On Monday I'll start my 23rd year of school. First through 12th grade was 12 years, I went to kindergarten for a year, I actually went to pre-school for two years (my best friend and I were jealous of our older sisters that got to go a year before us... so we went with them a year early. My best friend was our class valedictorian - so I guess that extra year of pre-school paid off!). Then undergrad for 4 years, a masters program in teaching for 2 years, and on the day I received my masters diploma in the mail I started my post-bac pre-med year. Now after exactly one year off, I'm starting my 23rd year of school.
I think I keep signing up for school because I'm good at it, I know what to expect and I like highlighters and sticky notes. It's not the first time this has occurred to me, but it's the first time I'm verbalizing it. I really hope I'm good at being a doctor because I can't keep going to school forever. Plus you have to pay someone else to be a student, and it would be nice to do something that pays me instead.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
HealthCare.gov
In preparation for my med school interviews last fall, I memorized several facts about Obama's health care reform plan. I'm not about to claim that I understood all of what was being discussed, but I wanted to be able to address any interview questions such as, "What do you think of the discussion on health care reform?" In fact, one school asked me, "How would you solve the health care access problems we are facing?" Wow.
Obama's new Affordable Care Act was signed on March 23, 2010. This (government sponsored) website, HealthCare.gov, gives some great information on everything from understanding the new laws, outlining the time line in: "What's changing and When", and helps you to find insurance options based on your state and specific family situation.
One specific part of the website that caught my eye discussed how this Affordable Care Act addresses the Health Disparities I witnessed as a Baltimore City School teacher, I see every day as a clinical research assistant, and that will become a priority as I learn to care for the people of East Baltimore as a medical student.
I wanted to cut and paste sentences from the article, but quickly realized that I would end up copying the whole thing. Every point made and change that will take place is important! I tried my best, but you might as well just read the article.
I admit that this article came from a government sponsored website. I also admit that no where did the site explain the actual logistics of HOW this was all happening. For example, we already have a shortage of primary care providers, so how exactly will the law support 16,000 new primary care people? Maybe there will be an incentive to become a primary care physician, such as "we'll pay all of your med school debt if you become a pediatrician."
There are obviously many other parts of the law that change the health care scene for young adults, those with Medicare prescription drug coverage, early retirees, those with pre-existing conditions, and many other groups. Plus a focus on prevention is a huge step forward in my book!
I'm really interested to hear what others (specifically my family and friends) have to say. I do not know enough about health care politics and this is clearly a hot topic to debate.
Obama's new Affordable Care Act was signed on March 23, 2010. This (government sponsored) website, HealthCare.gov, gives some great information on everything from understanding the new laws, outlining the time line in: "What's changing and When", and helps you to find insurance options based on your state and specific family situation.
One specific part of the website that caught my eye discussed how this Affordable Care Act addresses the Health Disparities I witnessed as a Baltimore City School teacher, I see every day as a clinical research assistant, and that will become a priority as I learn to care for the people of East Baltimore as a medical student.
I wanted to cut and paste sentences from the article, but quickly realized that I would end up copying the whole thing. Every point made and change that will take place is important! I tried my best, but you might as well just read the article.
- "Low-income Americans, racial and ethnic minorities, and other underserved populations often have higher rates of disease, fewer treatment options, and reduced access to care."
- "...minority communities experience higher rates of illness and death for chronic diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, and cancer. Because infant mortality and post-birth complications are also higher in minority and low-income groups, the law includes new funds for home visits for expectant mothers and newborns."
- "[the act] strengthens cultural competency training for all health care providers."
- "Health centers serve an estimated one in three low-income people and one in four low-income minority residents. ... health centers to double the number of patients they serve. Combined with investments made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new law will support 16,000 new primary care providers."
- "Women will no longer have to pay higher premiums because of their gender. New funding will be available to collect information on how women and racial and ethnic minorities experience the health care system, leading to improvements that will benefit these groups."
