Pura Vida

2012-01-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

Cardiothoracic surgery = awesome, really enjoying it. Got to close up the wound too! I'm really loving surgery so far. It's the first rotation where I'm not groaning immensely at the absurd hours I have to wake up.

Ran 9+ miles today, felt good! But it always feels good to run. I think my coronary vessels were happy about it too. They also appreciated the kale & white bean soup I made for dinner. :)

Who would you give your kidney to?

2012-01-23T19:46:00.000-08:00

Transplant surgery was pretty incredible. I got to see a living donor kidney transplant, which is a win-win because no one needs to die and the person still gets a new kidney! I would definitely donate my kidney if the situation every came up. Now, thanks to the strong immunosuppression drugs (thanks tacrolimus, the infamous IL-2 inhibitor!), you really only need to have the same blood type to donate your kidney to someone. Pretty amazing. What was even more impressive is that the surgery to transplant the new kidney took under 2 hours! Transplant surgery = really impressive, including the doctors, nurses, PAs, pharmacists and of course the patients, and the altruistic donors. It takes a TEAM to get someone a new organ!

On to cardiothoracic surgery today. Great first day, should be an exciting two weeks! I somehow got two of the most intense surgical specialties, really enjoying it so far.

In other exciting news, I think I've just about beat the cold I've been battling, went on my first run in a while -felt SO GOOD.

Surgery!

2012-01-10T22:39:00.000-08:00

Started my surgery rotation this week. Transplant surgery, Cardiothoracic, and General surgery. Wish me luck!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T23:34:00.000-08:00

Finished reading 50/50 by Dean Karnazes, I liked this quote he found by Darwin: " It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change"

Something to keep in mind as we make our resolutions for 2012!

Dinner in Sacramento

2011-12-30T22:26:00.000-08:00

Hayward Field

2011-12-30T22:25:00.000-08:00

Found on my very rainy run, thus the blurry photo!

Fun guy trio

2011-12-29T20:02:00.000-08:00

Mezza Luna in Eugene, OR

The Crazy Norwegians

2011-12-29T13:34:00.001-08:00

Port Orford, Oregon

Christmas Eve!

2011-12-24T14:22:00.000-08:00

My flower arrangement. Merry Christmas!

Post wedding brunch at Marcy's Diner

2011-12-18T08:18:00.000-08:00

Food Rules

2011-12-15T21:51:00.000-08:00

What I liked most about Michael Pollans' compilation of advice in Food Rules wasn't the aphorisms themselves, but the creative and whimsical drawings!

Eat food, mostly plants, not too much.

The Four-Minute Mile

2011-12-14T08:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I finished reading Roger Bannister's The Four-Minute Mile. It's his personal account of his life and years leading up to breaking the 4-minute mile barrier. A really terrific read if you love running and history! Might be a bit slow for non-runners, but I bet still fascinating to learn about the intricacies of this subculture of competitive track and field you might never venture into yourself. He makes a lot of poignant statements about his concerns about running transforming into a profession verse the amateur status he enjoyed while running. Roger Bannister viewed running as just a part of his life, and committed just 30 minutes a day to his training while in medical school.

Read more if you like!

Final Exam

2011-12-11T18:13:00.000-08:00

Just finished reading Pauline Chen's Final Exam. She came and gave a lecture at Stanford last year and I was really impressed. Her book was a good read for someone in medical school, not sure how appealing it would be to nonmed folks. She was very honest, which I appreciated, throughout the book. Good read overall!

Born to Run

2011-12-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

Last month I finally read Born to Run, a NY Times bestseller written by Christopher McDougall that ignited the barefoot running craze. No I'm not running barefoot or wearing vibrams, but I did love the book. Born to Run is so well written, and most of all such a great story! I loved the combination of history, anthropology, data on the running industry, and the compelling characters. I was so sad when I finished reading it, I would consider reading it again, it was that good.

So if you have a chance, whether you love or hate running, think vibrams are monkey feet or an amazing invention, I definitely suggest reading Born to Run!

Happy Winter Break!

2011-12-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

Pediatrics, OB/Gyn, & Psychiatry are now behind me, with a month break here to stay! I start up again in January with surgery: transplant, cardiothoracic and general surgery --should be an interesting two months.

My plans for now mostly include reading and running, with a few mini vacations in between. I think one of my New Year's Resolutions is going to be to blog more regularly, and I'm trying to get a headstart on that resolution now!

American College of Surgeons 98th Annual Meeting

2011-10-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

So much to do, so little time

2011-08-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love doctoring. I've said it before, and I will probably say it again and again. Helping someone deal with sickness is really rewarding. The challenge is, that we can always do more. We can always improve the science, we can always improve our communication, we can always improve the delivery of care, the cost of care, the equality of care. Frankly, these last 8 weeks I've been really overwhelmed by how much more can be done. How much we have left to do. Medicine has gone a long ways by many measures, but all I can see is how far the road ahead is for us in terms of delivering really high quality care. I feel like I'm this little newborn baby in the middle of a rainforest trying to find my home that is 10,000 miles away. It is that intimidating of a challenge! I've found this state of frustration to be not very conducive to anything, and so I've been trying to develop the personal mantra of "Do what you can, when you can, with what you have." Still-very difficult!

I see how it is so easy for a doctor to make their work all-consuming. But for me, the value of relaxation, the outdoors, reading, family, and friends is priceless. For me personally, and also for me as a doctor. It reminds me of why I think medicine is such an amazing profession. I get to help out family and friends. They may not be my family and friends, but they are to someone, and I always try to approach a situation by thinking "what would I want if this was my child, or my mom". I find it much easier and much more fun to deliver medicine in this way.

I'm working on some solutions, in my spare time. Maybe one of these days I will share them with you on the blog! In the meantime, here is a quote that continues to energize me:

“Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not?

NICU: Babies babies everywhere!

2011-08-05T22:46:00.000-07:00

Babies on the mind, caught another 2 today, 8 for 8!

Most interesting about babies is how they all start out the same. You can't predict which baby you hold will become the next President of the United States, the next doctor, or school teacher. You can't predict who will have mental health problems, obesity, or breast cancer. Just by looking at them, you wouldn't know who will live in poverty or who will be the next billionaire. We all start out the same: sleepy, hungry, and naked. We know the world by what others teach us about the world. If you teach me that I can do anything, I'll believe it, because why shouldn't I? It's all I know. Each baby I caught, I said a silent prayer for and greeted them with a big smile. It may not be much, but they came into the world into loving arms, and I hope we continue to show them how great life can be.

