Beginning the Adventures of the Final Semester!

     Having fully recovered from the stresses of exams from this past semester with a well-deserved trip to paradise, where my husband is stationed (must be nice having been "ordered" to go to Hawaii), I am now motivated to resume my studies. The semester has begun with a rather heavy schedule which is responsible for keeping me in the warmth of the south, while my Army Unit is suffering a winter storm in the North East for war exercise training...I am sure I will make it up somehow.
     We have begun our block on reproductive and endocrine pharmacology, which is full of interesting and controversial drugs. The Cell Control class is very similar to the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology class in its rigorous and in-depth research focus, but I enjoy that because the intensity and stress forces me to learn more than I ever imagined.
     

Research-
What I thought I would do

     Last semester I completed online training classes for the Anesthesiology Volunteer Research Program and so I get to begin the new year with a new adventure! ...in the dreary tedious reality that is data collection. My first assignment is to collect information for a clinical study that aims to ascertain whether preoperative protocols affect the efficiency of elective surgery. Basically, the study wants to show that with proper screening done BEFORE the day of surgery, last minute cancellations can be eliminated or at lea

Research-
What I actually do

st minimized and this will result in more appointments on time and the ability to treat more patients. Though this may seem intuitive, scientific data is required to show this in order to make a significant impact in the health care field. This is yet another experience I have had that truly illustrates the vast expanse of medicine and what it entails. Although it is certainly not my area of interest, medical management is extremely important and relevant to providing optimal health care. It is rather counter productive to have doctors with expertise who cannot see patients because scheduling and mismanagement interfere. Better management leads to more efficient care and better care, because more patients can be given the care they need.

(volunteer hrs- 12 hrs)