My friend, Emily, and I drove down to Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday after realizing that her husband wouldn't be able to make the trip with her. So Sunday we checked into the hotel and Emily went to the dinner with the pediatrics residents and I headed off to dinner at Qdoba with myself. The restaurant was on Vanderbilt's campus and the first thing I noticed was all of the Coach, Dooney &Burke, and Louis Vuitton (sp?) purses. I told Ryan that if I were to go to Vanderbilt that we'd have to do some shopping;)
Anyways, Emily had her interview most of Monday and so I took her car and explored Nashville. I was able to get some more Christmas shopping done which seems to be a theme for my interviewing trips. I also drove through Brentwood- a fabulous, large scale home area. That evening, Emily and I explored downtown Nashville and saw the BB King's house of blues, Wild Horse Saloon, and many others. Emily begged to go sing karaoke, but I assured her that she would regret it (totally kidding, Em would never do it!). We ate at the Big River Brewery and then drove back to campus and had dessert at a French bakery. It was so much fun.
Tuesday I had my interview and Emily was kind enough to stay to drop me off at the hospital since Ryan wasn't going to be in until the afternoon. I had a great day meeting the chief residents, program directors and having an 1 1/2 tour of the hospitals. Vanderbilt's campus is large but all within close walking distance.
Tuesday evening Ryan was able to join me for the residents' dinner. We had a good time and then I drove Ryan around for a tour.
Wednesday was a bizarre day spent with a real estate agent- it's an incredibly long story although hilarious so you'll have to ask Ryan or I about it:)
That's all . . .
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Friday, December 7, 2007
Ohio
My trip to Cleveland was eventful! I flew in early on Tuesday morning which gave me plenty of time to to explore a little. I didn't go to far from my hotel because there was a great shopping mall close by. I was able to get a ton of Christmas shopping done, take a nap, and run before I had to start getting ready for my dinner with the residents that night.
This is when it get "hairy". I was blow-drying my hair as I have been trained by my hairstylist with a round brush. So I had a section of hair wrapped around the round brush and blow drying away. I noticed in the mirror that it looked like a 1-inch circle of orange paint had dropped on my head. Of course I was thinking, "what kind of jank hotel is this that paint falls from the ceiling?" Then, I noticed this awful burnt smell and yes I was slow to put two and two together. Well the orange spot was was a burnt spot of hair . . . I was left with 1 inch square sectino of hair that is now only 1 inch long. So I have a small attempt at a mohawk. I stopped blowdrying my hair for a while and sat on the couch in my room to convince myself that it wasn't the end of the world:)
As for the actual residency program, I had a great dinner with 3 of the residents and another applicant. It was a cozy group. The next day I spent meeting chairpersons of medicine, pediatrics, and then med/peds. There was only one other applicant because one person was driving from Maine, her cell phone died, and she was stuck in the snow 1 1/2 hours away . . . crazy. I had 3 interviews which seems to be the norm. One interview was a little more intensive than I had before.
I will tell you a little about the program because it was different than any of the other programs I've visited so far. They accept 6 new interns each year. The hospital's mission statement to to give excellent care to everyone regardless of ability to pay. They are the county's hospital and do a lot of care for the poor, but at the same time people who can pay and have great insurance choose to go there because of the great care they receive. In general, very cool program, maybe a little small for my liking:)
I need to go and get stuff ready for a get together, but I hope everyone is having a great day!
This is when it get "hairy". I was blow-drying my hair as I have been trained by my hairstylist with a round brush. So I had a section of hair wrapped around the round brush and blow drying away. I noticed in the mirror that it looked like a 1-inch circle of orange paint had dropped on my head. Of course I was thinking, "what kind of jank hotel is this that paint falls from the ceiling?" Then, I noticed this awful burnt smell and yes I was slow to put two and two together. Well the orange spot was was a burnt spot of hair . . . I was left with 1 inch square sectino of hair that is now only 1 inch long. So I have a small attempt at a mohawk. I stopped blowdrying my hair for a while and sat on the couch in my room to convince myself that it wasn't the end of the world:)
As for the actual residency program, I had a great dinner with 3 of the residents and another applicant. It was a cozy group. The next day I spent meeting chairpersons of medicine, pediatrics, and then med/peds. There was only one other applicant because one person was driving from Maine, her cell phone died, and she was stuck in the snow 1 1/2 hours away . . . crazy. I had 3 interviews which seems to be the norm. One interview was a little more intensive than I had before.
I will tell you a little about the program because it was different than any of the other programs I've visited so far. They accept 6 new interns each year. The hospital's mission statement to to give excellent care to everyone regardless of ability to pay. They are the county's hospital and do a lot of care for the poor, but at the same time people who can pay and have great insurance choose to go there because of the great care they receive. In general, very cool program, maybe a little small for my liking:)
I need to go and get stuff ready for a get together, but I hope everyone is having a great day!
