Random Pictures from Our PreFinals BBQ

Steak, Bratwurst, Swordfish
Peppers, Asparagus, and Pineapple
Who says I don't have taste? (ok, a lot of people do, but I try!)

Random people who shall not be named, but rock. One pre-med, one future biology professor, and one engineer, can you figure out who is who?

Oh god, that's a cheese ball picture of me. But lets focus on what's important... the swordfish was excellent. Props to the people who brought it over (who may or may not read this blog).

Finals!

I'm curled up in my Study Area preparing for my chemistry final tomorrow. Amazingly, I have an A- right now in the class (I got a C+ in my previous chem class, not exactly a 'get into med skool grade') so I'd rather not blow that. I've also begun my redbull regiment- one sip every 5min. I've progressed to the 20 oz Red Bull, AKA- Status Epilepticus. Yes, it helps me stay awake, yes it gives me localized facial seizures and a minor eye twitch... oh well. No one every said this was easy, or healthy.

I take an interesting approach to finals, and exams in general. I work really, really well under pressure. I don't procrastinate and cram for exams (no, I study all the time) but I do put a lot of pressure on myself and I increase that pressure as the exam gets closer. Thoughts like "if I fail this exam I might as well just be a firefighter" go through my head all the time. I have a lot of friends that gasp in horror when they find this out. But, it helps me, a lot. To each their own. I like being in the zone and fighting hard.

If you're not afraid about what you're about to try then you're not pushing yourself hard enough.

Cheers!

No Surprises Here

Created by OnePlusYou

Thanks DocSurg

Screw you: World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week

Great, I just got an email from my PI informing us of "World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week" (this week) and a march on our campus to MY building tomorrow. This means that I can't get into said building to get my research done without fearing for my own personal safety. For the record, some of the research I do includes animals, mainly mice, but sometimes rats, rabbits, or sheep. Guess what? I'm perfectly fine with using them and I do everything I can to make sure the animals are treated with respect and are never in any pain. So does every other researcher I know; animal research is strictly governed by every University.

I wonder.....
I assume the people who are protesting the use of animals in research are vegetarians, most of them probably vegans (if not then the hypocrisies have already begun). But:

• Do they ever visit the doctor?
• Do they ever use ANY medication, even Tylenol or Advil?
• Have they ever undergone any medical treatments?
  

If so, (begin sarcasm) SHAME ON THEM FOR CAPITALIZING ON THESE POOR DEFENSELESS ANIMAL'S LIVES FOR THEIR OWN GOOD (end sarcasm). In reality, if they have then they are hypocrites and should crawl back into whatever hole they came from (or house they're squatting in).

I ask them this: If a loved one was lying on the OR table, rapidly de-sating and facing death, would authorize a procedure that had been tested on animals (virtually ALL medical procedures)? Or, would you value the life of an animal that was bred only for research purposes over the life of someone you love?

Sure, we all want free healthcare (cough), but please god, don't hurt the cute little mice.....

I think we're going to need more of these...

if EE could "pimp her ride" I'm sure it would look something like this:
I'm not sure if you can tell from the photo I blatantly stole off the Southwest Ambulance Site
but that's a Bariatric Ambulance.... yes- its for fat people (sorry, obese). Really, really fat people. From the SW ambulance site:

"Its main purpose is to create a safe environment that allows obese patients to preserve their dignity during transport."

Ummmm, yeah. Or so that your employees don't kill themselves and their backs trying to life a beluga whale into the back of an ambulance. Some key features:

• specialized air shock/ lifts and heavy-duty suspension to lower the entire ambulance for a safer loading and unloading angle. (think you can make it bounce? We'd get a little more street cred that way)
• A new loading ramp which extends for safer loading and unloading of patients with a motorized pulley system that attaches to the gurney, and a strengthened, lowered and widened patient area.

I'm all for this, hell- can we get a ramp and a winch standard on all the rigs?

(oh, and NO, I do not work for Southwest Ambulance, nor am I affiliated with them in any way. Any rumor you may have heard about me and a female EMT in the back of an ambulance is just that- a rumor. For further comments please speak to my legal council)

Why I Love Anatomy

Today was the last day of my anatomy course- and I'm actually pretty bummed out about it. Its been a hard course, I've been told its almost medical school level but with an easier curve for those who just need to pass. I don't 'just' need to pass... I need to get an A, I want to be a TA. I LOVE ANATOMY, here's why:

-The professor.... the best at our school. He does crunches to show us the rectus abdominus, makes kids flex their biceps brachii, and runs around to show us what each of the three gluteal muscles do. He's a professor that you want to do well for because you love him so much

-The exams. They're hard, really hard. I've never, ever used the whole 2 hours to take an exam before this class. His exams make you think and analyze rather than just memorize. I've never been more proud of an A on an exam.

-The lab. We have a cadaver lab for undergrads. 6 people to a cadaver for the whole semester. Its amazing to put your hands inside of a body... simply put- everything makes sense. Curious to what that muscle does? Pull the tendon. What does that nerve inervate? Trace it out. All the TAs are undergrads too and they have an amazing enthusiasm for teaching.

