Recap of my week:
Monday was day 1 of anatomy. We covered the thoracic cavity (area around ribs) and were "introduced" to the lab. After class was done, I went home and worked on a poster that described my research for the summer. It took almost 8 hours, and when I finally finished it. I re-watched the day's lecture on line and pre-read for the next day. Really, that was my whole night.
Tuesday was day 2 of anatomy. We covered the nervous system, more specifically the autonomic nervous system which automatically and involuntarily regulates the organs. In lab, we actually started working on our cadavers. At first, I was excited, but of course my life can never be simple. I am formaldehyde-sensitve. What does this mean? Well, for starters, it means that I an anatomy lab is one of the least enjoyable places for me to be. How did I find out? I got light-headed, dizzy, and clammy about 20 minutes into lab. What is the result? I have to wear a respiratory mask that filters all the air I breathe. Multiple people commented on my "special" mask. I'M THAT GIRL.
Tuesday was also a very exciting day. I joing the Pal-PITT-tations - PittMed's co-ed acapella group! Little known fact about me - I can read music and sing on key, and I like doing it! Practice will be once a week, and I think it will be a fantastic way to escape the science that is currently consuming my life. Of course, after practice I had to re-watch the day's anatomy lecture and pre-read, but singing for a few hours made that more bearable.
Wednesday was day 1 of two once-a-week classes: Ethics, Law, and Professionalism and Medical Deciscion Making. Both were OK. There was no furious note-taking or ridiculous amounts of body parts to remember, so I can't complain. In the afternoon, we had day 3 of anatomy, including lung dissection. I'm guessing that you know what I did when I got home.
Thursday was day 4 of anatomy. We started our heart dissection, which made lecture much easier to understand. When you can see in organ live, the details really come together. Thursday was also day 1 of my only other once-a-week class: Medical Interviewing. I actually REALLY like the class; it feels the most like real-doctoring. We practice interviewing and history-taking with actor-patients and then get feedback from our peers and teacher. Following class, there was a dinner for all first years that introduced us to our faculty and second-year mentors. Of course, after that I had to re-watch the day's lecture!
Friday was day 5 of anatomy, which wasn't bad because I was done at noon - whoo-hoo! I wasn't totally free though - I presented the poster I had worked on Monday night at my research program's annual retreat.
After all of that, I can say that I SURVIVED MY FIRST REAL WEEK OF MEDICAL SCHOOL! I'm writing this entry as a take a "study break," so I guess it's now back to the books for me!
Britt
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
My crowning achievement of the day....
....was finding the right vagus nerve in my cadaver. What has my life come to?
Monday, August 23, 2010
Going to the Chapel and I'm Gonna Watch Other People get Married :-)
I went home this weekend! I deserve a gold star for my ability to drive among the states of Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. My blog on WV's terrible traffic patterns must have found its way to some higher-ups because the detour highway was no longer under construction! I'm sure I don't deserve it, but I am so taking credit for that.
The reason for my trip home was wedding #2 of the season. Andrew's older sister Tiffany got married, which gave me the perfect excuse to go home before anatomy got crazy (which I can say, after day 1, that it definitely has reached that point).
On Friday, I drove like the wind right after class to make it home for the rehearsal and dinner, which was amazing - the Worthington Inn has great banquet service. The actual wedding itself was held in Pickerington, and the reception was out in Newark at the Cherry Valley Lodge, which was also fantastic. The food was delicious, and the party was hopping. Here are some pictures from the event!
Britt
The reason for my trip home was wedding #2 of the season. Andrew's older sister Tiffany got married, which gave me the perfect excuse to go home before anatomy got crazy (which I can say, after day 1, that it definitely has reached that point).
On Friday, I drove like the wind right after class to make it home for the rehearsal and dinner, which was amazing - the Worthington Inn has great banquet service. The actual wedding itself was held in Pickerington, and the reception was out in Newark at the Cherry Valley Lodge, which was also fantastic. The food was delicious, and the party was hopping. Here are some pictures from the event!
I started my evening off blowing bubbles with Andrew's nephew. He calls me "Bee Bee" (he's only two, and Brittany is a really hard name!), and he kept saying "Mo, Bee Bee, mo!"