I admit that this article came from a government sponsored website. I also admit that no where did the site explain the actual logistics of HOW this was all happening. For example, we already have a shortage of primary care providers, so how exactly will the law support 16,000 new primary care people? Maybe there will be an incentive to become a primary care physician, such as "we'll pay all of your med school debt if you become a pediatrician."
There are obviously many other parts of the law that change the health care scene for young adults, those with Medicare prescription drug coverage, early retirees, those with pre-existing conditions, and many other groups. Plus a focus on prevention is a huge step forward in my book!
I'm really interested to hear what others (specifically my family and friends) have to say. I do not know enough about health care politics and this is clearly a hot topic to debate.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Defense
Med school is going to kick my ass and I need to be ready! A few weeks ago I decided to start preparing my body's sleep schedule for medical school. For the past year I've been getting up around 7:20, leaving by 8:20 and getting to work by 8:45. But, after getting my class schedule in the mail, I realized I will have to physically be in a classroom, taking notes, and thinking at 8am. So... with one month of summer left, I started getting up at 6am. That lasted exactly four days.
This past Monday, with two weeks to go before school, I started the early morning wake up routine again. And I'm exhausted! This is awful because (a) my dad and mom work an average of 15 hours a day or more in the summer, (b) my husband is out the door by 5:45am on most days, and (c) when I was a teacher I was regularly up by 6 and at work by 7:15.... and now I can't manage to get up at 6am without feeling tired by dinner time.
I'm determined not to press the snooze button or take any naps at all in the next week and a half. My body needs to learn to fall asleep by 11 and get up by 6 - and that's just the way it's going to be!
Then I found an excerpt from a book published by the NIH that lists some misconceptions about sleep:
Misconception 1: Sleep is time for the body in general and the brain specifically to shut down for rest
Sleep is an active process involving specific cues for its regulation. Although there are some modest decreases in metabolic rate, there is no evidence that any major organ or regulatory system in the body shuts down during sleep. Some brain activity, including delta waves, increases dramatically. Also, the endocrine system increases secretion of certain hormones during sleep, such as growth hormone and prolactin. In REM sleep, many parts of the brain are as active as at any time when awake.
Misconception 2: Getting just one hour less sleep per night than needed will not have any effect on daytime functioning
When daily sleep time is less than an individual needs, a "sleep debt" develops. Even relatively modest daily reductions in sleep time (for example, one hour) can accumulate across days to cause a sleep debt. If the debt becomes too great, it can lead to problem sleepiness. Although the individual may not realize his or her sleepiness, the sleep debt can have powerful effects on daytime performance, thinking, and mood.
The biological clock that times and controls a person's sleep/wake cycle will attempt to function according to a normal day/night schedule even when that person tries to change it.
Misconception 3: The body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules
The biological clock that times and controls a person's sleep/wake cycle will attempt to function according to a normal day/night schedule even when that person tries to change it. Those who work night shifts naturally feel sleepy when nighttime comes. A similar feeling that occurs during travel is known as jet lag. This conflict, set up by trying to be active during the brain's biological nighttime, leads to a decrease in cognitive and motor skills. The biological clock can be reset, but only by appropriately timed cues and even then, by one to two hours per day at best. Problems resulting from a mismatch of this type may be reduced by behaviors such as sleeping in a dark, quiet room, getting exposure to bright light at the right time, and altering eating and exercise patterns. Because humans function best when they sleep at night and act in the daytime, the task for a person who must be active at night is to retrain the biological clock (by light cues).
I'm not drastically changing anything... like trying to stay awake at night and sleep during the day, so I think I'll be ok! But I hope I'm not developing "sleep debt" and my body really is ok with functioning on 7 hours!