-The usefulness. Will I ever need to write out a half cell equation and balance the electrons in an ambulance, ER, operating room, etc? Not likely.... Will I need to know the collateral circuitry of the Celiac trunk arteries? Probably... The Brachial Plexus? I bet I will... The funny thing is, anatomy isn't a pre-req for medical school. That's ridiculous! I can't think of any other one class (ok, physiology) that I will use throughout the rest of my education and medical career. Such is the life of living under Ivory Towers.

I'll miss this class a lot, but such is life. Here's hoping I'll be a TA next semester!

NCUR- A Complete Success!

I just got back to my house from NCUR in Maryland. It was a great time, in fact it may have been even more than great. Stupendous? Excellent? Phenomenal? No pictures yet because I forgot my camera; but as soon as I get my grubby little hands on the pictures other people took I'll post some of the best (like me assaulting Sammy the Seagull ).

What did I do?
-Learned lots of Science, of course. Go Science...
-Partied till 5am
-Made an excellent wingman... and took one for the team
-Made the 8am shuttle, because Science is a cruel mistress
-Meet a ton of cool people from my school that I didn't know existed
-Realized exactly how freaking cool my adviser is
-Watched a lacrosse game
-Partied with the Wisconsins
-Found a new lab to work in!!!!!!!

Some of the research was impressive. Genetics and Cardio are way sexy right now and that's where a lot of the focus was. A lot of the research was pathetic- bad, non-random surveys. In college research!? The stuff I did my senior year was better than most of this crap! Oh well, it bodes well for next year in LaCrosse Wisconsin.

Cheers!

NCUR 2008

Back in February a paper from my lab got accepted to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. I won't tell you what the paper is called because that would shred the (very) thin vail of anonymity I have going on this blog. But, trust me, it was cool.... if you're into that sort of thing.

Two of my colleagues from the lab will be giving talks and I will be doing a whole lot of nothing. I'm hoping to see an old friend that goes to Georgetown and maybe go out and party sometime if it can be arranged. Because, lets be honest here- if I end up stuck with a couple hundred other type A pre-med gunners for 3 days I'm going to have to drink, a lot.

Wish me luck!

J

Exams are Over!

The Brachial Plexus can suck it! The Anatomy exam was challenging. It took me 1.5 hours and I'm a very, very fast test taker. Case in point- I was done with each section on the ACT in less than half the alloted time and still almost got a perfect score. Usually, I either know it or I don't but this time I made myself slow down and really think about each problem. The good thing is that there were no collateral circuitry questions with the blood traces. The bad thing is that I messed up one of the posterior cords of my Brachial Plexus sketch and that really screwed over my answer. The question:

"The Medial Cord of Bob's Brachial Plexus is cut, the Lateral Cord of Jill's Brachial Plexus is cut. List all of the muscles (and muscles only) that are paralyzed for each person. Also, list the common muscles that are weakened."

Straight forward, easy points... damnit!

Oh, well, I guess I'll just keep studying a little harder each time...

J

P.S. There is nothing quite as cruel as having to sit through 4 hours of research symposiums when you haven't slept in 36 hours. Especially if your PI is on one side and the Dean of the Medical School is behind you. Must... Not... Yawn...

My Little Home

oh, and my study place... been living here a lot lately.

All the essentials:
-Blackberry
-Pudding cup
-EMT badge and ID that the state has FINALLY gotten around to sending me 3 months after the fact.
-Desperately highlighted syllabus

One Down, One to Go and Mnemonics

...midterms that is. Chem 2 this morning, Anatomy tomorrow morning.

Chemistry wasn't to bad which scares me because now I'm afraid I missed something. Whatever... to late now!

In case you didn't know, Chemistry saves lives.... it keeps stupid people out of medical school!
har de har har, except I may be one of those people.

Anatomy tomorrow will be difficult. Pelvis/Perineum, Scapular sling, Rotator Cuff, Brachium, Antebrachium, Hand muscles, and the vasculature and nerves to go with. Our anatomy program is one of the best undergraduate programs in the nation and far beyond the typical anatomy/physiology in a semester deal. I'll post some exam questions after the fact.

Anatomy Mnemonics really save my ass. A few of my favorites:

Anterior Antebrachium Muscles:
Pronator Teres
Flexor carpi radialis
Palmaris longus
Flexor carpi ulnaris
Flexor digitorum superficialis
Flexor digitorum profundus
Flexor pollicis longus
Pronator longus

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The Branches of the Axillary Artery:

Superior Thoracic
Thoracocromial
Lateral Thoracic
Subscapular
Anterior Circumflex humoral
Posterior Circumflex humoral
Profunda Brachii

Sally Thompson Loves Sex and Pot

and:
the first section of the axillary artery (first rib to pertoralis minor) has one branch
the second section (medial to lateral borders of pectoralis minor) has two branches
the third section (lateral border of pectoralis minor to distal border of teres minor tendon) has three branches
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Yep, its not hard to tell where my mind is based on those... but alas what is a 21 year old guy to do?