Pediatrics

2011-08-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've finished boards, my preclinical years, and entered clerkships. If you get sick in the Bay area peninsula region, you might just see me knocking on your exam room door. My first rotation is pediatrics. I started in July with a month of outpatient pediatrics clinic. I was in the Endocrine specialty clinic, the Acute Care Center at Packard, the Adolescent Health Clinic, and even the Well Baby Nursery. It is such an honor to be serving patients and working alongside such outstanding professionals. I've seen many interesting medical cases, from hypothyroidism, hyperbilirubinemia, DiGeorge syndrome, ataxia telangiectasia, to the mundane viral gastroenteritis, pneumonia, and constipation. Much more interesting, and more meaningful for me, have been learning about all the people with these health problems. Hearing what they like to do, their take on the latest Harry Potter movie, and what fears they have about their illness. I absolutely love doctoring, helping patients and families to understand the healthcare process, understand their illness, and understand what role they can play in their health. I am in my element!

That's not to say I haven't hit my own challenges. Even though I've been studying diligently for the last two years, clinical diagnosis and management is another beast. I know I'm a rookie, so I take it in stride, confident that I will continue to learn so much in the years to come. The challenges of providing good care in a chaotic healthcare "system" is what most frustrates and upsets me. "System" is absolutely the wrong term to describe how people in the US get healthcare, and everyday I see more problems and try to think of more potential solutions. The good thing is, that I have been so utterly impressed with the majority of my colleages and other health professionals I've had the opportunity to work alongside. The people aren't the problem! Unfortunately, well intentioned, good people in a convoluted health system can still deliver poor quality care, which I absolutely cannot tolerate. We have so much work to do!

Pediatrics is so much fun, I LOVE winning over the shy 3 year old, or teaching the 9 year old about their asthma, or being an ear for the frustrated 15 year old whose parents just won't understand. It can be crazy at time, and sometimes the crying is just too much, or its just plain mean to have to examen the ears of a 2 year old, but even the challenges are rewarding when you're finally able to overcome them by looking for Minnie Mouse in the 2 year old's ear canal!

When patients declare you their new best friend, or moms ask if you can be their child's permanent doctor, or when you get a grateful look from dad because you found a fun way to look in a kid's nose that doesn't totally freak them out, it just makes my day. At its core, medicine is about helping people, and sometimes that means grabbing some juice for the new mom who fainted, or remembering to let the kiddo pick out their favorite sticker before leaving the clinic, or congratulating the new parents on their beautiful baby. I get to do things like this for the rest of my life! I've already had my challenges, and the whole 5am wake up is not really my cup of tea, but ultimately, I know that this is exactly what I want to do, for the rest of my life. I have the coolest job in the world.

I haven't even gotten to my inpatient experience, but this is already a long post. Helping deliver and resuscitate babies in the NICU has been amazing. I'm 6/6 in catching newborns! The intensity of the NICU at times is overwhelming, dealing with life and death is not something that is easy, but learning the skills to truly save lives is so inspiring to me. I can't wait for the day when I have developed these skills to a point where I truly can make a difference. In the meantime, catching babies is just fine with me. :)

Telluride hike

2011-06-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

Being a 1000ft above the valley makes for some great views!

Doctors as Team Captains

2011-06-13T22:24:00.000-07:00

I just finished my first day at the Telluride Patient Safety Roundtable. What a great day! It's been really fun getting to know the other students as well as meeting faculty who have such passions for improving the delivery of health care.

Reflecting on today's conversation, I saw the connection between doctors and team captains. Doctors wear a lot of hats, we are scientists, surgeons, educators, shared-decision makers, advocates, managers, and team members. On the wards, doctors are in charge of large teams of care, ranging from residents, medical students, fellows, nurses, medical assistants, nutritionists...(the list goes on). It reminds me of being captain of the track team. Not only do I have my 7 events to perform and improve on, but I worry about the goals of the team, each individual teammate, ranging from freshman to seniors, injured, superstars, the 100m sprinter to the pole vaulter to the 10,000m runner. Team dynamics, coaches, trainers are all involved. As team captain you have some power, but you aren't the coach involved in everything, but you have a lot of influence. I wonder how we would approach training doctors if we approached them as team captains in training.

Welcome to Telluride!

2011-06-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

I'm in Telluride, CO for the next week for the 7th Annual Patient Safety Roundtable. All of the Patient Safety Scholars arrived last night and we had a group BBQ. This is a snapshot from our Gondola ride that we will be taking everyday to the to Telluride at the bottom! Had a great 2 mile run this morning- I definitely felt the 10,000 feet elevation!

Casting

2011-06-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

The ER

2011-06-05T23:15:00.000-07:00

After getting to the hospital at 7am Friday morning, I found myself back at the hospital at midnight that night, for my first 8-hour Emergency Medicine shift. Running on adrenaline only, I was perfectly alert all night, because the ER is a fascinating place. I made my way around to almost all the patients, talking with them, asking the nurses to show me things, asking the residents to explain some things. I learned all about patient registration, the supply room, trauma protocol. I was impressed with how streamlined it seemed from the nurses and doctor's perspective. From the patient's perspective the number one complaint was how slow everything seemed to happen. They all wanted to either go home or be admitted to the hospital. I can only imagine how being in "ER limbo" must feel when you're sick and scared that it could be something really bad.

Overall I was very impressed with the professionalism of all the staff in the ER, from the person cleaning the rooms to the attending physician. I had the opportunity to participate in a trauma call, very organized, and thorough. I also cleaned and sutured up some lacerations for the first time (really cool).

Above all though, my favorite part was talking with all of the people and their families, hearing their stories reminds me of why I think that being a doctor is the best job in the world. It fires me up to realize that I have the power to make people's lives better. Even last night, I did my best to listen, educate when I could, and comfort always, and I think I made some people feel better. I was so impressed with all the staff in the ER, and it humbles me to know that I'll have the priveledge of working alongside these people when I head into my clinical rotations full-time in July.

Mission Complete!

2011-05-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

I took Step 1 yesterday. 8 hours of intensity! It doesn't feel real to be done, I still dreamt about questions last night, I won't know my score for at least a month. But it is done. DONE DONE DONE. I enjoyed my time studying, mostly because I had control over all of my time, no meetings, no classes, nothing to get in my way. I'm going to miss that type of freedom to design my day exactly how I like. Monday the rat race starts up again, until then, I'm going to enjoy free days I have!