Showing off my new dress
Andrew and I :-)
Last night was bittersweet drive back to the 'Burgh, and today was a rude awakening to world of medical anatomy - more on that to come!
Britt
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Braddock, PA
Yesterday was a total culture shock. The medical students broke up into groups to visit underserved areas of Pittsburgh. My group headed to Braddock, PA.
Here's a little background on Braddock. In the early to mid-1900's, Braddock was the place to be in Pittsburgh. It was the site of many steel mills, the first EVER Carnegie Library (fun fact, my hometown of Pickerington is the smallest town to have a Carnegie Library), and one of the premier shopping districts in all of Pennsylvania. Then, the steel mills closed down, and the town's population plummeted from 30,000 to 2,500. All of the store fronts on the main drag are busted in and shut down. The area has one of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the entire country. The average house price in Braddock is under $30,000. If there was any way to accurately describe Braddock, it would be "ghost town."
Now, the people of Braddock have no access to healthcare (the only hospital in the area closed down in January because it wasn't turning enough of a profit), or job opportunities, or even grocery stores. Most of them do not have their own transportation, nor are there buses that cover the area.
Still, in the midst of all of that resiliency exists. I had the pleasure of shadowing a community activist who works for a group called Heritage Community Initiatives. This particular group helps the Braddock area in three main ways: transportation, job training, and education. They provide vans to get people around town and to the major bus stops that connect to Pittsburgh proper. Instructional sessions are provided to educate unemployed adults on "green" jobs. Most impressively, though, in my mind is the school the group runs. It's called 4 Kids, and it is an "early education learning center," meaning that it is specifically for kids 6 months to 5 years old and serves as preparation for entrance into kindergarten. Two amazing statistics stood out to me regarding the school: 1) over 1/5 of students from Braddock repeat a grade during primary or secondary school. Only 2% of 4 Kids graduates eventually repeat a grade; 2) For every $1 spent at 4 Kids, $10 are saved by the local school district later in the educational process.
The best part of the day was actually visiting the school. We stopped by during lunch time, during which the kids are provided a healthy, balanced meal. After a tour of the facilities, we spent some time shadowing the 5 year olds. One five year old ran up to me and told me he could spell his name. He proudly told me all of the letters while he followed along with a name tag at his chair. In an area that has astronomical levels of adult illiteracy, this to mean was an incredible mark of the difference 4 Kids is making.
It was extremely inspiring to see such triumph in the face of such adversity. Hopefully, it's a sign of good things to come in Braddock.
Until tomorrow,
Brittany
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Real Live Patients
You can't be a doctor if you don't have patients. Plain and simple. Luckily, this week, I have actually started to interact with some! Due to obvious privacy policies, I can't give a ton of specifics. BUT I can say that I got take part in interviewing a cystic fibrosis patient about the "patient experience" on Tuesday.
Cystic Fibrosis is a disease that primarily affects the lungs and pancreas. It creates a mucus layer on the surface of the lungs that makes breathing difficult. Unfortunately, though much progress has been made, the median age at death for CF patients is 35-38 years old.
Getting to interact with a CF patient, hearing the stories of doctors visits, and trying to understand the perspective of the one receiving care was extremely meaningful.
It's so important for me to keep in mind over the next four years that no matter what science I have to learn or which test is coming up, I am ultimately here to help other people. I am here for my future patients. I'm grateful that my medical school makes that such an obvious lesson from the beginning. It would be so easy to jump right into anatomy and get lost in memorization, but the time spent reflecting on those we will ultimately be serving is well worth it.
I have two more patient experiences this week. Tomorrow, I will get to meet diabetes patients and on Friday HIV/AIDS patients.
I also have some significant updates on my emotional public health experience today - look for that entry tomorrow.
Until then,
Brittany
Cystic Fibrosis is a disease that primarily affects the lungs and pancreas. It creates a mucus layer on the surface of the lungs that makes breathing difficult. Unfortunately, though much progress has been made, the median age at death for CF patients is 35-38 years old.
Getting to interact with a CF patient, hearing the stories of doctors visits, and trying to understand the perspective of the one receiving care was extremely meaningful.
