Med Chronicles: To the people

Before I got here, I remember when med school students would always say "the best part of med school is the people". Now that I'm on the other side, I can authoritatively say that that's truly a thing, fo sho. I remember those first few weeks of medical school, when I was so nervous I wouldn't make any friends. I would set up time goals for myself, "If you go to this one social event for 9 PM, then you can leave at 11 PM... 2 hrs is doable." It was so HARD - trying to spark that interest over the same predictable questions with "um what's your name again?". And though #FOMO is maybe not always the best reason to put yourself out there, in this way, I'm super grateful for my #FOMO. Time no longer has any bounds and more often than not, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN McDICKS is closed it's only 2 AM" is the line I find myself thinking out loud.

There are those who will say "you would have met the people you clicked with by now.", but I'm not sure that's the case. The truth is everyone is great and I probably would have fared okay either way, but I'm so much happier than just OK, and I'm eternally grateful to the cosmos for helping me fall into the most wonderful and hilarious of hearts and souls.

Thank you for being my friends. You feel like home - that's why I call you my homegirls and homeboyz. BAM. #deepermeaningwuttt

1. For the "how are you?"'s that come with the ooey gooey "but how are you, really" eyes.
2. For making sure I get home safe.
3. For the unspoken "no TO" rule during phone tag.
4.  For the awkward-silence-after-i-told-a-bad-joke rescues.
5.  For never giving up on motivating me to encourage myself to think about possibly working out.
6.  For letting me sleepover on the fly and eat all your food/candy/water.
7.  For the coffee jaunts.
8.  For listening to the F-stories (otherwise known as stories where most would just not give a F***)
9.  For always saying goodbye before you leave.
10. For helping me differentiate the creepers from the RNG's. 
11. For nodding when I say "f*** it all" but knowing that's never the case.
12. For making all the unimportant things a big deal. And all the actually important things a bigger deal.
13. For not even blinking-an-eye when I spill the code words/names. Like a champ.
14. For always being prepared with equipment during "those times" because I never am.
15. For calling me out on rumination.
16. For making DPAS officially stand for Drunk People At School.
17. For letting me hold your hand against your will.
18. For #lettingme #speaklike #this
19. For never calling me Ti-ti.
20. For all the gtimes.

So much love,
<3 

I need to get these manicures off my chest

Also featuring a bracelet I got for 50 cents from the Glebe Garage Sale :D

A quick makeover

Instead of pinning a bunch of reminders on my bulletin board (it's not like I read those reminders anyway), I've decided to turn it into something pretty. I got out some issues of Chatelaine because I LUUUUUV Chatelaine and went to town.

Med Chronicles - Examssss bleh

I think I expected this year to change me.

I`ve always enjoyed Science, but I was hoping that having physiology and medical factuology bombarded at me 24/7 would leave me wanting more. I would walk in those doors, become elbow-deep in textbook and be completely inspired by my lecturers and classes that I`d become enamoured with medicine. Unlike undergrad where I was forced to memorize all 24 (26? Damnit.) amino acid structures, medical school would be different – it would be current, relevant, and serve no other purpose but to fuel my curiosity and purpose as a physician-to-be.

I’m not sure that is the case. I’ve realized that medical school, and perhaps medicine, in general, is very much grounded in the tried-and-true. Tradition conquers all because it has a history of “something”; and even mediocre data is better than no data.  It’s not hard to imagine why those few amazing minds become frustrated with the system. Somehow, innovation is always fighting to find its voice, only to be applauded after decades of scepticism. Semmelweiss was frickin’ put in a straightjacket for being a proponent of hand-washing! Why is that? Why is it so hard for “them” to let “us” do something good? Do something meaningful? And let us make-like-a-Gandhi and “be the change” that we want to be? Why even try?

For that reason, I think it’s easy to give up on medicine. That said, this year I’ve been reminded that it’s so much harder to give up on people when you just don’t want to. And I’m constantly re-realizing that medical school is not the “why” or the “what”, it’s merely the “how”. Medicine is the conduit for achieving what I want, which is to make people better. And that’s the thing, right? Nobody is just a person. Everyone is “somebody’s someone” and when we’re out there meeting someone’s mum, dad, child, friend- we sure as hell better deserve their trust. Medicine is an interesting field where trust is given to you in both hands, palms wide opened even before you ask. Unlike everything else in the profession- heck! in this world- it’s the part that comes easy. How counter-intuitive is that?

So maybe when someone trusts you, without hesitation, to make a difference in their LIFE, maybe it’s not totally unreasonable that medical school, and medicine, makes us play it safe. So at the very least, you can practice with the evidenced-based version of good. And maybe in the grand architecture of our lives as physicians, medicine takes up the parking lot that needs to be sketched in. It’s the thing you know won’t change and won’t disappear; you can park your car there, leave it, and feel safe knowing it’ll be there when you come back. We need parking lots so that we can go find the things that truly inspire us. In that way, I think I’ve grown an appreciation for that narrow path that medicine can sometimes be. In another light, the narrow path eventually pushes you off, as it should.

The only reason I came to BC is because I was born and raised in literally “the most boring city in North America”. And I thank my lucky stars every day that I grew up knowing that there must be more.  And now that I’m here, I was right. BC has been nothing short of all sorts of amazing.

This year has changed me and I continue to be hopeful for the ways in which medicine drives out the crazy, aka. the brilliance, in people.  Teeeeheee

an irrelevant picture of soap fruit. so cute though!