Horrifying: State announces closure of 70 parks to save money

2011-05-13T15:09:00.000-07:00

Portola redwoods, castle rock, Henry Coe... Some of the best. This is a travesty for all Californians!!!!!

A story from AP Mobile:

State announces closure of 70 parks to save money

Under a week to go!

2011-05-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

The Final Push! I took a practice test at the test center yesterday, felt pretty good, now just tying up all the loose ends on my 7-weeks of studying. Keep your fingers crossed for me next Wednesday.

In more interesting news, I had a great time Friday night at the Kennedy Center, it was a beautiful evening and the National Symphony Orchestra was wonderful! Saturday was also fun, after a killer run along my favorite trail, we walked along The Mall and even went to the Museum of American History. They have a new exhibit where they feature a particular year in American history, I really enjoyed seeing what 1939 was all about!

And back to work for me!

Quote of the Day

2011-05-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

"You've got some wheels!"

-Random dude at the track yesterday as I was running my 200m intervals.

Quote of the Day

2011-05-03T06:50:00.000-07:00

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but rather we have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."

Aristotle

2000 Mark!

2011-05-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

I finished the USMLE World Qbank on Friday afternoon. That's over 2000 questions under my belt! I was very pleased with my NBME practice exam score today-2 weeks to go to keep working on my weaknesses. Being methodical and holding myself accountable really feels good after a while. Let's hope the test gods agree come May 18th..

This weekend was gorgeous in DC, after a fun baseball game Friday night, I enjoyed a wonderful 9 mile run along the Crescent Trail Saturday morning. One of the benefits of having a schedule completely determined by me is that I choose to exercise a lot! I spent Saturday outside all day, with a few hours of lazy studying in the sunshine along the river in Georgetown. On Sunday we explored Eastern Market and walked around the National Mall. I know what you're thinking: "Aren't you supposed to be studying all the time? Isn't this like the most important test ever?!" I've had important tests in the past, and I'll have more in the future, but I'll never stop living my life as fully as I wish, no matter what "super important" thing is on my plate. If I don't enjoy each and every day now, when will I? Now back to learning!

"Believe you can and you're halfway there."
Theodore Roosevelt

Nationals v. Giants

2011-04-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day

2011-04-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

"If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves."
~Thomas Edison

1000 mark!

2011-04-20T07:25:00.000-07:00

I'm at my half way point. It's been almost 4 weeks of studying, and I have exactly 4 weeks until my exam. I'm doing well, and I've done over 1000 questions. I have 1000 questions more of the question bank, and then I'm going to do them all over again. I've hit a good groove with studying, I'm a little embarassed to say that I actually enjoy it. It's like running intervals, after you do it a few times, you know its good for you, so you learn to love it. I can tell that every hour of studying I put in, I'm going to be a more knowledgeable doctor for it. It's not even that I don't mind it, I like it! I can just tell how much I'm learning every day, connecting the dots, understanding therapies. A great feeling!

I'm also very impressed with my Stanford education thus far. Stanford really does focus on the important stuff, and then gives us the time and flexibility to memorize all the little details necessary to ace the USMLE Exam. I'm looking forward to starting clerkships in the end of June-I get to start with pediatrics! How fortunate!!

Back to questions for me. Chai tea latte anyone?

Study Break!

2011-04-09T15:26:00.001-07:00

Inspiring words from Marie Curie

2011-04-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."
Marie Curie

Preparing for this test is a beast, so I find much inspiration in optimistic words spoken by Marie Curie, the first female professor at the University of Paris and the first person to win 2 Nobel Prizes.

As it Goes

2011-03-31T21:54:00.000-07:00

Four days in, feeling strong. 36+ hours of studying under my belt. Starbucks is making a small fortune off of me. I scrubbed down the apartment after reading about bugs for 4 hours...Even I succumb to the hypochondriasis associated with medical school. Sleeping well, studying hard, running well. Life is good! I even submitted an application for a cool conference in June. Fingers crossed that I hear good news!

Season Opener: The cardiovascular system!

2011-03-28T08:05:00.001-07:00

It is official, I'm dedicating the next 7 weeks to studying for Step 1. I'll be "incommunicado" for a while so I will try my best to post regularly -mostly about studying I'm sure! Today I'm reeducating myself on the heart, here is a snapshot of the lovely cardiac cycle. Easy as pie.

Goodbye Boston

2011-03-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

These last five days have been such a blast. Having the chance to catch up with such amazing friends in such an amazing city is such a blessing. I am inspired, happy, and rejuvenated! I spent this afternoon exploring the city with Alana, and here we are enjoying the Boston Harbor...On to DC for me!

Track posse reunion!

2011-03-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

Back at Harvard!

2011-03-25T22:17:00.000-07:00

Preclinical curriculum: Mission Accomplished!

2011-03-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

Here I am with all of my syllabi and text books from the first two years of medical school. It's difficult to describe how I feel right now-I'm speechless and bursting with excitement at the same time. I didn't know it was possible for me to learn as much as I've learned over the course of a year and a half. I'm proud of myself for my endurance and dogged perseverance to push myself to become the best physician I can be. Compared to premedical students, I know so much! Compared to my amazing mentors, I still know so little and have so much more to learn!

While that massive pile of notes is now behind me, I know that even bigger challenges lie ahead of me. First I'll be focusing on the Medical Licensing Board Exam... The biggest challenge I'll face in the next two years of medical school and the rest of my career is being part of a dynamic healthcare team taking care of real people with real problems. I'll do my best to accept the challenge with humility, grace, and all the energy I have. Thanks for all of your support so far!

Countdown

2011-03-10T22:45:00.000-08:00

Officially done with preclinical lectures...

One week and 4 exams to go until I've finished my preclinical medical education.

Cross country skiing

2011-03-04T22:45:00.001-08:00

Snowboarding

2011-03-04T22:44:00.001-08:00

Surprise!

2011-01-11T11:05:00.000-08:00

Homemade Empanadas

2011-01-10T22:10:00.000-08:00

Yosemite Valley Formation

2011-01-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows the beauty of Yosemite Valley, the shear granite rock, the open meadows, and the amazing waterfalls. All the park signs explain how the Valley was sculpted by glaciers...Over 250,000 years ago, the Valley was full of a glacier. A glacier so big that only 900 feet of Half Dome emerged from the giant flow of ice. I always had a really difficult time comprehending this explanation. No way a glacier could be that big!