It's so important for me to keep in mind over the next four years that no matter what science I have to learn or which test is coming up, I am ultimately here to help other people. I am here for my future patients. I'm grateful that my medical school makes that such an obvious lesson from the beginning. It would be so easy to jump right into anatomy and get lost in memorization, but the time spent reflecting on those we will ultimately be serving is well worth it.
I have two more patient experiences this week. Tomorrow, I will get to meet diabetes patients and on Friday HIV/AIDS patients.
I also have some significant updates on my emotional public health experience today - look for that entry tomorrow.
Until then,
Brittany
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Near Death Experience in Raft 8.7
Today was the final day of orientation social week activities, and we went out with a bang: whitewater rafting. I have been whitewater rafting twice before. The first time, I was in junior high and went with Girl Scouts. The second time, I was in junior high and went on a family reunion. Conclusion: It has been a long time for me!
I, along with two med school girls, headed down to Ohiopyle, PA, around an hour and a half outside of Pittsburgh. We met up with the rest of the PittMed-ers and formed groups of six. My group of six was five girls and one guy, and our assigned raft was number 8.7. Of the fifteen other groups, no one else had a "decimal-point" raft nor had our five girls:one guy ratio. From the beginning, we stood out.
The rafting started out OK; we got stuck on a few rocks. Before departing we were taught this technique in which everyone in the raft moves to opposite of the section caught on the rock and bounces up and down really hard to wiggle the raft free. I could not take this seriously AT ALL and just burst into a fit of laughter every time we tried the bounce technique.
Around 2 hours into the trip, we came up on the "Dimple Rapids." There were posted signs along the river that walking was an option at this particular point, which automatically made me wary. The guides then described the way we would approach this rapid, saying that we needed to follow the hand signals of one guide who would be standing visibly on a rock. They also explained that we might capsize and go underneath a rock, but that we would likely "come right back out." UM, WHAT??
Before tackling the "Dimple Rapids," raft 8.7 tried to build up some positive energy. We were about in the middle of the pack and had the opportunity to watch other groups go before us. As we watched, we decided that it didn't seem too difficult and that we could definitely make it through.
When our turn came, we paddled hard toward the rapid. Up ahead, a guide was flagging commands at us. "Paddle left! Paddle right! Stop paddling! All forward!" Then, all of a sudden, he got this look on his face that read, "Oh shit, there's nothing else I can tell them to do." With a huge force, our raft struck the rock that the guide was standing out and catapulted vertically. We all spilled out into the cold, rushing, scary water. I could feel my raft mates fall on top of me and panicked that I was feeling the underside of a rock. Luckily, I surfaced pretty quickly. Unluckily, I now had to save myself. Before I had any idea what was happening, a rope bag was thrown my direction, and I grabbed on along with one of the girls from my raft. I allowed myself to be pulled in. That is, until raft 8.7 broke free from the rock, tore through the rapid, and smacked the two of us in the head. It didn't really hurt - I was wearing a helmet, and it was only a blown up raft, but it was really uncomfortable and made holding onto the rope impossible. I let go, and tried hard to remember "Nose and Toes," a saying the guides went over during training that meant we were to keep our heads and feet above water. As I bumped down the rapid, my hiney scraped on roughly 6 rocks. It was seriously unpleasant. Finally, one of the guides had me grab onto her kayak and she paddled me to shore, where I waited for the rescue boat to pick me up. At the bottom of the rapid, when the water had calmed down, we were reunited with raft 8.7.
The rest of day, I was very wary of falling in and unemployed a new general strategy: "If the water gets rough, fall into the boat, not out of it." Raft 8.7 finished the trip strong, and after the "Dimple Rapids" we didn't have any issues.
Now, I'm completely exhausted and ready to rest up for the first day of actual class tomorrow.
Until then,
B
I, along with two med school girls, headed down to Ohiopyle, PA, around an hour and a half outside of Pittsburgh. We met up with the rest of the PittMed-ers and formed groups of six. My group of six was five girls and one guy, and our assigned raft was number 8.7. Of the fifteen other groups, no one else had a "decimal-point" raft nor had our five girls:one guy ratio. From the beginning, we stood out.
The rafting started out OK; we got stuck on a few rocks. Before departing we were taught this technique in which everyone in the raft moves to opposite of the section caught on the rock and bounces up and down really hard to wiggle the raft free. I could not take this seriously AT ALL and just burst into a fit of laughter every time we tried the bounce technique.
