Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Long time no post

I am in Houston, Texas, where I have been for the past 3 weeks and 4 days and where I will be for the next 2 weeks and 4 days. What am I doing, you ask? A required medicine "Sub-I". I put Sub-I in quotations because this is not the traditional Sub-I taken during the fourth year of medical school to explore a residency choice. This is something that has been created by my school to torture me. I jest. My school only considers one thing a Sub-I - this required month long Medicine (or Pediatrics) rotation taken during fourth year. This effectively places all my "traditional Sub-I's" in the category of electives - which means I can only receive pass/fail grades on the grueling three months I spent living and breathing Neurosurgery...but that's OK, right? Right?! Right...
...it is most certainly NOT OK. But, moving on...
I decided to come to Houston for my rotation, because this is where the slackers go, and after three months of Neurosurgery, I am definitely a slacker. Also, my sister and the cutest/most adorable/bestest nephew in the world live here, so I get to see them on weekends. Which, is the highlight of my week - yeah, not even the intricacies of high blood pressure and ACE inhibitor management can compare. Unless, of course, said high blood pressure causes a sub-arachnoid hemorrhage via an aneurysm. I'm kidding!! Have three months of Neurosurgery turned me into a cynical, self-absorbed, arrogant Neurosurgeon-to-be-medical student? Perhaps. Which reminds me...
This morning, the medical team that I am on were gathered to round before the attending, who loves to tell humorous stories encountered in his career as a Hematologist. On the way to the punchline on one of his stories, he mentioned casually some attributes about different specialists.
"Nephrologists tend to be very careful, precise people. They do things in a calculated manner."
"Orthopedic surgeons are only interested in driving their cars when they get done in the hospital."
"And Neurosurgeons, well, they are some of the nastiest people around."
Which, the entire team thought was extremely laugh out loud funny, seeing as that is my specialty of choice. He didn't know I am applying into that, which I guess, makes it alright.
A good thing came out of my being in Houston - I have two residency interviews scheduled here before I leave, which makes at least two plane tickets less of an expense during this whole interview season business.
This is my last week at the hospital though, and I get to spend even more time with my sister, nephew and brother-in-law. Awesome!

3 comments:

Le Monde Parle said...

Nastiest people in what way??????

Anonymous said...

Happened upon your blog by accident....I had a craniotomy in June and have to say that my Neurosurgeon is my hero! Vanderbilt Med Ctr: Dr. Reid Thompson. Kind, patient, easy-going, but, thank God, a perfectionist! He removed a right sphenoid wing meningioma without complications of any kind during or after surgery.
Best of luck on finishing your training in Neurosurgery!
Melissa Dotson
Franklin, TN

deadrocketcow said...

Hello Melissa,

I am glad your surgery went well, and that you had a good experience at Vanderbilt!
Thanks for the well wishes - I am in the process of interviewing for a Neurosurgery residency position, and having a good time.