That is, until I saw Glacier Perito Moreno. Instantly, I understood the formation of Yosemite Valley. Reaching 60 meters out of the water, and 440 more meters underneath, over 1 mile wide and 15 miles long, Perito Moreno is the biggest chunk of ice I've ever seen and could never have imagined. Seeing is believing, and now I have the utmost respect for the formation of Yosemite Valley.

Perhaps in another 250,000 years, it will be the Perito Moreno Valley that everyone visits...The next Yosemite, carved from a glacier. That's all I could think about as I traversed the slopes of the glacier, learned about the glacial rivers, pools, crevices. How this inspiring block of moving ice is shaping the earth, the climate and the world around it. I used to lack respect for glaciers, (its just ice right?), but after this experience, without hesitation I think that glaciers are one of the most awesome features of our planet.

The Cold

2011-01-09T22:46:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you end up conquering things you didn't even realize you were conquering. The last few weeks have been a joyride. Adventuring all over Argentina, being amazed by Patagonia, its wildlife, its belligerent yet beautiful mountains, the gigantism of Glacier Perito Moreno. Never before on a trip have I been left speechless so many times. Patagonia is absolutely positively one of the coolest places I've ever visited. I'm in awe. Magellan Penguins, Southern Right Whales, Guanacos, Darwin's Rheas, mountains, glaciers, vast nothingness-it has it all. It's the world's real life Disneyland. It was warm, mostly windy, and sometimes terrifyingly cold. I felt on top of the world, like I was about to die, and as warn out and energized as I've felt in my life. It took a week of enjoying Buenos Aires to recover. Poor me. Ha!

This weekend I had another adventure: Yosemite. Curry Village has a deal: if it's below 32 degress, your tent cabin is free. Lucky us, it was definitely below freezing last night. I learned to cross-country ski on Saturday-Abbey is a great teacher. Today we went snowshoeing for the first time, on a ranger-led snowshoe hike, we hiked up to a vista where we could see the entire Yosemite backcountry. Wilderness always surprises and never disappoints....

I used to be terrified of the cold, heck I still am. But Boston taught me that I could survive the cold, Fitz Roy taught me to respect the cold, Perito Moreno showed me the brilliance and beauty of the cold, and now Yosemite is teaching me how to enjoy the cold. Without realizing it, I'm conquering the cold. Or you could say that the cold is overcoming my former intense dislike, and winning me over with its beauty, ferocity, and playfulness.

Studying and the Dish

2010-12-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

We learned a lot this quarter, renal physiology, the gastrointestinal system, a ton of microbes and parasites, skin diseases, endocrine disorders, reproductive health. Too much for me to cram in a week. I've been doing my part all quarter, consistently absorbing and learning the material. We have an "integrated" final exam this Friday. Most of you probably picture me sitting in a small room with glaring lights all day with a pile of books by my side. Sure I could sit in the library all day, plowing through all my books, losing my concentration left and right, spending more money on snacks and beverages than I should, falling asleep at the desk. I could study that way. With our cumulative exams, I take a different approach, and listen to review lectures that are interesting, make me think and cover all the essential material. If I just listened to the lectures while comfortably sitting down, I would be asleep in 5 minutes, so instead I listen while walking. Usually while walking the Dish! So instead, picture me with a smile on my face, listening to lecture reviews, while spotting a stellar jay along the trail, catching up on loop diuretics while taking in a view of the entire peninsula. A perfect blend of studying, exercising, and enjoying a beautiful day. A win-win-win. I'm actually enjoying this! Nailing the practice exams feels good too.

Seasons

2010-12-05T23:38:00.000-08:00

Living in Northern California the last 3 and half years, I've finally come to appreciate seasons. SoCal really never felt like 4 different seasons, Boston's winter was so scarring that I declared winter my arch nemesis. But here, in Menlo Park, I actually look forward to the rain, the change of leaves, the expected rainbow in the afternoon after a rainy day. I like that I hold my tea close and snuggle up under my blanket. I look forward to the verdent spring, green Stanford hills, and bright orange poppies filling the fields. Different seasons bring about different daily habits, different emotions, different wardrobes, and different meals. The selections at the Farmers Market has changed from summer squash to winter squash, from strawberries and peaches to sweet potatoes and root vegetables. I not only enjoy the seasonal change, but in a way I even look forward to it. I wouldn't even mind a little snow now and again, though I could do withouth the great Northeastern Blizzards I endured. Seasons are fun, in their own, unique way. With that said, I'll be spending Christmas at the beach. :)

Holidays and the BCC

2010-12-03T23:12:00.000-08:00

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are probably my favorite weeks of the year. I had the priveledge of attending my 4th UCSF Breast Care Center Holiday party tonight. As eventful, festive and fun as always. The Intern skit was once again phenomenal, poking fun at the idiosyncrasies and hysterics that make up the BCC. I absolutely love being able to see old friends and colleagues, hear they are well, and what they are up to now. The BCC really was a work-home, very different than anything I've experience in medical school, and an environment I will really strive to find in the future. I really miss being part of a team working towards a goal, in med school you're constantly floating through teams, never a full fledged member yourself. It was my first full-time job, where I fell in love with medicine, and realized that work doesn't have to just be work, it can be a passion, a calling, and something you do with friends and colleagues, not just coworkers, something that is fun, creative, and worth your while, What a terrific reminder about what the holidays, and life in general, are all about. Also a good kick in the butt reminder of why I'm doing all this studying now, with finals 6 days from now, its the extra uumf I needed!

Downtown Chicago

2010-11-27T15:56:00.001-08:00

Notre Dame

2010-11-27T14:20:00.001-08:00

Black Friday

2010-11-26T05:51:00.000-08:00

5:45am!

Crocheted Coral Reef

2010-11-21T14:31:00.000-08:00

National Portrait Gallery

2010-11-21T14:29:00.000-08:00

Running and Jill Biden

2010-11-20T16:15:00.000-08:00

While running along the Capital Crescent Trail, I see a fit, blonde woman in a black running outfit speeding along towards my way. Low and behold, it is none other than JILL BIDEN! Wife of Vice President, with two secret services agents huffing and puffing about 10 meters in her dust. How cool is that? Jill Biden rocks. Another great example of why I love running! The run was beautiful, trail goes from Maryland to DC, tree-covered, scenic, perfectly picturesque. AWESOME DAY!

My favorite color is blue

2010-11-04T00:07:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness the good state of California agrees with me, a clean sweep! I'm such a California girl at heart. We can get back on track now.

Medical School is sooo right for me

2010-11-02T22:22:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this midterm for an elective I'm taking, its mostly an undergraduate class, but it's been incredibly interesting and informative as the class brings in surgeons who have worked on international health projects across the world. I have to write a paper on an international health organization and analyze the org....