Around 2 hours into the trip, we came up on the "Dimple Rapids." There were posted signs along the river that walking was an option at this particular point, which automatically made me wary. The guides then described the way we would approach this rapid, saying that we needed to follow the hand signals of one guide who would be standing visibly on a rock. They also explained that we might capsize and go underneath a rock, but that we would likely "come right back out." UM, WHAT??
Before tackling the "Dimple Rapids," raft 8.7 tried to build up some positive energy. We were about in the middle of the pack and had the opportunity to watch other groups go before us. As we watched, we decided that it didn't seem too difficult and that we could definitely make it through.
When our turn came, we paddled hard toward the rapid. Up ahead, a guide was flagging commands at us. "Paddle left! Paddle right! Stop paddling! All forward!" Then, all of a sudden, he got this look on his face that read, "Oh shit, there's nothing else I can tell them to do." With a huge force, our raft struck the rock that the guide was standing out and catapulted vertically. We all spilled out into the cold, rushing, scary water. I could feel my raft mates fall on top of me and panicked that I was feeling the underside of a rock. Luckily, I surfaced pretty quickly. Unluckily, I now had to save myself. Before I had any idea what was happening, a rope bag was thrown my direction, and I grabbed on along with one of the girls from my raft. I allowed myself to be pulled in. That is, until raft 8.7 broke free from the rock, tore through the rapid, and smacked the two of us in the head. It didn't really hurt - I was wearing a helmet, and it was only a blown up raft, but it was really uncomfortable and made holding onto the rope impossible. I let go, and tried hard to remember "Nose and Toes," a saying the guides went over during training that meant we were to keep our heads and feet above water. As I bumped down the rapid, my hiney scraped on roughly 6 rocks. It was seriously unpleasant. Finally, one of the guides had me grab onto her kayak and she paddled me to shore, where I waited for the rescue boat to pick me up. At the bottom of the rapid, when the water had calmed down, we were reunited with raft 8.7.
The rest of day, I was very wary of falling in and unemployed a new general strategy: "If the water gets rough, fall into the boat, not out of it." Raft 8.7 finished the trip strong, and after the "Dimple Rapids" we didn't have any issues.
Now, I'm completely exhausted and ready to rest up for the first day of actual class tomorrow.
Until then,
B
Friday, August 13, 2010
Not So Glamorous (Yet)
So far, medical school hasn't been what one might picture. This is mostly due to the fact that I'm only technically in orientation right now. Instead of learning about the human body or working on medical interviewing, I've been spending my days sitting in a lecture hall listening to financial aid or honor code presentations or engaging in diversity training. While I recognize that most of it is necessary, this set-up doesn't really create any exciting medical moments for me to share.
My evenings have been devoted to 1) napping, primarily because I have had to wake up at 6:00 on multiple occasions this week; 2) social events, such as last night's dinner cruise on Pittsburgh's three rivers; 3) wrapping up work in my lab.
Tomorrow night our social event is a night out at the Hofbrahaus, which I am eagerly anticipating. On Sunday, I'm going whitewater rafting with a group of 40 or so students, which I am even more eagerly anticipating.
I promise that when exciting, doctor-related things start happening, my updates will become more exciting. For now though, this is all I've got.
Signing off from the 'burgh,
Britt
My evenings have been devoted to 1) napping, primarily because I have had to wake up at 6:00 on multiple occasions this week; 2) social events, such as last night's dinner cruise on Pittsburgh's three rivers; 3) wrapping up work in my lab.
Tomorrow night our social event is a night out at the Hofbrahaus, which I am eagerly anticipating. On Sunday, I'm going whitewater rafting with a group of 40 or so students, which I am even more eagerly anticipating.
I promise that when exciting, doctor-related things start happening, my updates will become more exciting. For now though, this is all I've got.
Signing off from the 'burgh,
Britt
Sunday, August 8, 2010
It's Official: I'm a Med Student!
This weekend was WHITE COAT WEEKEND.
