These are a few of my favorite things.....

Hey everyone,

        So I'm not super creative with my blog posts usually and they usually go with what I'm doing in my life but this post is going to be a bit different. I have decided to show you all a few things that are different from "real" life or "business" life or "the real world" and describe as a medical student what a few of my favorite things are here, this is not a comprehensive list just a few things that came to mind!

 1) Delivery-  when you are in the middle of studying and can't afford to stop, especially in a place where actually going to get food takes minimum of an hour.....delivery is amazing, order, wait/study, eat while studying...perfect! In Dominica this is the delivery car for Rituals, our only coffee shop. They just put a box on the back of the dirt-bike!

2) Space -- So you see a picture of my multitude of things that I have around me while i study, books/note books/ computer etc. so having a large table is one of my favorite things! 

 3) Office- Max  or should I say Office-Mike- so I print A LOT here and of course I need things 3-hole punched and stapled butttt the only problem is that 3-hole punchers are large and the ones that the school provides don't work so there is Mike. Mike is my friend and he brings his 3-hole punch and stapler every day to the barn where we study....so we all go over to his desk and 3-hold punch and staple every time we need it done. Mike is our life-saver and our resident office-max!! Thank you Mike!!

 4) Colored Pens/Highlighters- I kno you laugh and say...do you really need 10 different color pens and 10 different color highlighters? The simple answer is YES! When I make a study products for each lecture specific topics are in different colors. For example, if it is in purple then it is a clinical correlation, Red is very important etc. So I love love my lots of colored pens and highlighters. Oh and in Dominica it costs $6 for 1 highlighter so bring as many as you can...I mean stock up, buy stock whatever you have to do!!

 5) The greatest book EVER - so this is my USMLE step 1 book, it is a concise book with the most high yield information for the USMLE, it has great mnemonics, and diagrams, and charts that make some of the most complicated subjects clear. I love this book and I write down notes into the book so that when I am studying I can look at one source for a quick reference and then my notes for the details that I might be missing.

 6) Water Water Water - So these 1.5 L water bottles are from the natural springs of Dominica, and the water is great! Because of the heat it is very very easy to get dehydrated and you want to drink water that has been purified so you will see most student and most people have these large water bottles on their desks/in there backpacks at all time! And for me...well we all know my love affair with water bottles, poor little blue used to have water bottles everywhere and here it is no different, I am a huge fan!!

 7) The Big Red Chairs -  I study in a place we call the barn and one great thing about the barn is the large desk chairs that they have. Now there are a limited number of big red chairs so you have to get to the barn before 8am, after 8am they are all gone and it will be a regular black chair for you! These chairs are great support for your back and they are big enough for you to recline/put your feet up etc. People have even found their favorite red chair that they make sure they have every day because it doesn't squeak, or it reclines more than the other one etc.

 8) Sound Canceling Headphones - A very common thing you will see while studying are the noise canceling head phones or the noise canceling ear plugs, I use the ear plugs but most people use the headphones and they are a lifesaver when you need to avoid the shuffling of papers etc.

9) MY COMPUTER - oh how I love my computer, I spend 12-14 hours a day on my computer, have notes, watch lectures, keep in touch with family and friends, read emails, learn about news from the US...I can't even begin to describe how much a laptop means in medical school....it is a staple in everyones life and if anything happens to it I would cry. it is unreal how important your computer is and now even more that ever the computer is important because its how we take our exams so it is good practice to do multiple choice questions on the computer.


10) A Giant Umbrella - ok so my umbrella isn't this big but you get the point... I live in a rainforest island that means it rains...A LOT sometimes days on end it rains and it doesn't just rain down but sideways and sometimes I swear it rains up!! So needless to say Jay bought me a huge umbrella for Christmas that I carry with me where ever I go, even if its just to get food because you might think its sunny our and it has no chance of raining but here it rains when the sun is shining!!! Makes for beautiful rainbows!


So those are a few of my favorite things while I am here in school, again not a complete list but a few things that a Dominica medical student can't live without!


Hope you got a laugh

Till Next time......

15 Followers!

Hey to all my followers! Thanks for viewing and commenting...and welcome to my new followers Michael Miller and Miss Maggi!

Check out Maggi's blog at Maggi's Blog She would love the visits!

Jay Wanted a Different Picture!!

Jay liked this picture from our trip to Red Rock Haven Better!

Carnival/Mini 2/Jay's Visit

Hey everyone!

Jay and I at Red Rock After Mini 1 

       I know that it has been a while and you have all been waiting to hear what I've been up to for the past few weeks! Well you are in luck I am writing today to fill you in! So Jay left and it was off to study for my practical exam. The anatomy practical exam went well, it was on the head and neck! It is amazing the nerves and itsy bitsy muscles that you have to make you smile and frown and my personal favorite the risorius muscle which gives people their dimples. One of my professors told us a story about the platysma muscle, and he started by saying, "remember when we were horses" and i personally do not remember when i was a horse but the platysma muscle was used to shake the flies off of the horses neck! Kind of cool right?