Monday, December 3, 2007
Interview #3
So this update will be brief because I am supposed to be flying out to Cleveland early tomorrow morning. Ryan and I drove back from Michigan on Sunday, made a brief stop at our youth group, and then headed downtown to Bertolini's to have dinner with the IU residents. Ryan and I sat next to a few residents that I hadn't met before and got some really great advice. Ryan really enjoyed himself and felt extremely comfortable which is a bonus.
Today, I had another day of meetings with chairpersons of medicine and pediatrics departments. I had three individual interviews and a couple of tours. I'll be honest that I really had a great time today minus the longest distance walked in my too-high heeled boots. Ryan and I were both really excited with how well this interview had gone.
Well, more to come. I have an interview at Case Western Wednesday.
Today, I had another day of meetings with chairpersons of medicine and pediatrics departments. I had three individual interviews and a couple of tours. I'll be honest that I really had a great time today minus the longest distance walked in my too-high heeled boots. Ryan and I were both really excited with how well this interview had gone.
Well, more to come. I have an interview at Case Western Wednesday.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Ann Arbor
Ryan and I are currently visiting the curiously unique town of Ann Arbor, Michigan. We are staying with my sister and brother, Amy and Jeff. We were able to drive down, I mean up, on Wednesday night. Part of the point of this trip was to have an interview at University of Michigan's Med/Peds program.
So the whole interview process is excellent because it involves free food. Ryan and I ate at the Grizzly Peak Brewery with the Med/Peds residents. This was a chance for us to ask the residents questions and to get a "feel" for the program. I have been blessed with the cold that was passed around our small group so I had a drippy nose, man voice, and hurricane force sneezes. Thankfully, the residents were understanding and didn't act too disgusted with my snot face. The residents were all very nice and explained in great detail all of the parks and outside happenings occuring around Ann Arbor. It is a great city and has tons of stuff to do.
Today was the big interview day. Ryan dropped me off for the first meeting at 7:30 a.m. We had a short overview, met the internal medicine chairman and then I had 2 interviews before lunch. Fortunately, my first interviewer was a fellow pole vaulter in college. He was great to talk with and was very laid back. My second interview was a guy that had a similar upbringing and had travelled quite a bit. He was really interesting. I've found that I much rather get to know the people who are interviewing me than to ask questions about the program- I think a program is a program is a program and the people are what counts. We then proceeded to have lunch with more residents and then another interview in the afternoon. This was my last interview of the day and hmmm . . . unique.
Well my overall impression was a great program, great people, and still trying to figure out if it's the right fit for me. Ryan did go on a tour with a real estate agent today to look at the city and houses. So we would have to pay $80,000 greater than what we paid for our current home for about half of the size, which was disappointing.
The day finished off excellently no less because of our brilliant brother in law, Jeff. He got us tickets to see "GROOVE", which is the U of Michigan equivalent to Stomp. The performance was preceded by the group, My Dear Disco, who were awesome!! We were so impressed. Their lead singer has an amazing voice. Then the GROOVE performance made all of us want to come home and bang on trash cans. It was great!!!!!!
Tomorrow looks to be a great day- snow storm and a trip to IKEA . . . can't beat it.
Thanks for listening.
So the whole interview process is excellent because it involves free food. Ryan and I ate at the Grizzly Peak Brewery with the Med/Peds residents. This was a chance for us to ask the residents questions and to get a "feel" for the program. I have been blessed with the cold that was passed around our small group so I had a drippy nose, man voice, and hurricane force sneezes. Thankfully, the residents were understanding and didn't act too disgusted with my snot face. The residents were all very nice and explained in great detail all of the parks and outside happenings occuring around Ann Arbor. It is a great city and has tons of stuff to do.
Today was the big interview day. Ryan dropped me off for the first meeting at 7:30 a.m. We had a short overview, met the internal medicine chairman and then I had 2 interviews before lunch. Fortunately, my first interviewer was a fellow pole vaulter in college. He was great to talk with and was very laid back. My second interview was a guy that had a similar upbringing and had travelled quite a bit. He was really interesting. I've found that I much rather get to know the people who are interviewing me than to ask questions about the program- I think a program is a program is a program and the people are what counts. We then proceeded to have lunch with more residents and then another interview in the afternoon. This was my last interview of the day and hmmm . . . unique.
Well my overall impression was a great program, great people, and still trying to figure out if it's the right fit for me. Ryan did go on a tour with a real estate agent today to look at the city and houses. So we would have to pay $80,000 greater than what we paid for our current home for about half of the size, which was disappointing.
