(view more pictures of the ceremony + the family visit to Dominica at the bottom)
First I must say, the “trying to drink water out of a fire hydrant” analogy is REAL about medical school. It is so crazy how fast the time is passing….I am already in WEEK 3! Where does the time go when you are in class and studying 16 hours of the day and sleeping the other 8. No lie. That is what my life is like right now. I honestly do not even know I live on a tropical island because I am never outside, only to walk to and from class and then do not leave the campus/classroom until 10-11 at night. The amount of material that gets thrown at you, and this is coming from someone who has only been in med school three weeks (can’t wait for week ten), makes you question how the heck anyone makes it through. I have covered a whole subject from undergrad in a 45 minute lecture (which you need to dissect on your own and self study, regeritate the information, and make study cheat sheets, then make another 1 page study cheat sheet off of a 175 page 50 minute lecture.) Awesome. However, once you actually get accepted into medical school, the pass rate is pretty high…hopefully if you do the work and manage your time correctly, which I may say is a learning process. I keep reminding myself that all the doctors out there now made it. There is a light at the end of this very long tunnel.
At the end of the first week, I took my Hippocratic Oath for the study and practice of medicine, as well as recited a medical prayer, and Ross’ honor code. The best part of it was that I had my biggest supporters that have been here for me EVERY step of the way, right at my side to take in the experience with me. Having my family and neighbors travel 2,666 miles to be with me at my favorite moment known to my life was absolutely unexplainable and beautiful. Together we celebrated during the ceremony and then went to the cottages where they were staying right on the beach and watched the sunset together. It was one of the most beautiful nights of my life having my family here with me and under the same roof.
Throughout the next couple of days, they explored and traveled around the island being tourists, while I managed my time between classes, anatomy cadaver lab dissections, study sessions, private tutor exam question prep, and clinical skills. However, I was able to watch a couple sunsets with them at night for a break and quit a couple hours early so we could play a couple games of “Golf” (a card game) before bed and even watch the Packers lose, unfortunately, right on the beach front. Let me tell you the moonlight over the ocean, the display of stars, and the sound of constant waves crashing at the shoreline 10 feet from your bed is a luxury! It’s the simple things in life that make it absolutely beautiful and worth it. After 6 days of being spoiled by my family, it was so hard to say goodbye to them, but I felt worse that they were pretty much going home to a 90 something degree difference in temperature, ewww!
All and all, I now can actually see what is ahead of me for the next four years (and then for a lifetime). It is going to be tough, but the people I have met that are going through this with me are awesome. We will go through everything together and in the end come out doctors! How cool is that?! I honestly can not think of anything better to do with my life!
First I must say, the “trying to drink water out of a fire hydrant” analogy is REAL about medical school. It is so crazy how fast the time is passing….I am already in WEEK 3! Where does the time go when you are in class and studying 16 hours of the day and sleeping the other 8. No lie. That is what my life is like right now. I honestly do not even know I live on a tropical island because I am never outside, only to walk to and from class and then do not leave the campus/classroom until 10-11 at night. The amount of material that gets thrown at you, and this is coming from someone who has only been in med school three weeks (can’t wait for week ten), makes you question how the heck anyone makes it through. I have covered a whole subject from undergrad in a 45 minute lecture (which you need to dissect on your own and self study, regeritate the information, and make study cheat sheets, then make another 1 page study cheat sheet off of a 175 page 50 minute lecture.) Awesome. However, once you actually get accepted into medical school, the pass rate is pretty high…hopefully if you do the work and manage your time correctly, which I may say is a learning process. I keep reminding myself that all the doctors out there now made it. There is a light at the end of this very long tunnel.
At the end of the first week, I took my Hippocratic Oath for the study and practice of medicine, as well as recited a medical prayer, and Ross’ honor code. The best part of it was that I had my biggest supporters that have been here for me EVERY step of the way, right at my side to take in the experience with me. Having my family and neighbors travel 2,666 miles to be with me at my favorite moment known to my life was absolutely unexplainable and beautiful. Together we celebrated during the ceremony and then went to the cottages where they were staying right on the beach and watched the sunset together. It was one of the most beautiful nights of my life having my family here with me and under the same roof.
Throughout the next couple of days, they explored and traveled around the island being tourists, while I managed my time between classes, anatomy cadaver lab dissections, study sessions, private tutor exam question prep, and clinical skills. However, I was able to watch a couple sunsets with them at night for a break and quit a couple hours early so we could play a couple games of “Golf” (a card game) before bed and even watch the Packers lose, unfortunately, right on the beach front. Let me tell you the moonlight over the ocean, the display of stars, and the sound of constant waves crashing at the shoreline 10 feet from your bed is a luxury! It’s the simple things in life that make it absolutely beautiful and worth it. After 6 days of being spoiled by my family, it was so hard to say goodbye to them, but I felt worse that they were pretty much going home to a 90 something degree difference in temperature, ewww!
All and all, I now can actually see what is ahead of me for the next four years (and then for a lifetime). It is going to be tough, but the people I have met that are going through this with me are awesome. We will go through everything together and in the end come out doctors! How cool is that?! I honestly can not think of anything better to do with my life!