Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Back in the swing of things

So I've been back in school for a month now. I finally finished midterms last week but it seems like finals are fast approaching. This period we are studying kidney, endocrine, and reproduction. I'm not a fan of kidney but the other two aren't as hard. I've done reasonably well on my midterms so hopefully I have a little bit of a buffer when it comes to finals week. Then I will get to go home! On a related note, I started taking calcium and vitamin D supplements since I learned that they are not kidding around with this osteoporosis business. Also we get basically no vitamin D since we are so far north and get little sun exposure. So you guys should take vitamin D or drink supplemented milk, otherwise you aren't absorbing the calcium that you are taking in.

Last weekend was Winter Ball or what we like to call Med School Prom. I went with a bunch of people from Phi Rho and we went to Origami for sushi first. It was excellent but it also meant that I had to carry around a bottle of soy sauce for the remainder of the night. It was a fun night though the DJ was lame. I didn't really drink much since I don't like wine or beer which is what they served for free. I also had volunteered to teach kids science the next day so I didn't want to stay out too late. Science Saturday was fun so I guess I like kids sometimes. I've come to the conclusion that I am basically a teenage girl since I talked to a 7th grader about the Twilight books and movies for a very long time. Though maybe I'm not so much of a teenager because I don't understand the appeal of either Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Brothers (They're totes gay right?).

I had to choose an advisor a couple of weeks ago in my "chosen field." Since I'm not sure what I want my chosen field to be yet it was difficult. I've basically narrowed down the possibilities of what I want to do in the future to OB/GYN, General Surgery, or Internal Medicine. I'm sure it will be much easier to figure out what I like once I actually do rotations in these fields. Anyway, I chose an OB/GYN as my advisor. She is supposed to help me with scheduling and getting into the residency program I want to get into. I decide my schedule for the next 2 years next month. We have a bunch of required rotations most of which are 6weeks long including Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Neurology, Psychiatry, Surgery, OB/GYN, Family Medicine, and more. I'll start doing rotations in July and keep going until I graduate. Before rotations, I have to take the first step of the board exam in June. Step 1 seems to be the most important part of the boards as far as determining what residency you get into. So it is going to be a very stressful few months before the test. We get done with school at the end of April so I'll be studying all day everyday for the month of May, hopefully with a little time off to come home.

I next come home at the end of February, so I will finally get to see Dillon then! Also, Kelsey my best friend is getting married next summer and I get to be a bridesmaid! So I'll have to get my dress then. In unrelated news, everyone should watch Friday Night Lights because it is amazing even if you don't like football.

4 comments:

Billie said...

Hi Shannon - Thanks for the post! Your classes sounds interesting, and once third year starts it's like you are SO MUCH CLOSER to being a real MD. Amazing. The winter ball sounds like it was fun (even with the soy sauce bottle along) and it is good to hear that not all children are annoying. P.S. I don't know what "totes gay" is, but I think at least one of the Jonas brothers is. As you know, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. See you in a couple of weeks!

XXXO

Becky and Greg said...

Wow! That was quite a post (finally!!) Whew - I don't know how you do it all, but it sounds very, very interesting and also sounds like you are aceing it all so no problems right?? Dillon is anxious to meet you too!! And I love Friday Night Lights too!! Great show! Take care, study hard, and remember we all love you back in good ole ND!! Love, Grandma Becky

Mal said...

Dear Shan Shan,
I think we sat in one of those sun rooms they have in Alaska but...you know, in Lillehammer to give us Vitamin D. At least, I think we did. I can't be sure.

P.s. Jonas Brothers= gay...except for possibly the youngest one.

Mark said...

I guess I'll have to start takign Vitamin D pills as long as they are big ones.
I feel that the rotation schedule will sort itself out. Focus on your studies without worrying about rotations until the new classes start. Hopefully you'll have some time right away to think the rotation stuff through then.
Why does everyone love Friday Night Lights now when your mom and I watched the first season and loved it then. Of course they changed nights after the first season and we stopped watching it. That was before our DVR of course.
Love,
Dad