This little experience makes me really appreciate medical school. Every day in medical school, I am building a base of knowledge that allows me to understand the inner workings of the human body, a language that allows me to detect and diagnose disease and illness. Medical school has given me a different window into the human body, a language, dictionary, and encyclopedia for understanding. I love it. I stay up late reading about the adrenal cortex. I'm excited for the next NEJM publication, reading about the newest update on asthma management. My bed time reading is often "The Patient History", so I can better know the right questions to ask patients to rule out and rule in diagnoses, to discern a differential and a cause of their illness. Sure sometimes I feel overwhelmed, wiped out, because it's exhausting, I never know enough, I'm never encyclopedic enough, I still have so far to go. But I absolutely love it. I don't have any problems motivating myself to study, usually I have to motivate myself to take a complete break...

But there is never a break from medicine, when I go to the grocery store I see the women with a cane, hobbling down the isle, and I wonder to myself if she has osteoporosis, or maybe a hip replacement due to a recent fall. I see a young boy with a cough and runny nose and catch myself saying "take care of that viral infection", under my breath. I see a gaunt elderly man smoking as I walk home, and I wonder how many pack-years he's smoked, if he's ever tried to quit, whether or not he has emphysema, trying to picture his lungs, or what is left of the millions of alveoli exposed to daily toxin...

So yes, medical school is beyond my wildest dreams. I don't have to do response papers, or analyze an organization or falsely motivate myself to care about term papers or midterms like the years of undergrad. I get to study the human body, I get to investigate, problem solve, and learn to my hearts content.

One of my mentors once told me, "A doctor studies disease. A good doctor studies people. A great doctor studies life." I'm still at the disease point, but I'm sure my love affair with medicine will continue in ways I can't even begin to imagine.

Bottom line, do I really have to write this 3 page, single spaced, 12pt font, 1 inch margins, response paper critiquing the WHO GIEESC? Because I'd much rather be learning about the physiology of the parathyroids right about now...

Weddings

2010-11-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

Weddings can be such beautiful events. This weekend I had the delightful pleasure of attending the wedding of my friends Vivian and Charles. Understated elegance, simple, pure, and full of love. It was so much fun to celebrate their love and lives with so many of my friends and classmates. It's so beautiful to see two people looking together in the same direction, with the best of intentions and highest of hopes, surrounded by all their friends and family rooting and cheering them on. It's wonderful to be part of so much love and celebration! So many emotions are wrapped into weddings. The parents and family beam with pride and disbelief at how old and mature their cherished son/daughter has become. Siblings take a reality check, that brother they used to fight with is now a husband... Friends see another side of a friend's life that too often is overlooked or not discussed. A young single woman feels the hope of a similar romance in the future, a seasoned married woman reminisces about her wedding, and the good and bad of her marriage. A gentleman in a budding relationship that is long distance mourns the days without his girl, secretly can't wait until they can be together for good. The older widowed man sheds a tear at the recent loss of his wife, and realizes that he lost the only dance partner who can dance the charleston with him... There are so many emotions running at weddings, no wonder they are so memorable and hold such meanings in all of our lives.

Good advice

2010-11-01T19:05:00.001-07:00

Perfection is the enemy of the good.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T21:26:00.000-07:00

The Greek goddess Artemis and a witchdoctor

Black Mountain

2010-10-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I summitted Black Mountain, along with my mom and Abs. At the top there was a beautiful view of the Bay, even with the dark clouds overhead. The hike was just under 6 miles, and we saw an astounding 24 deer scampering about! Great way to end the week and head into the weekend...

What the World Needs Now, is Love, Sweet Love...

2010-10-20T22:41:00.000-07:00

it's the only thing, that there's just, too little of....

The past few days I've been grappling with the loss of my grandmother, Mary Kilroy. The last time I saw her, we sang this song together......

It's never fun to lose someone you love so much. You always wish you had more time. It's always too soon. A life too short. Unfair. Irreplaceable. Your Grandma plays such a unique role in your life, always rooting for you, ready to have fun, to indulge and splurge with all the love and joy a grandmother has for a granddaughter. The pressure is off, no need to impress, no judgements, just love. The loss of a grandmother really hits you hard. Both of my grandmas have very, very special places in my heart. Grandma and I got really close in the last few years, and I will remember and cherish those moments for the rest of my life. I am so blessed to have such loving family. Grandma you are missed and loved. Whenever I eat my butterscotch squares, use my tea kettle or salad spinner, wear my cute Michael Korr skirt suits, travel with one too many bags, read a good book, catch an awesome sale at the mall, or watch a really good cooking show, you know I"ll be thinking of all the wonderful moments we've shared together. Love you. Here's a memory from our post-LA makeovers....

Platelet Donation

2010-10-15T00:28:00.000-07:00

The last time I donated blood, I asked the nurse to check if I was eligible to donate platelets. A very small percentage of people are eligible to donate, for a variety of reasons, including prior pregnancies. too small, not enough iron, cytomegalovirus, travel exposures, I could keep going...

A week later I received a call from a very nice woman who was just SO excited to inform me I was an eligible platelet donor. Her words were "there are so few of you out there, I'm so glad you're eligible. You can give every 2 weeks!"

This evening was my first platelet donation. First impression: they take more care of you, give you selections of dvds, a nice tv with headphones, sweet deal. It takes longer than a whole blood donation, but that means I can settle in and read for a while. The platelet process is strange. Whenever I donate blood, I always think of the scene in the StarTrek movie where they enter a hospital on Earth for a sick man who is about to undergo brain surgery, the Space doctors are outraged at the barbaric, ancient care and use a laser to heal him instantly. It makes me think about how in the future, hopefully we'll have synthetic platelets and blood, and we won't need centers all around the country leeching blood from willing donors...The process really is oldschool when you think about it. Nonetheless, the platelet machine is a fancy centrifuge with a lot of dials and ringing bells. It felt very strange feeling blood pushing through my veins back into my body. I also felt a little strange in general after giving, but I'm doing alright.

Why do I give platelets you ask? In honor of my lovely grandmother, who is very fortunate to be the recipient of weekly platelet infusions. And all the other family members, mothers, fathers, daughters, cousins, grandfathers, who wouldn't be here today without platelets. I may not be a doctor yet, but I'm finding ways to contribute to treatment and care in my own way...

So, next time you give blood, check if you can give platelets. It really is a blessing.