On Friday, I had my very last day of lab work. It was actually bittersweet. On the one hand, I was super excited to have one lab rotation behind me and was definitely ready for medical school to start. On the other, I really liked my lab and the people in it. I'm planning on staying in touch and am seriously considering the lab as an option for my year-long research project (which will take place during my third year overall).
Friday night, my mom came! I was such a good daughter, too - I cleaned all of my floors, washed my sheets, and ran the dishwasher in anticipation of her arrival. She got in around 8:45, and we walked down to Walnut Street for gelato. Even though it didn't taste like real Italian gelato, it was pretty freaking good (especially my scoop of raspberry truffle - yummm).
On Saturday, we packed in a LOT of activities. First up was breakfast at Pamela's (sadly, not the same thing as breakfast at Tiffany's). Pamela's is the breakfast place that Andrew and I tried, and the pancakes were still delicious the second time around. After stuffing ourselves full of breakfast food, we went to to the Andy Warhol Museum. I feel like I'm finally able to get around this city; I got us there without a map or printed directions, and we didn't get lost at all. The Andy Warhol Museum was unlike any museum I've experienced. There was a really neat mix of his video/photography/pop art work. More impressively (or at least I think so), the museum also has over 600 "time capsules" that Warhol created. They contain everything from letters to paintings to newspaper headlines. The staff there is working on archiving them. I don't know when they started, but they won't be done until 2014! The museum also has some pretty weird rooms, one whole collection was entitled "Sex Parts and Torsos" - my mom's reflection, "Andy Warhol was one strange dude."
Following the Warhol, we went to the Strip (a recurring theme when I have visitors). Then, we went out to Ikea so that I could get a loveseat. My living room was looking pretty empty, and I needed more seating. This was mostly a good idea. I say mostly and not completely because my mom and I didn't really think through "getting the loveseat into my second floor apartment." It was heavy, and we are not very strong. When we were trying to get it out of the car, this nice guy and his wife pulled their SUV over and asked if we needed help. em-bar-ras-sing. We finally managed to come up with a roll maneuver that got the damn thing up the stairs.
We capped off Saturday with shopping on Walnut, sushi, and Julie and Julia. All of which were very enjoyable :-)
Today, my dad, Sean, and Andrew all arrived around 11:00. We did lunch nearby, after which my dad had to drop me off for the ceremony. For some ridiculous reason, the students had to arrive at 1:00 for the 3:00 ceremony. The school wanted to take official pictures of us, but that only lasted until around 1:40, leaving us around an hour to "talk amongst ourselves."
When the ceremony finally started, we processed into the auditorium and filed into rows alphabetically. There were a couple of remarks; the keynote speaker was actually fantastic - the best I've heard at any graduation/ceremony like this one. Then, the Dean of Student Affairs read our names off and we "got coated." I feel like a real medical student now! We also took the Hippocratic Oath (again, very medical-student-like) and I took a ton pictures with my family. After we went out for a celebratory dinner, everyone headed home, leaving me here, ready to start school tomorrow!
I'm sure you all want to know what I look like in a white coat, so here are some pictures :-)
On Friday, I had my very last day of lab work. It was actually bittersweet. On the one hand, I was super excited to have one lab rotation behind me and was definitely ready for medical school to start. On the other, I really liked my lab and the people in it. I'm planning on staying in touch and am seriously considering the lab as an option for my year-long research project (which will take place during my third year overall).
Friday night, my mom came! I was such a good daughter, too - I cleaned all of my floors, washed my sheets, and ran the dishwasher in anticipation of her arrival. She got in around 8:45, and we walked down to Walnut Street for gelato. Even though it didn't taste like real Italian gelato, it was pretty freaking good (especially my scoop of raspberry truffle - yummm).
On Saturday, we packed in a LOT of activities. First up was breakfast at Pamela's (sadly, not the same thing as breakfast at Tiffany's). Pamela's is the breakfast place that Andrew and I tried, and the pancakes were still delicious the second time around. After stuffing ourselves full of breakfast food, we went to to the Andy Warhol Museum. I feel like I'm finally able to get around this city; I got us there without a map or printed directions, and we didn't get lost at all. The Andy Warhol Museum was unlike any museum I've experienced. There was a really neat mix of his video/photography/pop art work. More impressively (or at least I think so), the museum also has over 600 "time capsules" that Warhol created. They contain everything from letters to paintings to newspaper headlines. The staff there is working on archiving them. I don't know when they started, but they won't be done until 2014! The museum also has some pretty weird rooms, one whole collection was entitled "Sex Parts and Torsos" - my mom's reflection, "Andy Warhol was one strange dude."
