Updates Ya'll

It has been a VERY long time since I have been able to update my blog. I had a surgery rotation during the month of July with some long hours, then a Dermatology rotation in August with awesome hours. September was spent studying for my board exams. October I worked in the ER in southern Missouri - and now I am working in the ER in Ohio. Excuses, excuses. I should have been updating this!

So I mentioned my board exams... For anyone interested, I PASSED!!! Thanks for all the prayers!!! The Step II board exam consists of 2 tests - clinical knowledge and clinical skills. I had to fly to Philadelphia, PA for my clinical skills test. I saw and examined 12 "patients" and wrote out what I thought was going on and what my plan was. Five days later, I took the clinical knowledge written exam...which was similar but easier than Step I that I took over a year ago. I was relieved to know that I had passed both and my applications for residency would not be held up by a failed exam. Unfortunately, I haven't been home to celebrate yet!

Speaking of residency.... I have decided on Emergency Medicine as my career choice. I am VERY excited about this and have loved every minute I've spent in the ER. I see some crazy people sometimes...but it makes the job really interesting! I have applied to 10 different places...all over the country...and have interviews this fall.

I had a GREAT time during my Missouri rotation and was quite impressed with the program. The residents in the Emergency Medicine program were so nice - and they were great teachers. I felt like they provided great care at the hospital...and the nurses were SO AWESOME there. My interview was a few days before I left and it went really well. So far, this is my top choice for residency!

Now I'm working the ER in Ohio. It is going well here too....but I may not be as impressed with this program yet. It has only been a week though. I was just so darn impressed with my Missouri program that Ohio was going to have to be REALLY good in order to pass that program up. We'll see.....3 weeks left to decide.....and an interview in mid-November.

Side note:

Patient of the Night

So we had a male to female transgendered patient in the ER the other night who presented because of an intentional overdose. He, or shall I now say, she, was 40 something and wanted to "die as a man" and then "be reborn as a woman." Part of the rebirth process for him/her was to become infantile again. So...drum roll....he spent the night wearing a diaper, clutching a rag doll, and sucking on a pacifier. Sometimes he/she would watch cartoons...other times he/she would color in a Barbie coloring book. It was very interesting. And I'm not sharing this story in disgust - because that patient can choose to live how he/she wants...it doesn't effect how I choose to live. But come on.....it was pretty theatrical.....

So I guess that is all the medical school updates for now. I'll (try to) keep you posted on the interviews I have coming up!!!