Music of the Heart: The Finale of Block II

Music, besides its round about connections with similar principles of study and discipline, would help me decipher heart sounds. Arrhythmias come in all different tones and qualities form a grand Chopin Waltz to a smooth jazz and every rhythm in between. I think I even heard Dave Brubeck's "Take 5" in split s1 and s2 with a systolic murmur thrown. After dissecting and analyzing of all different types of music listening for qualities like tone, pitch and rhythm are second nature.  It is too bad that they were not tested on the recognition of the sounds in a practical exam format. That will come next year.

This block was all about Cardiovascular System. So far it has been the most clinically oriented section this year. The skills and knowledge are directly applicable to the practice of cardiology many of the techniques and knowledge gained are in use on a daily basis and not just the necessary background information.

Well, Another Block is finally over and time is continually increasing its speed. It seems like only a few weeks ago I was scrambling to move all my things down to Cincinnati and looking for a place to live. Opportunities have been piling up and filtering through the different group involvements has been challenging. Coming from undergraduate when it was feasible to participate in every extracurricular known to man to medical school where one must make tough decisions of involvement.

I have narrowed things down to a select few that do not conflict with each other. They are as follows:

• IPJH Vulnerable Populations Student Elective -  this ties into my work with the homeless and will enable me to have a heightened involved with the medically undeserved.
• Neuroscience Elective Scholars Program - will allow me to continue in a limited capacity with research and help me gain clinical experience in neurology and neurosurgery.
• Medvouc - which I have discussed in previous posts. This will tie into the IPJH elective.
• American Medical Association - a form of student leadership in a national medical organization.
• Medical Wilderness Club - this one is just for fun.

Writing these down seems like there is a lot of extra work on top of classes, but most of these are a long term commitments which only has about 3-4 hours per month or less, and working with these organizations comes in spurts.

Oh the Horror of Block One Exams

We sat waiting to enter the exam as R.E.M.'s "...It's the end of the world as we know it... And I feel fine..." Blared from my computer. Just a little something to the ominous atmosphere in front of the auditorium.

Medical school exams were very different in contrast to undergrad. Not only do you need to remember the information presented in class but also proper exam procedures. And the kicker is each exam has different rules, rooms, and times. No two exams are a like, but they are finally over. Some went better than others, but on the whole I am still a medical student which is the important thing. They did a really good job of spreading them out so to ease us into the exam process of medical school so that we had at least one day off in between exams.

We hit the ground running on monday with Block 2: Cardiac and Respiratory systems. The way the curriculum is set up at UC is in a block system, but instead of class blocks like histology and anatomy, we have organ or system blocks. So we learn all about the heart i.e. anatomy, embryology, physiology, histology, and clinical aspects of heart and blood vessel diseases. This is one of the reasons I chose to apply to UC is their curriculum which very few schools in the US use.

One aspect of medical school I did not anticipate was the need to adjust quickly to new instructors. I found with each new instructor I have had to adjust my note taking or use the powerpoint slides versus textbooks or just listening to the recordings. I have to be more attentive and observant with each professors teaching styles.

All in all school is going very well. I am enjoying every aspect of it including taking exams. Thanks for reading.

One Last Lesson: First Impressions of Cadaver Dissection

There are as many career paths in medicine as there are careers in the US, but all medical professionals from dermatologists to neurosurgeons have one thing in common, cadaver dissection. Cadaver dissection is viewed as a rite of passage for medical students, an experience that we all have or will share. While there have been many attempts by computer programs to simulate the experience, the dissection process, the smell that just won't seem to wash, and the looks of disgust on crowded elevators cannot be duplicated in its fullest by any other means. There is not substitute.

For many we go through life teaching others whether it be one's children, students, co-workers, we have all taught in life and I am no exception. One of the things that attracted me to medicine was the ability to continuing learning and teaching. Even the hippocratic oath states:

"... To give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken the oath according to medical law, but to no one else..."

We have all taught in life and now some have chosen to teach in death, and their final instruction is to the next generation of medical students, to carry on a tradition that is thousands of years old. It is not only our privilege but also our responsibility to learn as much as we can from these special instructors. Each day I go into dissection, I have the words of my professors ringing in my ears: "The Cadaver is always right."

And so, I want to extend my deepest thanks to all those who have allowed a family member to be one of our teachers.

The Next Contestant

The surreal feelings experienced immediately after being accepted have all but faded, and now my time is occupied by studying. The first week of classes has ended, and I have already learned an immense amount of information. I am now seeing how the Masters Degree I received from Tulane University has paid off. Previous knowledge in histology and embryology have been especially important. The biggest difference is that classes condensed everything into a few weeks time.

Most days classes begin around 8:30 AM and end around 3:00 PM. Currently, I am currently taking three lecture courses histology, the embryological section of gross anatomy, and biochemistry. In addition to lectures we also have small group learning in biochemistry, Evidence Based Medicine (EBM), Clinical Foundations of Medical Practice (CFMP), and the Medical Interview. Our schedule is extremely sporadic which helps break up the monotony that is normally accompanied with science education.

Medical School is a bit like being on a game show. All the professors ask questions, there are points and prizes for getting things right (medical license), and there is even an option for polling the audience. Pictured to the right is polling device the professors use to pole their audience pretty much exactly like on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" The instructor will post a question on the screen during lecture and we all vote which answer is correct. The computer tallies up all the counts and posts the results. I had never seen a classroom use this before. Now if only there were cash prizes.