Following the Warhol, we went to the Strip (a recurring theme when I have visitors). Then, we went out to Ikea so that I could get a loveseat. My living room was looking pretty empty, and I needed more seating. This was mostly a good idea. I say mostly and not completely because my mom and I didn't really think through "getting the loveseat into my second floor apartment." It was heavy, and we are not very strong. When we were trying to get it out of the car, this nice guy and his wife pulled their SUV over and asked if we needed help. em-bar-ras-sing. We finally managed to come up with a roll maneuver that got the damn thing up the stairs.
We capped off Saturday with shopping on Walnut, sushi, and Julie and Julia. All of which were very enjoyable :-)
Today, my dad, Sean, and Andrew all arrived around 11:00. We did lunch nearby, after which my dad had to drop me off for the ceremony. For some ridiculous reason, the students had to arrive at 1:00 for the 3:00 ceremony. The school wanted to take official pictures of us, but that only lasted until around 1:40, leaving us around an hour to "talk amongst ourselves."
When the ceremony finally started, we processed into the auditorium and filed into rows alphabetically. There were a couple of remarks; the keynote speaker was actually fantastic - the best I've heard at any graduation/ceremony like this one. Then, the Dean of Student Affairs read our names off and we "got coated." I feel like a real medical student now! We also took the Hippocratic Oath (again, very medical-student-like) and I took a ton pictures with my family. After we went out for a celebratory dinner, everyone headed home, leaving me here, ready to start school tomorrow!
I'm sure you all want to know what I look like in a white coat, so here are some pictures :-)
I'm getting "coated"
Walking off stage, wearing my coat
Walking up the steps, in my coat
Not an alumnus yet, but someday!
Andrew and I
The O'Neill clan
Friday, August 6, 2010
This Could Only Happen to Me....
Yesterday, I was planning to work primarily from my apartment. I'm essentially done with lab work, but I need to finish up some write-ups and I need to get some forms filled out for medical school orientation. I was working on all of that from home when I got a call from one of the rotation students in my lab. Here's how the conversation went:
Him: Hey Brittany, are you coming in for the lab picture today?
Me: Um, what picture?
Him: The lab picture at 1:30
Me: (Looks at clock, it is 1:12 and I have wet hair and am wearing sweat pants) I don't think I can make it by 1:30
Him: Well, the boss wants everyone it, so pretty yourself up and get here as soon as possible.
I tore through my apartment, threw on some clothes, slapped on some make-up, and headed out of the door.
While I was driving there, I was innocently sitting in a right turn lane at a red light, when a lady side swiped my car! I didn't even realize what was happening until my side-view mirror popped inward (they're collapsible, thank goodness), and I laid on my horn. The lady said there was another driver she was trying to avoid when she hit me, but I wasn't really aware of what was going on to my left. Luckily, there was no obvious damage to my car (my dad is going to look at this weekend to make sure). We exchanged info, and I still made it work in time to have my picture taken!
Him: Hey Brittany, are you coming in for the lab picture today?
Me: Um, what picture?
Him: The lab picture at 1:30
Me: (Looks at clock, it is 1:12 and I have wet hair and am wearing sweat pants) I don't think I can make it by 1:30
Him: Well, the boss wants everyone it, so pretty yourself up and get here as soon as possible.
I tore through my apartment, threw on some clothes, slapped on some make-up, and headed out of the door.