Making things portable

I work in a lab so my hands get incredibly dry. The cure? Vaseline. 

Since the Vaseline container I have at home is huge, I’ve been making do by carrying around regular lotion, but the moisture from those just don’t last. So, I finally found some little cases at The Face Shop with which to carry my petroleum jelly. They’re about 1.25 inches in diameter - really portable.

I recently got a second set of ear piercings so I also carry around a cotton ball saturated with cleaning solution to keep up with the disinfecting schedule when I’m out. SEWWWW USEFUL.

They are a really cute colour to boot ~

Lei

An Ode to 2013

T-4hrs till 2014!! Omygoodness, what a year! In a nutshell, 2013 was wonderful :) I always find it really neat to reflect on the changes that happen in one year: what comes, what goes, and what lasts.

Here are some of the things we've learned, our meaningful moments and our hopes for the new year. Thought we'd share!

JBOUN: I learnt to figure out what your priorities are... never putting others first over yourself. I felt like I invested more in others when I had no time to improve myself. I also learnt to keep my goals to myself... found it was the only way to keep myself motivated in the long run. And, you can depend only on yourself, and noone else. I learnt how to become more independent in everything I do. Show who you are no matter who you're with. Let your personality shine wherever you are and don't let others mold you into something you're not.

 2014: I hope to judge less of people, accept them for who they are and be a much more positive person to everyone and myself. 

SPENCE: One of the best quotes from one of the books my prof from positive psychology wrote: "Focus does not stay in the past or in the future for long unless you take it there -- nor does it stay in one specific spot for very long, unless you hold it there." -Terry Orlick

SHAQ: Oh geez. Fine I'll say something cheesy... I learned that it's easier to trust people with secrets than keep it all to myself.

I googled that.

lol jkjk!

2014: To live a balanced life :) 

VIC: I learned a lot about sales and living on my own. And being easier on myself.
  So simple, but do what makes you happy.

BAHAREH: This year I've made a lot of good friends and I feel that no matter how tough life or school can be, we're in this together. Things always get better with time and as long as you stay strong things will come through! Its like they say, things happen for a reason so trust faith that everything will be fine. Also, don't be afraid to try new things. For example this year I really wanted to cook more and now I have a new passion. Set goals for yourself, get out of your comfort zone. Always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. THIS YEAR'S THEME IS FRIENDSHIP.

MARIA: For me it would have to be that I may have made mistakes, but that they're safely behind me and that they won't anchor me in my present or influence my future.

Hahah I may have combined a couple of song lyrics to come up with that statement.

                     

ANIK: 2013 was very eventful for me. Many things happened in my life! I learned to take things easy and enjoy doing things that you really like. I also learned to be more patient and stay calm when things are not going your way! Another lesson is to be kind to people and sacrifice more in life to help others.

TIFF: This year I learned to appreciate the things I'm not good at.  I learned that failing is okay because it's not the worst option. To laugh at myself. I learnt that my friends can push me harder than I can push myself -- and that makes me better. I learnt that strangers can be selfless and the beauties of the world become meaningful because of the people who have meaning to me.

2014: To make every day a Yes Day!

 LIZ: 2013 taught me that I can hold my own through whatever "storm" life throws my way, and still come out the other end smiling and no worse for wear :)

ANDREW: Be willing to take risks even if it pushes yourself far outside your comfort zone. The things that we treasure most in our life are the things that were hardest and usually least comfortable to get.
 
WILSON: Carpe Diem.

What did you learn? What are you goals? What were your moments?

Cheers to 2014! May you be only more brilliant :D

This is how we do.

Do you remember our first lecture ever in university? It was Houseman’s “How to Study Efficiently 101”.  We were promised that by fourth year, we would have our study techniques down pat. Three years later, we’re still alive and truckin’ along… ergo, we must know what we’re doing… right?! Bahareh, Caitlin, Lei, Jerry, Shaq and I sit down to put together our tips and tricks to tackle this looming exam season. We hope you find these helpful! :D

1. Do NOT study. Studying will only tire you out.

2. Your number 1 priority is sleep. Sleep all day all night.

3. Become BFFs with somebody who stress-bakes. WIN-WIN!!

4. Visit your profs before exams. This way you’ll be less of a stranger in the off chance that you need to ask for that one point booster.

5. Repeat #2 with TA's. Nonchalantly yell something along the lines of "You're the best TA, EVER" intermittently in conversation.

6. Always be on FB. One of your course groups could post something important at any moment!

7. Map out your best coffee routes (Mac’s has $1 French Vanilla!)

8. Take a break every hour.

8. Do the altruistic thing and send your best mates some Ryan Gosling “Hey girl, I believe in you” memes.

9. Reward yourself for good and bad grades using... ahem, this part's not publishable.

10. Change up the scenery and study in different spots!

10. Jerk it and twerk it. 

--if you want to get your mind off school—

1. watch TV.

2. throw a party.

3. have a potluck – you don’t want to be hangry during your exam.

4. think about how you’ve been neglecting all your friendships because of studying.  go through all your friends on Facebook and send them a message. Ask them how they are. Suggest meeting up.

5. Christmas is coming so make sure you do your Christmas shopping early before all the good stuff is gone!

And if all else fails… DO IT LIVE!!

But really....

And don’t forget to come up for air every now and again :D Good luck everyone!!! <3