Best part of my week

2010-10-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

Was this evening, Abbey and I ran and hiked in Arastradero and had the wonderful gift of seeing seven beautiful deer on the trails... By far, the best part of my week! What would I do without a great sister and the outdoors?

SMS II

2010-09-30T01:08:00.000-07:00

Medical school is really awesome this year. We focus on one organ system at a time, and have complete immersion: 3 hours of lecture per day, clinical reasoning sessions once a week, brush up on the related physical exam skills, and then we have practicum where we interview real patients and practice our history, physical exam, clinical reasoning and presentation skills. I absolutely love it! TAing anatomy has been really awesome too, I enjoy teaching, I enjoy dissecting, and enjoy relearning the body. It's such an honor to have all of these opportunities, I'm so grateful for all the physicians who put in so much time to teach me, the patients (alive and deceased) that are altruistic and allow me into their world. Medical school is humbling, but its also very rewarding, the more I study, the more I see my clinical skills grow and expand, that's very personally gratifying, so studying doesn't seem too bad, I actually enjoy studying for the most part this year. Still have to work on getting to bed early...I don't think it will ever happen!

PPACA -Health Care Reform

2010-09-28T22:53:00.001-07:00

Did you know that the new health care reform doesn't have limits on insurance premium prices? The reform may be better than nothing, but it is seriously lacking...

No Diet Coke for me

2010-09-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

I haven't had diet coke since sometime in earlier August! I decided to stop drinking diet coke after reading about the shaky FDA evaluation of aspartame, and after my own realization that I think it's very addictive. I was drinking 4-5 diet cokes a day, sometimes much more. Since going cold turkey, it hasn't been much of a problem. I drink a lot more tea and water, I focus on getting more sleep, and occasionally I'll have a regular coke when I'm at a gathering etc. It hasn't been too bad. I was so trained to pop a diet coke when I began studying, the hardest part was getting out of the routine. No more diet coke for me!

Monterrey Mushrooms

2010-09-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I went to Monterrey Mushrooms, the largest mushroom company in the world, and helped vaccinate their workers. We got a wonderful tour of the farm and free mushrooms to boot!

I ran a 10k

2010-09-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night, the Palo Alto Weekly held the annual Moonlight Run around the Baylands Preserve. What fun! It was my first time running a 10k, under a clear sky, beautiful moon and on a nice trail. I averaged under 8 minute pace for the run, so I was happy! A bunch of friends from med school also ran, and Abs finished her first ever 5k, such a blast!

Blogging bug

2010-09-13T23:41:00.000-07:00

I've got to catch the blogging bug again...

Something that moved me: Seeing a beautiful stellar jay flying low with the view of Bay behind it...On my Dish run this morning

Something that inspired me: Abs running a sub 8:30 mile around Lake Lagunita. Go Abs!

Something that surprised me: A delicious home-cooked Indian dinner with lentils, zucchini, squash, and eggplant...YUM.

Something exhilarating: Running a sub-7:30 mile on the last mile of my 6 mile run.

Anatomia

2010-08-23T23:42:00.000-07:00

Even though I'm starting my second year of medical school on Thursday, I still made my way to the anatomy labs this evening. The lab was eerily familiar, the scent of formaldehyde, the snap of the purple gloves, the search for nerves in the midst of fascia....It all came back to me so fast! Tomorrow is my first day teaching the first year medical students anatomy, and after doing the TA dissection today, I'm feeling confident, and really excited to share the experience with them. It's a win-win-win for me. I get to learn anatomy again, get paid, AND get an iPad! Abs and I have been playing on the iPad all night, it's cool in some ways, annoying in others. I wish Apple had gone the extra mile and made a killer technology that included phone, video, and file storage in addition to what the iPad offers.

Wish me luck for my first day of teaching!

Lilly!!!'

2010-08-23T18:48:00.001-07:00

Tiger pacing

2010-08-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

Orangutan crossing

2010-08-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Burger Joint

2010-07-31T18:53:00.000-07:00

Sweet potato fries!!!!

Divino

2010-07-31T18:50:00.000-07:00

What do you order at an Argentinian restuarants? A lot of meat.
Definitely coming back here!!!

Five Guys

2010-07-31T18:49:00.002-07:00

The Cajun fries are addictingly delicious.

Man cookie

2010-07-31T18:49:00.001-07:00

Brought to you by Leslie's cupcakes

Yes on CA Prop 21

2010-07-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

We all pay taxes so we can partake in public goods and services. CA Proposition 21, the State Parks Initiative would remove all entrance fees to California state parks (fees recently increased from $6 to $10 last spring). Prop 21 would add an $18 surcharge on obtaining a vehicle license, and in doing so make our state parks more accessible to all Californians. I strongly support this Proposition and hope that in November you vote yes on Prop 21with me.

Give and Take

2010-07-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

On Monday morning, I received an email from the Stanford Blood Center, asking to donate blood because they are very low on their stock of Type A blood for patients. I immediately called and scheduled an appointment to donate that afternoon. I saw giving blood as an opportunity to make amends for my novice blood draws at the free clinic on Saturday. It's the least I could do. It ended up being a family affair, me, my dad and my mom donated! It was the first time my mom had ever donated, but she was a champ. I even convinced Woody, a fellow med student to donate! We all received t-shirts and free pints of baskin robbins ice cream...A pint for a pint...

Life is such a give and take, and I'm glad I took the opportunity to give a little. You can now give blood once every two months, and I'm pledging to do my best to do that this year. I learned that sometimes you can give, sometimes you have to take, but it turns out alright in the end as long as you do your best...