While I was driving there, I was innocently sitting in a right turn lane at a red light, when a lady side swiped my car! I didn't even realize what was happening until my side-view mirror popped inward (they're collapsible, thank goodness), and I laid on my horn. The lady said there was another driver she was trying to avoid when she hit me, but I wasn't really aware of what was going on to my left. Luckily, there was no obvious damage to my car (my dad is going to look at this weekend to make sure). We exchanged info, and I still made it work in time to have my picture taken!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Born-Again Athlete
Here are the headlines from the world of Britt:
I'm a born-again athlete! For those of you who didn't know me in high school, I used to be a cross-country and track athlete. I was never great, but I was also never terrible, just kind of somewhere in the middle. As a result of those activities, I did a lot of running. So much running, in fact, that I was voted "Best Legs" by the marching band my senior year (forget medical school - that is a lifetime accomplishment!) Since high school ended, though, I have only sporadically exercised. I've gone to the gym every once in a while, and played REALLY low-impact "D" league rec soccer. All of that is about to change - I'm going to run a 10K! There's a race in Pittsburgh in eight weeks called the "Great Race" which is almost entirely downhill (my kind of race). I found an on-line training program for novices that maps out eight weeks' worth of work-outs. I also have been using an awesome tool - mapmyrun.com - that uses google maps and allows me to draw in routes and determine their distances. So far, it's day three of training, and I'm chugging along - updates will follow.
This week is also important because it's my last week in the lab. Doesn't it seem like it's gone by so fast? I'm currently wrapping up all of my work and drafting an abstract and poster for an upcoming presentation at my program's annual retreat. The last week in the lab is also significant because it means THAT I START MEDICAL SCHOOL NEXT WEEK.
(Side note - The amount of emails that I am getting from the medical school is beginning to rival the amount of email that I got from the University Ambassadors. Yikes.)
Final headline - I put up new wall art - pictures will follow tomorrow!
Until then :-)
Britt
I'm a born-again athlete! For those of you who didn't know me in high school, I used to be a cross-country and track athlete. I was never great, but I was also never terrible, just kind of somewhere in the middle. As a result of those activities, I did a lot of running. So much running, in fact, that I was voted "Best Legs" by the marching band my senior year (forget medical school - that is a lifetime accomplishment!) Since high school ended, though, I have only sporadically exercised. I've gone to the gym every once in a while, and played REALLY low-impact "D" league rec soccer. All of that is about to change - I'm going to run a 10K! There's a race in Pittsburgh in eight weeks called the "Great Race" which is almost entirely downhill (my kind of race). I found an on-line training program for novices that maps out eight weeks' worth of work-outs. I also have been using an awesome tool - mapmyrun.com - that uses google maps and allows me to draw in routes and determine their distances. So far, it's day three of training, and I'm chugging along - updates will follow.
This week is also important because it's my last week in the lab. Doesn't it seem like it's gone by so fast? I'm currently wrapping up all of my work and drafting an abstract and poster for an upcoming presentation at my program's annual retreat. The last week in the lab is also significant because it means THAT I START MEDICAL SCHOOL NEXT WEEK.
(Side note - The amount of emails that I am getting from the medical school is beginning to rival the amount of email that I got from the University Ambassadors. Yikes.)
Final headline - I put up new wall art - pictures will follow tomorrow!
Until then :-)
Britt
Monday, August 2, 2010
Home Sweet Home
Britt went to Columbus! Here are the top four highlights from my trip in chronological order:
Night out on the town with fellow University Ambassadors (shout outs to Shawn, Corey, and Vince as promised!) A group of us went to the Short North Tavern, obviously located in the Short North - too much fun was had by all.
My roommate Amanda's bridal shower was Saturday. It was the last "roommate" thing of the summer, which is kind of bittersweet, but the food was delicious, I won a game, and Amanda got great presents, which all made it better.
Saturday night was a dinner with some of my favorite Pickerington favs followed by hanging out with Andrew. I got a spinach and artichoke dip filled deep dish pizza - whoever created it had me in mind! (I'm telling you, I'm obsessed!)
My mom and I went to check out the Titanic exhibit at COSI on Sunday. It was a little pricey, primarily because they make you buy full museum admission on top of the ticket to the exhibit. That aside, it was awesome! When you get there, they give you a boarding pass of an actual person who was on the Titanic with some facts about his or her life. Then, at the end of the exhibit is a list of all the survivors and deceased - you can see if you made it, and I did! The exhibit also featured a life-size replica of the main staircase and the front page of the Columbus Dispatch immediately following the sinking. If you live in Ohio, check it out before Labor Day :-)
As you can see, it was a pretty good weekend! Now, panic is setting in as medical school begins in exactly one week - yikes!
Until tomorrow,
B
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