Arnold, Katherine and I have been working on finding a wheelchair accessible pathway to class ever since the VSA students were granted permission to walk to class alone. This morning after breakfast, we finally figured it out! Our sense of achievement was somewhat smothered when we walked into class today and were greeted with a surprise quiz (on the subjects that we have already covered.) However, I feel that I did very well on it since I have been reviewing my notes just about every night. In VSA we do not receive grades, but I was more concerned with disappointing Monte and Zach, as I am also one of the most vocal students in the class. I sort of felt the need to "put my money where my mouth is" (to use a fairly overused idiom.)
After I turned the test in, I continued "The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down" until everyone else was done. I know that Arnold and Katherine have explained the basics of the book, so I won't go too far into discussing it, but I will mention that I feel that it's a book that every potential medical student should read. Or maybe just everyone. I don't know how to explain it, but the required reading for Medicine, Health and Society has some of the most interesting non-fiction books I have ever read. The only one that I would place on the level that I have these at is "The Things They Carried" which is supposed to be a non-fiction account of the Vietnam war, although the legitimacy of some of the chapters has been debated.
After a break, we started watching a documentary called "Doctors' Diaries" that followed a group of seven medical students all the way from their first year of Harvard medical school to a reunion 21 years later. It was kind of hard seeing all of the hardships that these seven people went through because you got to see so much of their lives and it was easy to get attached.
My favorite doctor was Jane, since I saw myself in her. At one point, Jane was talking to a patient with heart problems, and reassured him that he would be fine. Then the camera cut to Jane in the operating room, where the patients' heart was failing and he eventually died. She felt so guilty that she had told him that it would all be okay. Soon after, it showed her with another patient that had depression as well as problems with his lungs. She would have to treat his symptoms, but she also did take his other problems into account, and just seemed to know him very well. She even started making house calls, so that he could be treated more effectively. I think she got more attached than she was supposed to, because she was present at his funeral, which isn't really a common thing for a doctor to do. Her speech was beautiful, and I am not ashamed to admit that I did tear up.
One of the reasons I decided to take MHS is to help me decide whether or not I really wanted to become a doctor or not. Even after watching something that followed seven different people (and therefore seven different perspectives) I am getting more and more indecisive. I see so many positive aspects to becoming one, but I also feel like I would have a very a hard time not getting attached to my patients. I don't know if I can get rid of that part of me. I suppose that college will be a great place to see if this really is the correct career path.
On to less serious topics. There was a small Arete showcase that I attended where Gwennie was juggling! We also saw the Step dance class perform, as well as the A Capella group. The A Capella group sang a mash-up of "I'll Be There" and the theme song from Friends.
After dinner was the "Glow" dance. I am not really one for dancing (seriously, if you have never seen me dance, be grateful!) all the VSA students went to the rotunda in Wyatt. There was a separate game room where just about every game imaginable was available to use, and I got to know a lot of people that I recognized from around campus a lot better!
After I turned the test in, I continued "The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down" until everyone else was done. I know that Arnold and Katherine have explained the basics of the book, so I won't go too far into discussing it, but I will mention that I feel that it's a book that every potential medical student should read. Or maybe just everyone. I don't know how to explain it, but the required reading for Medicine, Health and Society has some of the most interesting non-fiction books I have ever read. The only one that I would place on the level that I have these at is "The Things They Carried" which is supposed to be a non-fiction account of the Vietnam war, although the legitimacy of some of the chapters has been debated.After a break, we started watching a documentary called "Doctors' Diaries" that followed a group of seven medical students all the way from their first year of Harvard medical school to a reunion 21 years later. It was kind of hard seeing all of the hardships that these seven people went through because you got to see so much of their lives and it was easy to get attached.
My favorite doctor was Jane, since I saw myself in her. At one point, Jane was talking to a patient with heart problems, and reassured him that he would be fine. Then the camera cut to Jane in the operating room, where the patients' heart was failing and he eventually died. She felt so guilty that she had told him that it would all be okay. Soon after, it showed her with another patient that had depression as well as problems with his lungs. She would have to treat his symptoms, but she also did take his other problems into account, and just seemed to know him very well. She even started making house calls, so that he could be treated more effectively. I think she got more attached than she was supposed to, because she was present at his funeral, which isn't really a common thing for a doctor to do. Her speech was beautiful, and I am not ashamed to admit that I did tear up.
One of the reasons I decided to take MHS is to help me decide whether or not I really wanted to become a doctor or not. Even after watching something that followed seven different people (and therefore seven different perspectives) I am getting more and more indecisive. I see so many positive aspects to becoming one, but I also feel like I would have a very a hard time not getting attached to my patients. I don't know if I can get rid of that part of me. I suppose that college will be a great place to see if this really is the correct career path.On to less serious topics. There was a small Arete showcase that I attended where Gwennie was juggling! We also saw the Step dance class perform, as well as the A Capella group. The A Capella group sang a mash-up of "I'll Be There" and the theme song from Friends.
After dinner was the "Glow" dance. I am not really one for dancing (seriously, if you have never seen me dance, be grateful!) all the VSA students went to the rotunda in Wyatt. There was a separate game room where just about every game imaginable was available to use, and I got to know a lot of people that I recognized from around campus a lot better!
No comments:
Post a Comment