Novice

2010-07-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

My first real blood draw. Real in the sense that I was going to draw blood of a real person who needed a real test. Unlike the times early in the year when I drew blood of my classmates for practice. I was hoping for a really big guy, with bulging veins to come around the corner of the phlebotomy lab. Instead a very petite Vietnamese women appeared in front of me. My hopes were dashed that this would be an easy one. I went through the checklist, name and date of birth? check. signature on lab form? check. preparation of phlebotomy materials? check. gloves on? check. tourniquet on? check. Everything going ok so far, I'm gaining a bit of confidence, this isn't too bad. Then I try to find her veins. It's a skill to feel the vein, and then to slide the needle in properly so the vein doesn't roll on you. After about ten double checks, I think I found an okay vein, it's tiny, and I can't really see it, but it will have to do. As I prepare the needle, the patient begins to squirm. She doesn't speak much english, so she expresses her fear and concern in a series dismayed moans and scared sighs. I try to calm her down, but inside I'm just as nervous and scared as her. I certainly don't want to cause her more discomfort, which I know I'm about to. I move forward, inserting the needle into the small, hidden vein I felt a minute prior, hoping and praying to see a flash of blood in the needle so I can fill up a vial of her blood. Nothing. I slide the needle out a bit, still nothing, slide it in further, nothing. I am very dismayed. I try to explain to the patient that I'm very sorry but I will have to try again. I take out the needle and place a bandaid on her arm. She was moaning and almost crying, but then thanking me and saying "its ok its ok", so I think she understands. Then she gets up to leave-she doesn't understand. I quickly interrupt, "No no, I'm so sorry but I wasn't able to get a proper blood draw, we're going to have to try again" and show her the empty vial. She gets frightened, distraught with the understanding the she has to go through it all again. I'm not really sure who feels worse at this moment in time. Because my heart is wrenching, I inflicted pain upon her, was inept and now I have to do it again. So we go again, this time the other arm. Still no luck. Again, she doesn't understand and I have to explain that again I wasn't able to draw blood. So I call the lab supervisor and have him do it, because there is no way I'm going to try again and fail. I feel so bad for this woman, I didn't mean to inflict so much pain, I really wish she didn't have to be my first real patient. I really wish I was able to draw blood quickly for her. After her blood is drawn, she turns to me and says "It's ok, it's ok" and smiles. An incredibly nice gesture of her, it really meant a lot to me that she recognized how bad I felt for making her undergo 3 blood draws. The other part of it was that I felt bad that I was this inept, shouldn't I have been better? I mean I'm a Stanford Medical Student, I had an undergrad and a high school student shadowing me, and proved to be completely incompetent....
The rest of the day was very successful actually, I was able to give many vaccinations and did many more successful blood draws. I did my best to put all the patients at ease and appear competent and professional. As I was driving home, reflecting on the morning, I realized that by thinking of myself as a "Stanford Medical student" I really missed the point. Although others may see me like that in the clinic or at the hospital. I'm actually just me, who will be continually thrown into new situations and procedures in my growth as a student of medicine, and I will always try my best, but if I fail, it's not a reflection of me as a person, its a reflection of being a novice, and not having much experience. If I continue to do my best, I will become the best doctor I can be. Whether or not I live up to the title of "Stanford medical student" in the eyes of others is completely besides the point. This way of thinking gave me peace with the incident in the morning. I really did try my best, my best at putting the patient at ease, as well as trying to draw blood. By not running away from the situation, I learned, and I got better and was able to do my best for others later in the day. Medicine is tough-and this was just a blood draw.

Bens Chili Bowl

2010-07-04T21:01:00.001-07:00

Note sign in lower right

Georgetown Cupcake

2010-07-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

Yum! As seen on reality tv

World Bank

2010-07-03T11:21:00.002-07:00

Me and GW

2010-07-03T11:21:00.001-07:00

Hike #3: Yosemite

2010-06-30T00:49:00.000-07:00

Amazing vistas, waterfalls and well worth the tough hike out of the valley.

Hike #2: Skyline to the Sea Trail

2010-06-30T00:48:00.000-07:00

30+ miles in less than 2 days with my mom. We made it to the beach!

Hike #1: Big Sur

2010-06-30T00:47:00.000-07:00

Testing out some new gear in the Ventana Wilderness

1/4 of a Doctor

2010-06-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

As of 10am today, I am 1/4th of a doctor. Officially done with my first year of medical school! It's one of those times when you should be celebrating, but instead you are more in disbelief. Time off? Relax? No studying? I hardly know what to do with myself. I feel bewildered, really, free time?

WOOHOO!!!!!!!! Busy finalizing plans for the hiking trip of the century (more on that later), and time for real life (finishing taxes, financial aid, good stuff like that).

Looking back at my first year, I feel a strong sense of pride, I worked hard, I tried my best, I learned more than I thought possible to learn, and had a really good time. I actually enjoyed my first year of medical school, probably learned just as much about myself as I did about the human body...but now...FREEDOM!!!!!!!

Number 25

2010-06-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

I think it's fitting that National Hikes Day falls on my birthday! To celebrate, I enjoyed a relaxing 4 mile hike this morning with the fam, followed by wildberry frozen yogurt and a picnic for lunch... Then relaxed by the duck pond all afternoon, reviewing for my final exam. What a wonderful day, with chinese food for dinner and angel food cake to top it off! Beautiful weather, wonderful company, and a reason to celebrate, what more could I ask for?

Number 25 is certainly off to a fabulous start.

NEJM Letter on Arizon Immigration Law

2010-06-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

Thought it necessary to share this brief letter to the editor...While I was reading it, I was struck by the fact that the Arizona law has such similarity to the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 that made it illegal for people in the Northern states to "conceal, harbor or shield" a slave and effectively turned police officers into "slave catchers". This is wrong. If I ever am subjected to such inhumane laws, I will choose to nonviolently protest and disobey.

Arizona Immigration Law and Medical Practice

To the Editor: The new Arizona state immigration bill (SB-1070)signed into law on April 23 will seriously obstruct, if notundermine, the practice of medicine in the state of Arizona.It specifies that those who "conceal, harbor or shield or attemptto conceal, harbor or shield" a foreign person who came to theUnited States illicitly "are guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor"punishable by a fine of at least $1,000 (Sec. 5, Section 13-2929).¹ It can be argued that health care providers who neglect toreport illegal immigrants under their care will violate thelaw and be considered criminals. The bill provides physicianswith no guidance as to what constitutes "reasonable grounds"to suspect that somebody is in the country illegally, leavingthe particulars of such scrutiny to anyone's imagination (althoughthe fact that Arizona shares a border with Mexico rather thana European country suggests that whites will not be "reasonable"suspects). One interpretation is that health care providersin Arizona will need to ask for a passport before seeing certainpatients (and providers themselves will need to carry theirown passports at all times, depending on their physical appearanceor accent). Arizona practitioners, hospitals, and medical associations needto ponder the extent of their liability under the new law anddraft clear institutional policies to defend their patientsand employees from potential harassment. Asking patients toproduce immigration documents violates the trust that physicians,nurses, and other health care workers endeavor to earn fromthem.
This bill threatens one of the oldest traditions of medicine:physicians shall protect patients regardless of nationalityor race.² This legislation, if unchallenged, will force healthcare providers to choose between the dignity of their professionand the indignity of violating the law.