This past Monday, with two weeks to go before school, I started the early morning wake up routine again. And I'm exhausted! This is awful because (a) my dad and mom work an average of 15 hours a day or more in the summer, (b) my husband is out the door by 5:45am on most days, and (c) when I was a teacher I was regularly up by 6 and at work by 7:15.... and now I can't manage to get up at 6am without feeling tired by dinner time.
I'm determined not to press the snooze button or take any naps at all in the next week and a half. My body needs to learn to fall asleep by 11 and get up by 6 - and that's just the way it's going to be!
Then I found an excerpt from a book published by the NIH that lists some misconceptions about sleep:
Misconception 1: Sleep is time for the body in general and the brain specifically to shut down for rest
Sleep is an active process involving specific cues for its regulation. Although there are some modest decreases in metabolic rate, there is no evidence that any major organ or regulatory system in the body shuts down during sleep. Some brain activity, including delta waves, increases dramatically. Also, the endocrine system increases secretion of certain hormones during sleep, such as growth hormone and prolactin. In REM sleep, many parts of the brain are as active as at any time when awake.
Misconception 2: Getting just one hour less sleep per night than needed will not have any effect on daytime functioning
When daily sleep time is less than an individual needs, a "sleep debt" develops. Even relatively modest daily reductions in sleep time (for example, one hour) can accumulate across days to cause a sleep debt. If the debt becomes too great, it can lead to problem sleepiness. Although the individual may not realize his or her sleepiness, the sleep debt can have powerful effects on daytime performance, thinking, and mood.
The biological clock that times and controls a person's sleep/wake cycle will attempt to function according to a normal day/night schedule even when that person tries to change it.
Misconception 3: The body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules
The biological clock that times and controls a person's sleep/wake cycle will attempt to function according to a normal day/night schedule even when that person tries to change it. Those who work night shifts naturally feel sleepy when nighttime comes. A similar feeling that occurs during travel is known as jet lag. This conflict, set up by trying to be active during the brain's biological nighttime, leads to a decrease in cognitive and motor skills. The biological clock can be reset, but only by appropriately timed cues and even then, by one to two hours per day at best. Problems resulting from a mismatch of this type may be reduced by behaviors such as sleeping in a dark, quiet room, getting exposure to bright light at the right time, and altering eating and exercise patterns. Because humans function best when they sleep at night and act in the daytime, the task for a person who must be active at night is to retrain the biological clock (by light cues).
I'm not drastically changing anything... like trying to stay awake at night and sleep during the day, so I think I'll be ok! But I hope I'm not developing "sleep debt" and my body really is ok with functioning on 7 hours!
Monday, August 2, 2010
"Live like a student while you're in school...
... and you won't have to live like a student later."
As Matt and I were filling out the endless financial aid paperwork, the always super fun FAFSA form, student loan promissory notes, and entrance counseling online classes, we found a ton of information on medical school and debt. We punched numbers into this loan repayment calculator, searched Federal Stafford Loan interest rates (6.8% for graduate school), and made spreadsheets detailing living costs, tuition, books and lab fees. Ok, he made spreadsheets :) I'm planning to write a more complete post on the finances of medical school, but the point is, medical school = debt. But, I'm one of the lucky ones because my husband has a good job and we can decrease our loans by living off of his salary! I still need to pay for tuition... but I won't need to take out loans for rent, cable, or electric.
As Matt and I were filling out the endless financial aid paperwork, the always super fun FAFSA form, student loan promissory notes, and entrance counseling online classes, we found a ton of information on medical school and debt. We punched numbers into this loan repayment calculator, searched Federal Stafford Loan interest rates (6.8% for graduate school), and made spreadsheets detailing living costs, tuition, books and lab fees. Ok, he made spreadsheets :) I'm planning to write a more complete post on the finances of medical school, but the point is, medical school = debt. But, I'm one of the lucky ones because my husband has a good job and we can decrease our loans by living off of his salary! I still need to pay for tuition... but I won't need to take out loans for rent, cable, or electric.
