an incredible gift

As medical students, we have an amazing opportunity that only one half of one percent of people in this country have. In our educational pursuits, it is imperative that we learn the anatomy and inner-workings of the human body completely and entirely so that we can become knowledgeable and capable physicians. In order to do this, it is requisite that someone gives us an incredible gift...their body.

From day one, our professors impressed upon us the gravity and responsibility that comes with taking on a cadaver in our educational pursuits. There are times, there have been already, when the trials of medical school (namely Biochemistry) detract and distract us from why we are here in the first place. It only takes a moment with our cadaver to remember our goal.

By their choice, our donors have granted us the opportunity to learn first-hand the complexities, structure, and unique aspects of the most amazing creation on this planet, while demonstrating the beneficence that we hope to embody as future physicians. Physicians willing to put the needs of others ahead of their own.

study break

After a marathon night of studying at Starbucks, while Katie worked her first night shift, we got up relatively early Saturday morning and headed to Austin for the day.

I say relatively early because I'm finding out now that I wake up next to a beautiful woman every morning, it's a lot harder to get out of bed at the first alarm's beckoning.

We did all the Austin things namely hit up Kerby Lane Cafe, walked around UT (and decided that Baylor's campus is better!), took an invigorating dip in the Barton Springs pool, and finished the whole day off with dinner and drinks with our good friends, the Bexley's.

We came back the next day, and admittedly I was a little stressed about the mountain of information I still needed to cover before Thursday, but after a couple of days of focussing on the books, I can say with confidence that it was a much needed and well deserved break from the rigmarole of life in Bryan, TX.

my bride 1

I'm sitting at Starbuck's as I write this post about to commit the next 5 hrs. to studying histology, anatomy, and biochemistry. This is no ordinary Starbuck's, however. This is the place where my wife works.

I am so thankful for the blessing of this job. Katie is fantastic at it and we could not have asked for a better community for her to become a part of! There are the obvious benefits: wages, health care, daily stimulation, and personal interaction (not to mention all the free coffee!). Additionally, however, I get a tremendous feeling of pride and respect for my wife and all of her hard work!

She doesn't even realize it, but she loves me so well just by going to work in that place everyday!

Of course, now it's time for me to show her love by studying my butt off for next Thursday's test.

the first post

Well...I've got a blog.

I know this is a strange time to start a blog since I got married on July 4th of this year to my amazing bride, Katie, and started medical school just two and a half weeks ago, but I figure there'll never be a perfect time, so why not?

During our orientation a couple of weeks ago, one of our anatomy professors, Dr. McCord, gave a lecture describing how we have officially become public figures upon entering medical school. From now on, we will be representing ourselves as medical professionals. Every interaction with a patient, henceforth is an opportunity to make an impression. In today's age of instant and easily accessible information, a two second Google search of a someone's name will turn out an entire page of results. The point being that anything that you put out there can be read and seen by anyone. This includes our peers, future residency admission boards, and, most importantly, our patients.

Today, our Introduction to Clinical Skills professor, Dr. Wiprud, mentioned that many patients have a distrust for their physician. Many trust TV commercials, Wikipedia entries, or marketing directors of herbal remedies over the knowledge, experience, and beneficent obligation of their doctor. He proposed that one way to establish and enhance the patient-physician relationship is to utilize the communication methods at our disposal today. Other physicians have echoed this sentiment.

I have followed two physicians' blogs for a few months now and since I don't have a Facebook or Twitter account, I feel like this is the best way to toss my hat into the ring.

The two blogs that I've been following are linked here. One is an emergency medicine physician and the other is in primary care.