Lucas Restrepo, M.D.
Barrow Neurological Institute
Phoenix, AZ

The 6 things between me and summer break

2010-06-02T21:16:00.000-07:00

Last lecture of the year
HHD Pediatric cardiology lab
Mini-CPX exam
CV End Block Exam
Practice of Medicine Exam
Integrated Final Exam.

then: DONE WITH MY FIRST YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL!!!!!! 1 year closer to caring for patients...

Quote of the Day

2010-06-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

"To relentlessly force the tender wisdom, thoughtful reflection, and perceptive honesty of the human heart to conform to the ridiculously impossible, inhuman speed of the world, its effortlessly generated images and mind-driven technologies, is to do violence to our most precious, valuable treasure: the necessary guidance of the human heart. Without it, we may get more and more done, and push ever faster through the gauntlet of our to do list, but we may never, in the end, catch up to anything."

The amazing world you discover...

2010-05-17T23:03:00.000-07:00

Rough test today, followed by a rougher 5 hours of continuous class, and it was rainy and cold... I was ready to be released from the cage...counting down the minutes to 5pm. And I'm out, quickly change and get moving. I start my usually route, around Lake Lagunita. I get somewhat annoyed by all the moths that seem to be around the ground, then as I look closer...and realize, that they aren't little moths, they are FROGS. BABY FROGS EVERYWHERE! I'm talking about hundreds and hundreds of baby frogs on the trail and in the surrounding meadow. So, of course I stop running, stoop down and enjoy the gleefully hopping frogs for a while, They hopped around so much, all my iphone photos are blurry. I walk lightly amongst the beautifully simple baby frogs for about a 1/4 mile...Amazing right? Where did they all come from? Why today? How wonderful, mysterious and beautiful. Nature always having a way of giving me a wake up call at the right moment...

Not all in life is perfect and beautiful though...As I continued to walk along the trail full of hopping froggies, I began seeing squashed frogs. My elation dampened. More dead frogs, all over the trail...People had been running them over all day. People had been enjoying their run, unaware of the world around them, ignorant of the small beautiful creatures beneath their feet...It made me really sad. It was so terrible to see all of the tiny little lives, squished into oblivion.

After thinking about it, I think this occurrence represents something bigger for me. If you aren't cognizant and alert of your surroundings, you really won't be able to fathom the potential impact you and others may be having. I think this example shows what can negative results can occur because of this lack of perspective, but I think the flip side is also true, you can do a lot of good if you pay close enough attention. In my case, I managed to avoid stepping on frogs, and warned a few runners about them and they stopped their run and started walking too. Sometimes you don't even know what you're looking for, but keeping your eyes out, and your mind clear, you just might come across something amazing. In my case today, hundreds of tiny, hopping froggies.

New home!

2010-05-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

Stanford Med is more awesome than ever. We have official access to our new home, the awesome LKSC 4th floor student space, including student lounge, workout center, beautiful view of the Stanford Hills, and great study spaces! I love it! Having a beautiful vista sure puts the hardcore studying into perspective...

Yet again I'm learning a new language...La lingua de corazon....
What is that I hear? A diastolic murmor? S2 split? S3 or S4? How about supraventricular tachycardia, or a right bundle branch block as seen in the V1 lead of the EKG? Or what about atherosclerosis, thromboemboli and Virkow's Triad? Any ST elevations or inverted P waves? Don't remind me of alpha vs beta, muscarinic vs nicotinic, Beta agonists, Beta blockers, nonselective, indirect, antiacetylcholinesterases, sympathomimetics, neostigmine, atropine, phenylephrine, or isoproterenol....

What does this mean for you? Exercise, eat your greens, get your sleep and stay away from insecticides. Organophosphate poisoning is bad news! Back to work, exam on Monday for me. Love this new med school home!

Hetch Hetchy for Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T21:54:00.000-07:00

The crew packed up and headed to Yosemite National Park this weekend in celebration of Mother's Day. Our destination: Hetch Hetchy, the Yosemite Valley that never was...Yup, in 1908 they damned up this beautiful valley against the activism of John Muir and naturalists around the country. That damn dam! After seeing it for myself, I can't believe it. A true travesty, because it is an absolutely amazing place. I'll be writing my representatives about this one...Even with the ugly dam, it's a remarkable place. We did an overnight backpacking trip, hiked up the valley, camped amongst the bears (no joke), and had an all around wonderful weekend. Happy Mother's Day Mom! Hope you enjoyed yourself as much as I did!

Riding my bike

2010-05-06T00:05:00.000-07:00

For the past week I've been using a bike as my primary mode of transportation, I thought I would share my thoughts:

It takes me less time door-to-door to bike to class then to drive, park and walk to class. About 13 minutes on a bike, 20 by car.
Cars smell bad, are too big, and are scary.
It's really hard to turn left as a biker, because of the smelly, big, scary cars I mentioned above.
Biking is really enjoyable when your breaks don't squeak.
Biking prevents me from wearing skirts and dresses. Slightly annoying.
You see a lot more animals and small wildflowers when you bike than when you drive.
I used to hate locking up my bike, but it really only takes me the same time as starting a car.
Helmets aren't that bad.
I think more when I bike, I get annoyed at other drivers when I drive.
Still don't know what I'd do if it was pouring rain tomorrow. Will have to figure that out.
I could easily bike to cool hikes if I had a better bike.
Biking makes it a lot more likely that I'll go to the Farmers Market on Sunday rather than loading up on giant bags of groceries at Safeway.
Biking doesn't require filling up a gas tank and spending money.

I like biking.

Really, 0/46?

2010-05-05T00:19:00.000-07:00

This evening, after studying cardiac reflexes for a few hours, I decided to skim over all the lectures in my Cardiac Block. By the time I got to page 360 in the syllabus, I casually noted that there hadn't been a female professor yet. So I continued on, quickly turning page after page, growing more dismayed...I made it to page 561, the last page, and was shocked to realize that I wouldn't have a single female lecturer in the Cardiac Block of HHD. I double checked the Table of Contents. Sure enough, it struck out, 0/46. Zero female professors.

I'm chagrined at this finding. I think its statistically highly improbable. I doubt that there are zero highly-qualified and capable female physician-educators at Stanford to teach the cardiovascular system to medical students. If there are zero, that's a whole other problem. I wonder how this could happen, how it could be unnoticed. I will make sure to raise this point with my peers, faculty mentors, and administration.

One of my favorite quotations is by Dr. Martin Luther King, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere". I try my best to be alert and cognizant of the small, seemingly innocuous injustices that happen everyday around me. This is one that I'm speaking up about.