This past weekend we took the first step as a "single income family" and moved from a lovely rowhome with 900 square feet of space to a brand new apartment with a footprint of 550 square feet. When we told our rowhome neighbor we were moving he said, "Well you can't get much smaller than these houses." In unison Matt and I replied, "yeah... ya can." We spent the weekend putting boxes into three piles: apartment, goodwill, mom & dad's basement (they thought they got rid of Matt's things when he moved out... sorry!). It will be like Christmas when (in 4 years) we open the boxes of all the things we don't have room for now! By getting creative with storage (like an ottoman you can put blankets and pillows in), putting up shelving in closets (all 2 of them!) and agreeing to remain organized and put things away, we are transforming into apartment dwellers. And I must say, I love our new place! It's cozy and comfortable and us.
Ok, so it's not exactly the college lifestyle :) We still need to get pictures on the walls, but our dishes and furniture match, there are no stains on the carpets or empty beer bottles or pizza boxes to trip over. It's a little tight, but we are making it work now so we don't have crazy debt later. Thanks to Matt for "living like a student" with me.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Things I wish I knew...
I found this in the blog iReason, M.D.
Things I wish I knew before starting medical school:
(I've pulled out the ones that are particularly interesting to me, but feel free to visit the full list by clicking on the link above)
1. Rankings don’t really matter unless you’re very serious about research
7. More about health-care politics
9. Getting into med school is not the end-goal; it’s just the beginning.
10. How much material was really coming my way
12. How much drama there’ll be in the class!
13. Discipline to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet
14. How to spend money and time more efficiently
15. How people’s perception of you change once they know you’re a medical student
16. How disturbed and sad I’d feel, looking at pictures in lecture, of individuals suffering from various diseases
18. How professors treat you as though you’re their colleagues, rather than upholding the barrier between teacher and student (a pleasant surprise)
19. How useful my iPhone would be!
20. How creative I would need to become to mentally store and organize information
23. How much money I’d spend on Jamba Juice
24. How people’s personalities change under heavy stress
25. How sleeping at least 6 hours per night is important to maintain focus the following day (unlike college, where I could get away with 4-5 hours a night).
So I started thinking:
Things I wish I knew before starting medical school:
(I've pulled out the ones that are particularly interesting to me, but feel free to visit the full list by clicking on the link above)
1. Rankings don’t really matter unless you’re very serious about research
7. More about health-care politics
9. Getting into med school is not the end-goal; it’s just the beginning.
10. How much material was really coming my way
12. How much drama there’ll be in the class!
13. Discipline to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet
14. How to spend money and time more efficiently
15. How people’s perception of you change once they know you’re a medical student
16. How disturbed and sad I’d feel, looking at pictures in lecture, of individuals suffering from various diseases
18. How professors treat you as though you’re their colleagues, rather than upholding the barrier between teacher and student (a pleasant surprise)
19. How useful my iPhone would be!
20. How creative I would need to become to mentally store and organize information
23. How much money I’d spend on Jamba Juice
24. How people’s personalities change under heavy stress
25. How sleeping at least 6 hours per night is important to maintain focus the following day (unlike college, where I could get away with 4-5 hours a night).
So I started thinking:
- Am I serious about research? Nah
- I need to stay informed when it comes to health care politics - I should ask Matt to forward me articles, he's the king of forwarding articles
- What drama!? Ugh, really?
- I should ask Matt to encourage me to exercise. And to make me well balanced dinners :)
- I'm pretty sure I don't have a choice but to spend money efficiently - everyone should marry a financial analyst that rocks at Excel and requires each dollar spent to be categorized and graphed
- I like to think I'm already pretty good at spending time efficiently, but I'm afraid I'll be in for a rude awakening
- I hope people's perception of me don't change in a negative way...
- I need to get an iPhone... I don't know why, but it will apparently be VERY useful
- I've never had Jamba Juice! I guess I can replace that with "coffee bar"?
