End of the Semester

It's been a short time back following Thanksgiving and we are getting near to closing down shop for winter break. Many classmates are anxiously anticipating returning home to family and most importantly a much needed vacation. Well vacation for most of us will be studying for the MCAT if you consider that one. For me, I will be staying here with the family and enjoying quality time with my nephew. Chad and I had one last day volunteering with the Habitat team before the end of the semester. We had the pleasure of working with a group of ladies that all went to Tulane and were in the same sorority that made it a tradition to come volunteer in the city following Hurricane Katrina.  I really respected the fact that they came down on their vacation from all different states to help rebuild New Orleans. 

Reflecting back on the semester and the five months that have passed I could write a book for all that has happened but I don't have time for that. Instead, I am going to say a few words that summarizes what I have gone through, a semester vignette if you would call it but not a clinical vignette which we all have heard about too many times this semester. I can honestly say that I have not one regret from the start of this program. All the professors have been very helpful and understanding. My experiences with Habitat for Humanity have been very rewarding to say the least. I have developed greater confidence in myself all around. There are many things that I am missing and would love to say but my time is up. Happy holidays everyone and see you next year!

Total Volunteer Hours: 40 hrs

Dec 4th: 8 hrs  

Nov 20th: 8 hrs 

Oct 16th: 8 hrs 

Sept 13th: 8 hrs

Sept 6th: 8 hrs

A Time For Giving

Happy late Thanksgiving everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a much needed break! This month we finished the pulmonary block which went well and some of the classmates and I took a camping trip out to Fontainbleau State Park which was loads of fun. I also had the wonderful opportunity of volunteering with the Habitat team, this time on a house within the Gentily area. The project, called A Brush with Kindness, is a program through Habitat that is designed to preserve home exteriors through painting, landscaping, weatherization and minor repairs. The program helps current homeowners repair the exteriors of their houses that otherwise could not due to unfortunate situations. This time we were working on window frames, soffit/fascia, and a handicapped ramp for the owner. The weather was perfect and we got a lot accomplished.

The time is approaching for the end of the semester and I am sad to see it end. This is the final block with only 2 weeks left before winter break!

A Brush of Kindness

Total Volunteer Hours To Date: 32

November 20th: 8 hours

September. 6th: 8 hours

September 13th: 8 hours

October 16th: 8 hours

Fall Is In The Air

     Wow I can't believe another month has gone by! The weather is finally getting cooler. Earlier this month I did my third Habitat build and it was a great experience. I got to bond even further with many of my classmates. This time we worked at the main Habitat Warehouse, where we were building a shed for storage at one of their build sites. Luckily the weather was perfect, not nearly as hot as my first two builds during the middle of September!

   

October Habitat Build

    We just completed the renal block and man was it interesting! Learning about hypertension, BPH and ED seemed so relevant to medicine. The cardiovascular block before that was tough, but I really enjoyed the material. I can't believe we have only a month and a half left in the first semester. We only have two blocks left, it feels like just yesterday I was walking into my first test on inflammation. I'm looking forward to the rest of this semester, and can't wait to see what else is in store!

Total Volunteer Hours To Date: 24 

September 6th: 8 hours

September 13th: 8 hours

October 16th: 8 hours

Chapter 1

I can't believe it's been over two months since the program has started, wow does time fly! It seems like yesterday I was working here in the city at a hotel and was anxiously anticipating my acceptance. The last day of my job was a hot Monday morning in the city and was mostly filled with giving farewells and goodbyes to fellow coworkers. As I was driving back home listening to some tunes I developed a feeling of nostalgia that I would be starting school again. Just like the first day of elementary school, I was anxious about meeting my fellow classmates and teachers for the first time.
With times following and the start of this program I can honestly say I do not have a single regret.

The first three blocks have passed and I have finally acclimated and found a rhythm. The material seems overwhelming at first, well not just at first but many times over and over which never ceases to amaze me. I'm not complaining, in fact I love the challenge. One of my favorite blocks was the microbiology block, particularly the lectures regarding antibiotics. This was the first time I felt like a physician and found much enjoyment deciphering many of the questions involving the use of antibiotics for the treatment of bacteria with their ever changing resistances. Also, I really have enjoyed the cardiovascular block that we are currently covering and am looking forward to acing the exam!

Breaking up concrete!

One of the many reasons the pharmacology program caught my eye was the involvement within the community. I had the wonderful opportunity to join the Habitat team helping build a home for underprivileged families. I ended up working at two locations in the month of September with one house in Hollygrove and the other house in New Orleans East. I performed many tasks from soffit and fascia work to laying down sod and leveling dirt. Let me tell, this was not easy work but having classmates there with you made all the difference. I also had the privilege of meeting one of the owners and her family who were also out there working hard.



9/06/2014: 8 hours
9/13/2014:8 hours

Total September Hours: 16