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.

MedWar 2009: The Great Medical Race of Wilderness Warriors

All scenarios although seemingly real were all controlled situations, and no endangered species were actually killed during the race.

Aaron, the Nate, and I woke on a cold October morning with the sharp air piercing our lungs. We shivered either with excitement of the upcoming race or because of the 20 degree night we spent in our tents. We scarfed down the oatmeal random day old bagels and headed off to register for the race.

Team name: The Mounties

Destination: the world

Goal: Save as many as we could and make it home safely


The Rules were simple. Finish, save as many patients (mannequins) as you can, and DO NOT BECOME A REAL PATIENT. The scenario was a ten plus mile race around the world. It begin promptly, give or take fifteen minutes, at 9:15 AM.

It began in the USA with a mass canoe start. Thirty teams  of three people set off east across the lake to our first destination. As we landed at the shore somewhere in East Asia we ran to our first disaster. A bombing raid had just been carried out and civilian casualties were everywhere. We raced to the closest three bodies, assessed the scene and went to work. Aaron performed a Cricothyrotomy complete with fake blood, the Nate stopped the blood gushing from the wounded body, and I went to work on a motionless baby.

Well ahead of most of the teams we set out for our next destination, a dream of mine for a long time, Everest. When we got there we found that Aaron had come down with a severe case of High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) a common pathological state in high altitude zones. In addition to that he had sustained an isolated mid shaft femur fracture as well as a severe neck injury. The cure: splint the leg, dexamethosone, and getting him down off the mountain.

Just as we got down the mountain we were instructed to board a plane (AKA walk) to Antarctica, where I was found with a severe hypothermia. Aaron instinctively got me off the ground, the Nate selflessly through his own coat on to of me and they began to build a fire. After burning through the pencil we were provided with the Nate and I came down with snow blindness in the form of goggles that were blotted out.

As we continued our journey we met with a kidnapping in South America, a man with a fishhook in his lip in Wyoming, neurotoxin poisoning in France, a safari in Africa, and finally finishing with basic survival skills in Australia. Finishing 23rd place we were tired, cold, and hungry. Ready for sleep and a hot shower.

For full details about Medwar click on the link.

Pictures of University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Children's Hospital

Medical Sciences Building

The atrium of MSB

Other Side Atrium