel that bad, because I don't look so bad now with the d-bag comment.
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