Carnival Crew! 

       So after the anatomy practical we had one day off from school because it was Carnival here in Dominica. So Carnival is similar to the US Mardi Gras with parades and costumes and bands! The capital of Dominica, Roseau had a huge party for five days. So I heard that in Portsmouth it was going to be just as crazy and wonderful with lots of costumes, so my friends and I decided to take a study break to head to Carnival. The only problem is.....people party from 11pm till like 10am then take a break and start again around 5pm, we didn't know this and went into Portsmouth looking for Carnival around 1pm, needless to say no Carnival! But we did have a nice lunch at Blue Bay, on the beach, and met some local's who were ready to celebrate Carnival. Overall it was a great day with good friends and one day I will make it to a true Carnival!!!
        After the Carnival adventure it was time to start hard core studying for mini 2. I wrote mini 2 on Monday and it was a tough test on the Gastrointestinal Tract and Renal system but it went just fine! Monday night, is my usual day to take the day off so I went to dinner with my friends and then instead of going out I was so exhausted I went home talked to my amazing family and boyfriend and then went to bed! This week was a busy week I had my second standardized patient exam which was for a thyroid condition. My standardized patient exam went really well and I am definitely feeling more comfortable performing patient interviews and basic physical exams. It is exciting to get dressed up and wear my white coat, it makes me feel almost like a doctor. It is also a plus that these patients are not sick in the least!

Steel Drum Band

My Friend Arianne in the Ross Carnival Parade

Locals getting ready for Carnival 

Fun Carnival Costume Man

        Also since the last time that I wrote I went to the Salybia Mission Project Clinic. Salybia is a student run organization here at Ross where we provide free medical care to the indigenous people of Dominica. I went to the clinic and got to do an interview on real patients, then I got to present the patients to the doctors on duty and work with them to find a differential diagnosis and a plan of treatment for the patients. It is amazing to give back to the people of Dominica and it is cool to see how the information I learn in class can be transferred over the books and into real life where I can apply it. At the clinic the indigenous people are able to see a doctor, and get their prescriptions for free right on the spot, a worthwhile experience for those who cannot make it to the hospital nor have the means to pay for the treatment that they need. I hope to go to another Salybia Clinic soon! I will keep you all posted. If you want you can check out the Salybia website here... Salybia Mission Project


  


  Well I am sure there is more that I am missing but I will write again soon!!!





Till next time......

My Guy!

So Jay left today, but we had a nice visit, and look what he left for me! Super cute. I have lots to update..coming soon...well after my anatomy practical tomorrow!

Till Next time... 

First 5 Weeks

Hello Everyone!

            I know I know this post is about 5 weeks over due! I got on island, started class and haven’t stopped since, so lots to catch you all up on. So coming back to the island was bitter sweet, bitter to be leaving my family and friends and sweet because it means I start semester 2 of medical school which puts me one semester closer to being done! Before classes started I just got ready, relaxed, etc. The first “block” that we had was our Neuro-Endocrine block, which means that for the first 5 weeks of school we were studying EVERYTHING to do with neuroscience and endocrine. We started classes with the first 3 weeks being all Neuro, mostly 8 hour days of lecture with lab thrown in. Again this semester I have to take anatomy lab, so I have a new group, a new patient, and a world of new experiences. The anatomy lab this semester we will focus on the head/neck for the first practical (which I take next Monday) and the GI/Viscera for the second practical.

Following our three weeks of neuro we had a neuro practical in which we got to look at both slides of brain and “wet” brains. The practical exam would be different from most medical school exams because it was to be fill in the blank and not multiple choice. Well let me just say way scarier to have fill in the blank because spelling counts; and for all of your who know me, you know that spelling is NOT my strong subject. Also, in the brain/spinal cord there are lots of words that sound the same. The exam went well though and I feel as if it was a good way to test what you actually know because when I am in the hospital, and a physician asks me a question he will not give me a multiple choice option but I will have to know the answer!

Work The Brain!

After the neuro practical it was on to the endocrine system which was interesting and put together a lot of the different diesases you see. We learned all of the hormones that are produce and what they do, where they act, what regulates them etc. I learned how to do a thyroid examination to check for nodules in the thyroid gland which was very interesting.

This past month I also had to go on a “reflective practice” trip to Roseau (the capital) I went to the Dominica Disabled Persons Association and had time to speak with the founder, the president and other members of DADP. It was interesting to learn that in Dominica although the government tries to help people with disabilities it is difficult and that there are a number of disabled persons in Dominica who are kept away from the public because their families might be embarrassed or ashamed. It is amazing to see that the disabled person does not have all the privileges and support that disabled persons in the United States have. This includes persons who are mentally disabled. The DADP is working to improve the legislation and spread the knowledge of disabled people, they are trying to educate the community about their cause and show the world that they are just like you and I. I hope to one day have time to get involved with the DADP and one of their clinics that they hold.

