What I Really Learned in Med School

A few updates from my last couple weeks of second semester. It has been another crazy 4 months. I met many great people - including people from my own class that I just got to know this semester. There have definitely been some ups and down both personally and academically. The stresses run high around here so not everyone gets along all the time, but we're stuck together on this little island so it always gets worked out. Although my marks have fluctuated from block to block and subject to subject (I can think of one physio test that I still cringe over), I am very proud of the work that I have put in throughout this semester and I couldn't be happier to see it paying off. I will soon be one more stepping stone closer to doing what I've always wanted to do.   Our class has definitely become closer which is great because it feels like one big support system. We always joke around that in the lunch room, we will have 15 people crowded around each set of 3 tables instead...

We went for a snorkel trip after our exam on Tuesday! To celebrate another successful block. Some pictures...   Amazing. You know on Finding Nemo when all the fish get together to make shapes? That's what this reminded me of! Just keep swimming... This is what it looks like in the midst of all those fish Phung Ryan Me again Boys climbing cliffs That's me - bottom left just floating around Swimming through a cave Beach all to ourselves :)   Frolicking in the waves I wrote Saba 2013 in the sand. When I ran to grab my camera, a big wave came and threatened to ruin my masterpiece but Craig dove in front of it haha Pretending I was on vacation... So happy to be done exams and playing in the sand   And these are some older pictures from earlier in the semester during snorkel adventures That's a shark... Lion fish towards the bottom Me and Vicki Looks like Matt is the tour...

This is how I feel this weekend while studying in prep for block 4. And of course I get sick today. 18 more days of this for second semester. So close...   I know it's in there!!

There was a great article from CBC recently that I thought I would share. It's called: Doctors prescribe fruit, vegetables to obese patients in NYC.   Sometimes it's frustrating to be learning about all these different drugs for high blood pressure, obesity, etc. when the most effective treatment is often eating better and exercising. After 7 months of med school, I feel like I`ve barely scratched the surface. But I hope that I continue to value preventative medicine in my career, encouraging my patients to make healthy lifestyle choices. Stop smoking. Watch portion sizes. Go for a walk. And read this article! It`s a pretty neat idea. I hope it catches on.   http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2013/07/doctors-prescribe-fruit-vegetables-to-obese-patients-in-nyc.html?cmp=rss    Mental health is important too (psych major over here) so in the meantime, a few funnies...   Very true of what I'm doing now     ...

I met Mr. Mark Rutte the Prime Minister of the Netherlands today! Well, he said hi to me and I said hi back. I ran up to him all wide-eyed and bushy-tailed so I didn't leave him much choice, but I don't care. This was after I took a couple creeper shots of him and his posse. The flags were out today and all our profs were dressed up and everyone was excited get a look at him. He also announced that Saba has officially been approved as an EU (European Union) university. We are "the 9th medical school in the Netherlands" now as opposed to a Caribbean school. This means that #1 we have some sort of higher standing as a school #2 we will graduate with an MSc as well as an MD and #3 it could make it easier for us to practice in Europe if we chose to. In related news, Saba has been approved for American federal loans which is very exciting for the other half of our class. This is good for us in the sense that the more accreditation we have the better, but also could be ba...