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.

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!!!