The day finished off excellently no less because of our brilliant brother in law, Jeff. He got us tickets to see "GROOVE", which is the U of Michigan equivalent to Stomp. The performance was preceded by the group, My Dear Disco, who were awesome!! We were so impressed. Their lead singer has an amazing voice. Then the GROOVE performance made all of us want to come home and bang on trash cans. It was great!!!!!!
Tomorrow looks to be a great day- snow storm and a trip to IKEA . . . can't beat it.
Thanks for listening.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
From the beginning
So this is my first post. During my pediatric therapeutics class, we discussed extensively intern burnout and ways to cope with stress. It seemed like one of the stressors of the coming year is that family members and friends may not have a clear understanding of what is required of an intern or even what being an intern means. So I've decided that it would be important for me to be able to explain the structure ( I know, I know - boring . . .) and what the next 4 years will look like briefly.
I also wanted to use this blog to be able to share what has been happening in Ryan and I's neck of the woods. Plus, I love to tell stories from school:)
So right now I am currently interviewing an internal medicine and pediatrics combined residency program which is a 4 year residency. I will rank the programs at the end of January as they will also be ranking their candidates. Then the big computer "Matches" programs and medical students. So on "MATCH" day, March 20th, we are handed an envelope that tells us where we are going to spend the next 4 years training.
After I graduate in May I will finally earn the title of doctor. I will have the month of June off for moving time ( if we go to a residency out of state) and vacation. Then July 1, 2008 I will start my residency as a 1st year resident also known as an intern. The intern year is like boot camp for doctors. We have to stay overnight in the hospital every 4 days to manage the care of patients for several months of the first year of residency. I will work 6 days a week when I'm assigned a hospital service. According to the current residents, November-February are the hardest months because of long hours and little sunshine.
Then after the first year, I will be called a resident. I will still have hospital service months where I will be "on-call" overnight and then "outpatient" months where I will work primarily in a clinic.
Then when I have finished my 4 years- I will have a "real job". I am planning to work in primary care where I will see adult patients and children. I will be a little different than a family practice doctor in that I will not spend training in Obstetrics/gynecology OR surgery. I will be able to manage patients with chronic diseases, everyday illnesses, and well-child check ups. I have an interest in doing a little "transitional" care. Transitional care is important because there are a lot of children with chronic diseases of childhood such as cystic fibrosis, etc. who are now surviving long into their adulthood. This leaves children who had a pediatrician who knew every detail and turn the age of 18 and are expected to switch to an adult doctor. Internal Medicine-Pediatrics doctors offer the advantage of being able to manage theses patient's diseases from childhood to adulthood.
All right, enough information. I hope I didn't bore anyone to death. The next posts will be more energetic, I promsie!!!
I also wanted to use this blog to be able to share what has been happening in Ryan and I's neck of the woods. Plus, I love to tell stories from school:)
So right now I am currently interviewing an internal medicine and pediatrics combined residency program which is a 4 year residency. I will rank the programs at the end of January as they will also be ranking their candidates. Then the big computer "Matches" programs and medical students. So on "MATCH" day, March 20th, we are handed an envelope that tells us where we are going to spend the next 4 years training.
After I graduate in May I will finally earn the title of doctor. I will have the month of June off for moving time ( if we go to a residency out of state) and vacation. Then July 1, 2008 I will start my residency as a 1st year resident also known as an intern. The intern year is like boot camp for doctors. We have to stay overnight in the hospital every 4 days to manage the care of patients for several months of the first year of residency. I will work 6 days a week when I'm assigned a hospital service. According to the current residents, November-February are the hardest months because of long hours and little sunshine.
Then after the first year, I will be called a resident. I will still have hospital service months where I will be "on-call" overnight and then "outpatient" months where I will work primarily in a clinic.
Then when I have finished my 4 years- I will have a "real job". I am planning to work in primary care where I will see adult patients and children. I will be a little different than a family practice doctor in that I will not spend training in Obstetrics/gynecology OR surgery. I will be able to manage patients with chronic diseases, everyday illnesses, and well-child check ups. I have an interest in doing a little "transitional" care. Transitional care is important because there are a lot of children with chronic diseases of childhood such as cystic fibrosis, etc. who are now surviving long into their adulthood. This leaves children who had a pediatrician who knew every detail and turn the age of 18 and are expected to switch to an adult doctor. Internal Medicine-Pediatrics doctors offer the advantage of being able to manage theses patient's diseases from childhood to adulthood.
All right, enough information. I hope I didn't bore anyone to death. The next posts will be more energetic, I promsie!!!
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