Where I ended up

Obviously I stopped updating this blog a long time ago. I see about 6,000 people visited it in its prime. Just thought I'd give this final update:
I was accepted to 2 medical schools, and am currently a student at the Medical College of Virginia. It was the right decision.

Oh that I could help!

I have been captivated by the news coverage of the suffering in Haiti. I have particularly enjoyed CNN's coverage of the disaster. They've placed many of their most talented reporters right in the heart of the suffering. On of their correspondants-Dr. Sanjay Gupta-has further kindled my desires to become a medical doctor. Dr. Gupta's primary reason for being in the earthquake zone is to report to the rest of us the conditions that the Hatians are facing. However, as he has covered the news his skills as a doctor have been utilized and needed. Just tonight he became the only doctor at a medical outpost after the UN ordered all of the doctors and nurses to abandon their patients due to security concerns. Suddenly he was the only person taking care of 25 patients, many of them critical. I think it would be so amazing to be able to offer that kind of aid! I would love to rush into a disaster situation and be able to use my talents and skills to bless and help others. My thoughts and prayers go out to the poor people of that nation and those who are expending their emotional reserves to aid them.

The Legacy of Kelly Stoker

Recently I began shadowing Physicians in preparation for medical school. It's fun! One of the experiences I was really looking forward to was being able to shadow our ENT doc, Kelly Stoker. He'd always been really nice to our family and agreed to let me follow him sometime. Unfortunately, I never got the chance. He passed away on Christmas Eve due to injuries sustained in an ATV accident. His passing has left a far bigger impact on my life than shadowing him ever could have. I watched in awe as literally an entire county mourned his loss. Nearly all who knew him felt like they were his friend. He touched thousands upon thousands of hearts. I could repeat story after story that I've heard about how he uplifted and helped those who came to see him. Over 1100 seats were set up for his funeral. In attendance were several very prominent members of the community, state, and nation. This one man left a bigger hole by his passing than pretty much anyone I have ever known. As I observed all of this I realized the significant impact a doctor can have on the lives of those he interacts with. I had begun to be enticed back to the prospect of becoming a PA (it is much easier to get accepted to PA schools now-a-days), but after seeing the degree to which this man influenced the lives of those around him for the better I was inspired to keep MD in my sites. Thank you Dr. Stoker, for improving and shaping lives even after your passing.

The military.

Interestingly my blog has evolved over time. I originally started it to help myself sort out and record the major decisions that are associated with becoming a medical doctor. Slowly it has turned into a very sporadic journal of my experiences and thoughts. I suppose that isn't a bad thing, but it does explain the decreased frequency of my posts. I keep a journal anyway so it seems redundant to post one online. Though it is probably almost as private because I really doubt very many people stumble across this blog anyway.
So from now on: I'm only going to post when I am faced with a major decision or milestone on my way to becoming a doctor.

To follow my own advice: for about the last 8 months I have pondered the possibility of joining the military to help with medical school. As of right now I have decided against it:
1. I'm not worried about trying to pay off medical school before I become a practicing physician anyway.
2. I do not want to be locked into a commitment, particularly with the ever-present possibility of being forced to practice as a General Medical Officer while awaiting a slot to open in a military residency.
3. Though the likelihood of being deployed is low if I were to go through the National Guard (the course that I think is by far the best option of the armed forces), the possibility of being delayed by such a deployment is not worth the risk.
That being said, there are some real merits to taking the military route. Many people do and don't regret it one bit. I just don't think it is for me. In any case it wouldn't be beneficial for me to enlist until I am accepted to a medical school anyway.

Health care reform!

I've decided not to worry about what is going to happen with all of this health care reform. I tried to look into it and untangle how it would actually affect me as an MD but I was unable to do so. Cudos to everyone who is making their voice heard and helping to make the reform better for all of us, but I have chosen to just let things go forward and deal with whatever comes. I know what path I want to walk and I am going to continue down that path.
My experience in the Orthopedic Center as a volunteer has convinced me even more that I want to be a Family Practice doctor. The concept of picking just one specialty and focusing on it does not appeal to me as much as it used to. I am the kind of person that likes to know a little about a lot of different things, not necessarily everything about just one or two areas of specialty. My friends know me for my incessant spouting of random facts on various weird topics. The appeal of being a doctor that deals with all areas of medicine continues to excite me.

Empathy

I just wanted to mention something I observed today about some of the staff in the ER. I overheard several staff members talking about a couple of patients that had died recently. Frankly, I was a little disturbed at how callous some of them seemed to be. I suppose that might be a defense mechanism or something. If you let every death give you trouble then you would be miserable working in the ER. Whatever the cause or reason, I never want to be like that. I don't want to become desensitized to someone else's pain. I hope I never do.

A fulfilling day

I had a great time in the ER today. I really feel like I'm getting to know how everything works and today I feel like I really made a difference. It was very busy with all kinds of patients. I felt like I was able to make their visit a little less traumatic. I really enjoy getting to know people and helping them one on one. I definitely don't want to work anywhere were I can't get to know the people I work with. I also am finding that even things like Orthopedics are too repetitive to keep my interest. It seems I am just built to become a Family Practice Doc. We'll see.