- If my personality starts to change negatively, I would be grateful if my family and friends would let me know, in the nicest way possible
- I'm actually really worried about the only sleeping 6 hours per night thing... I need AT LEAST 7 or 8! I should ask Matt to send me to bed by 11pm each night
- I'm very lucky to have such a supportive husband to keep my life together for me :)
The above list seems somewhat helpful and at least fun to read. The other option was the 101 Things You Wish You Knew Before Starting Medical School from the blog medschoolhell, which I clearly am avoiding!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Moving (back) to the Dark Side
It's official, we are moving to Fells Point! After spending my first three years in Baltimore only a few blocks from the 
Patterson Park Pagoda, near the Daily Grind (which is now Fells Grind for some reason!) and a stones throw from Safeway, I spent the last year living with my hubby in his house in Federal Hill. It was a wonderful year full of walks to Fort McHenry, sand volleyball at Rash Field, and most importantly pretty much next door to many of our friends and the social 
scene that comes with "my 30 closest friends in Baltimore." For example, we were able to walk to and from the going away party for a spectacular friend this past Saturday. Needless to say, it is going to be a big adjustment living 12 minutes away. However, I can't wait to get moved in and settled into our new apartment! I'm looking forward to being 0.7 miles from school, shopping at Safeway again, and starting our married life in a new place. Although we've lived together for over a year, there's something about looking for a place together, visualizing how our furniture and kitchen gadgets will fit in the new space, and physically moving to our own apartment that really makes me feel more "married."
This year we might be able to hit up:
Fell's Point Films on the Pier - Wednesdays in July and August
Shakespeare in the Park, Much Ado About Nothing - August 28, 2010
Butcher’s Hill Flea Market - September 11, 2010
Baltimore Parade of Lighted Boats - December 4, 2010
Unfortunately, many festivals and activities have passed for 2010, but will come around again: Polish Festival, FestAfrica, Ukrainian Festival, Russian Festival
From what I've heard, med school demands much of your time and energy. I'm super excited to be living so close to the campus that I won't waste time commuting (those extra 12 minutes will be precious I'm sure!) and I'm absolutely excited to set up our second bedroom as an "office" for dedicated study space. The apartment is brand new and our office is a bright room with 3 windows and a "clean" feeling that I tend to need when studying. I really think this move will help set me up for success in the weeks, months and years to come as a med student.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
I Guess You'll Do
As I prepare to start this new adventure, I'm reflecting on where I am in life and how I got here. My husband had me watch this youtube video, "I Guess You'll Do," on our second date. I didn't know it then, but he's incredibly good at making people feel awkward. I did not know at all how to react and I distinctly remember thinking, "Is he already thinking this is us? Wow, that's a little much. We just met."
We have:
1. gone to concerts
2. gone to movies
3. had a fight and made up
4. lived together for a year
5. gone to a memorial day bbq with our parents
6. gotten married (and I was the center of attention, and looked skinny in my dress)
So far we haven't:
1. gone camping
2. taken pictures of us camping
3. bought a house with a semi-finished basement
4. had children (and acted as the first pregnant person ever)
5. moved into a larger house and build a deck
6. gotten any dogs
7. gone to myrtle beach or orlando
8. moved into a condo and retired
9. discussed photos of our unremarkable grandchildren
10. died
Fastforward....
I just sent him this email:
We have:
1. gone to concerts
2. gone to movies
3. had a fight and made up
4. lived together for a year
5. gone to a memorial day bbq with our parents
6. gotten married (and I was the center of attention, and looked skinny in my dress)
So far we haven't:
1. gone camping
2. taken pictures of us camping
3. bought a house with a semi-finished basement
4. had children (and acted as the first pregnant person ever)
5. moved into a larger house and build a deck
6. gotten any dogs
7. gone to myrtle beach or orlando
8. moved into a condo and retired
9. discussed photos of our unremarkable grandchildren
10. died
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