Mardi Gras and More ...

Adventuring in New Orleans     

     In the span of only 6 weeks or so, I have had 5 exams and 2 presentations. Needless to say, this semester has started out very top-heavy. Additionally, we now have the stress of the NBME shelf exam looming. I have begun my studying for it by reorganizing my notes and going online to find helpful mnemonics and tutorials to assist my retention. I have been impressed with how well the information is returning from the storage in the far depths of my memory. The PharmWiki quizzes are also extremely helpful in my studying. I am very grateful to my classmates who have shared helpful tips like FirstAid for the Shelf, and others resources like unto it. At this moment, we only have 2 more exams remaining before the shelf exam. Afterwards, we will have completed both the Medical Pharmacology and Principles of Pharmacology classes and have only electives remaining ....and having my baby somewhere in there. 

Beignets and Hot Chocolate at Cafe du Monde

    

Last week, we had our Mardi Gras and "Spring Break." The brief respite from academic endeavors was certainly welcome. I only vicariously took part in the wild Mardi Gras festivities. After the break, I got to hear the many adventures of my classmates and their hedonistic galavanting during Mardi Gras. Only after Mardi Gras did I feel it was safe for me to go out and experience more of New Orleans. One of my friends came to visit me and we did a "Scavenger Hunt" tour (by Crazy Dash) in the French Quarter and we both got to experience our first beignets! And we had them at Cafe du Monde, no less! (Yes, I have been in New Orleans for over six months, yes this was the first time I had beignets.) We enjoyed sightseeing at the Moon Walk and treated ourselves to an epicurean delight going on a cruise up the Mississippi on the Steamboat Natchez. I was very impressed that it is a genuine steamboat, just like one that Mark Twain would have ridden! The only other steamboat in America is in Louisville, Kentucky. To end the break, my sister came and joined us for my Baby Shower, which was a marvelous way to reenergize before resuming my studies once again. 

     Adventures in Research

     My volunteering work has been going very well. I go work for the Anesthesiology Research Department in data collection every Tuesday morning from 0900 - 1200. The tedium is rather insipid, but I am able to learn a great deal. As I collect the patient data, I am also able to see what procedures were performed, and that is definitely my favorite part. I never have a clue what any of the procedures are, but that is why there is the great world wide web! When I do not know what a procedure is, I google it to find out what it is. (Most of this is from Wikipedia or WebMD) 
Possibly the most dramatic procedure that I saw was one to correct Pectus Excavatum or Sunken Chest Syndrome. This can be corrected by a variety of techniques. The Racitch Technique is an invasive open chest surgery where the Doctor can fully see the chest and remove the excess cartilage from the sternum, then a metal bar is placed to support the sternum and hold it in place for healing. The Nuss Procedure is less invasive, but equally dramatic. Two incisions are made on either side of the chest and then a curved metal rod is passed through from one side to the other in a concave position and then it is flipped to the convex position. This process pushes the sternum out and corrects the deformity. And what is even more amazing is that this is a procedure done in pediatrics, usually from around 6-10 years of age! Wikipedia also mentions a few other means to correct pectus excavatum, including the Robicsek technique and the magnetic mini-mover technique.

(Volunteer hrs- 21 hrs)