Simulated Intubation 

Bone Marrow Aspiration

We had a simulation this semester for airway management, and were able to practice using the different types of airway management tools on the sim-man. I even learned how to intubate! I think that intubation will take practice just like everything and so I plan on going into the simulation lab to practice. The new simulation building is amazing it is like a real hospital. Another interesting thing that I did so far was I learned how to do a bone marrow aspiration. I was taught the technique and how to locate the proper place and then how to retrieve bone marrow. We practiced on our cadavers and it is another skill I can add to my bag of knowledge.

Red Rock Haven 

So yesterday I had my first block exam, because we completed the Neuro/Endocrine block. It was a pretty long test about 3 and a-half hours, and we took the exam on the new computer system. I am not sure how I feel about the new exam because of the fact that you are only allowed 20 questions at a time and once you submit your 20 questions you can never go back to those again! I will let you all know how I feel about that when I get my grade next week! But good news is that yesterday Jay flew in!  So Jay is here for the week, we went to dinner with some friends last night, which was great, it was by far the BEST meal I’ve had on the island, I went all out and got surf-and-turf! If any of you ever come to Dominica go to Red Rock Haven, it was Outstanding, the atmosphere was wonderful, food was great, and they even gave us marshmallows to roast over one of their many fires!

How I feel taking a Computer Exam

Well I think that’s it for now, I’m sure I’m leaving things out but this is a super long post and I apologize for that! Hope all is well with you guys! Miss you tons!

Till next time….. 

Round 2

Hey Everyone!

The Crew at Connecticut Children's Hospital

            First of all Happy New Year, welcome to 2011! So I have been in CT for the past few weeks on break from school and I must say I had a fabulous time visiting with family and friends. I have a ton to catch you all up on before I begin the blogs about Dominica and second semester! Also can you believe I’m already a second semester?! Crazy I know! While I was home I was able to go with my family on a holiday tour to the Connecticut Children’s Hospital and New Britain General Hospital to sing carols and give out gifts to the children, patients and families who had to spend their holiday in the hospital. It was a wonderful day the singing wasn’t the best but I hope we were able to bring smiles to those we saw. I also had the opportunity to speak with Mike Chaiken from the Bristol Obeserver to talk about my life in Dominica. Mike wrote an amazing article and you can read it on-line at http://www.bristolobserver.com/ or in print. Thank you Mike for taking the time to listen to my stories!

Mom and I at Christmas Eve

            While I was home we got a foot of snow in the Blizzard of 2010, it was amazing and I was really excited to see the snow after being on the island where it is way to hot to snow. Jay and I took a trip to Vermont and went snowboarding at Killington with his brother and some friends from Louisiana. The day was great with lots of fun trails and boarding adventures; I only had one really big fall and a few little falls along the way. Not bad for someone who hasn’t been snowboarding in a year! Christmas was filled with family time as we have many traditions that we do every year including a secret Santa with Jay’s family and a Grab-Bag with my family, roll cake on Christmas Day made by my Memere and many other wonderful traditions and memories made possible by my amazing family. While I was home I also got to spend time with great friends from high school and college, I also ate AMAZING food all the time. I think every time I wanted to eat I did and it was so nice to drive a car and get my hair done, all the perks of USA that I missed while away.

My Christmas Tree Game! 

            So being home was all around amazing I got to go to see the tree in NYC and have dinner at Butterfield 8, with some of my favorite QU girlies! Jay took me out to a fancy dinner at Flemming’s in West Hartford Center, which was phenomenal. We had a wonderful and romantic dinner and I got to get all dressed up for the night, my mom even let me wear her fur!  Speaking of romance I want to congratulate Denise and Mark, who are friends of mine from Ross who got engaged over break! Leaving home was sad and I will miss you all very very much.

Me and Jay

Jay and I before Flemming's

            Now on to the boring stuff or the fun stuff depending on how you think of it! School starts tomorrow morning at 8am. I start some new classes this semester and I get to learn Neurology. I’m nervous about Neuro. because we are doing it in 3 weeks which seems like madness and I’ve never taken Neuro before but it will be good, I’m actually very excited to learn all about the brain and how everything works. I start my second semester of gross anatomy this week in addition to all of the other classes that I am taking. I will keep you all posted on how the first week of classes go.                                         This semester will be interesting and I look forward to learning more and building on the foundation of what I have already learned. The Island is good, my flights in were smooth and no delays or extended layovers! Back to subway, and chicken! I have “fresh blood” again so my legs are covered in bites but soon they will hopefully be sick of me and move on. My apartment is still great and I added some decorations and pictures to the doors, as the walls are difficult to have things stick to them because they are cement. I haven’t gone on any island adventures since I’ve been back but I plan on doing a few when I take my breaks after my exams! So wish me well everyone and I will keep you posted on how my life and schooling is going! Please feel free to leave comments or shoot me an email updating me about life. Again if I don’t get back to you quickly I apologize but I am pretty busy and I like to respond with thoughtful emails not just quick responses so it takes me time, but I ALWAYS read them so keep-em coming!

Painting Pottery at the Clay Pen

Till next time….