A long month

So here I am finally in my professional portion of my Radiological technologies bachelors which consists of class days as well as clinical floor days. Class days will consist of didactic work in the classroom from about 9am to 2 or 2:30 pm, whereas the clinical days will consist of being on the patient floors and wards throughout any of the specialities that this level 1 trauma center offers from 7:30 am. to 4pm. so good experience to be reaped at my clinical location. This past month has been a real challenge for me in that I am not a very organized person. I have been inundated by dates, forms, files, tasks, homework, financial obligations, travel planning, and just plain busy work. And you know what? I LOVE IT! it feels great to finally be learning something that can be directly applied to my future. For instance today was my first day out on the floor (as an intern not an assistant as I usually am) and I was able to position my first patient for a chest x-ray. All in all I can tell that this is going to be a great two years and my class is going to be a blast. Somehow I managed to be the only guy in my 17 person class......so a note to all you guys out there ....STEP IT UP your makin us look bad. Anyhow It has been busy but a blast and I hope it continues to be like that throughout. Things are gonna be different from here on out and I can already start to see myself becoming a real member of the medical community. That being said its going to be a real roller coaster. Below is just a funny comic I saw that definitely made me laugh ;)

Rad Tech Clinicals starting SOON!!

AAAHHHH!! like the title says my radiological technologies clinicals are starting in September! This is the last two years of my bachelors in which I actually learn how to be a Rad Tech...on the floor...with patients...doing x-rays and it is going to be ROUGH! I was fortunate enough to get into the clinical sight of my choice, which also happens to be in the hospital I work in....not only that, it is in the same department! go figure right? In any case it means I will be in the same building for about 15 hours a day half the week and 8 hours a day the other half. But I figure If I can handle this schedule (like the many children before me I should be able to handle anything that is thrown my way in my future endeavors whichever path I choose to pursue (see my previous post on choices.) With this sudden approachment of said rigorous schedule, there are just a few things that I am going to have to address. These are things I have not been doing for a while and now that the REAL work is going to begin I have to get into gear and find my stride if I want to be successful. I am of course talking about maintaining good time management in health, studying, free time, and work. Believe it or not I am a student who got through high school and college never opening a single book...or studying for that matter! Now most of you probably are thinking "Well great you should have no problem?" WRONG! What it really means is that I was able to blow through the easy stuff and now that things are getting tough...I am unprepared. Im no magician with those fancy notecards or notebooks in which students vigorously jot down every word the professor says! In fact I am doomed if I can't find a way to study in a constructive manner. Also my health.....Ill admit I havent really been keeping on good terms with my body. I never work out....never run...and sure as hell never lift weights. But during the next two years, and hopefully into my future I think it may be time to kick it into gear. That being said I have a tough semester ahead of me and I hope I can make it through in one piece. Like I said if I can survive this, than who knows what I can achieve ;)

fishing....for answers.

Today I went fishing...for the first time in 10 years. And incase you were wondering I didn't catching anything. What I did in fact attract, was one "Mr. Talkative" ill call him. This was a guy who could talk on and on for hours...and he did.... What is it about fishing that seems to bring the real talkative old guys around....in any case this guy had a lot to say about the healthcare system after he found out I was going to school for medical studies. Needless to say he thought It was all over priced, and more money should be spent towards prevention rather than treatment. This made me think...what kind of Medical Professional do I want to be...? I mean is preventative medicine something I might want to look into for a future specialty (even though I am not even in Medical School yet it is a good idea to stay current with the ideals in todays world.) I digress....but seriously though. Can I make a good living whilst still giving back to the world for a better future...what can one person do in the face of all the economic and political hardships? Is there really a way to get the idea of balanced life style and eating habits to people...or is it just an impossibility that shouldn't even be tussled with? I guess I'm to much of a Medical Virgin to know the logistics behind Political Medicine..but for the first time today I think I really got the rusted neurons in my brain firing about political issues..... I guess it's time I actually grow up and take a side!

Conundrum..... dilemma...fiasco...whatever

Recently I have been hit by a few unfortunate events that have led me down the path of doubt, anger, anxiety, and just plain uncertainty. A few financial troubles as well as the feeling of having 22 hours in my day has led me to rethink my ambitions for professional education. That being said I do want to emphasize that this is no way means I am abandoning hope but it has allowed me to take a step back and reevaluate my future situation. Up until recently I have been juggling three main pathways in life to further my professional education in the medical field.

The first and foremost of these options is of course medical school. Medical school is the most time consuming...expensive...risky....and just plain demanding of the three options. It will test my organization skills, commitment, endurance, and just sheer ambition. The financial burdon will be great.....but in return the financial gain will be more than adequate if successful as well. The time constraint is probably the most daunting of the issues with medical school. The idea of moving somewhere than devoting 15+ hours a day to my medical career for at least 4 years...at minimum...is a fact that is just a bit intimidating. And Im not sure that the time spent during the prime years of my life will be worth the outcome... I mean it is that much time away from my "life" and my loved ones. That being said I am fully aware that the outcome would be everything Id hope it to be and more.....its just a matter of toughing it out.

The second option is Optometry school....I know this one is from left field but hear me out. Every since Highschool physics I have been interested in optics...I have taken an interest in photography...and I am pursuing a bachelors in Radiological Technologies which is solely based on optical physics and light waves. The eye is an important organ and what a better way to give back to people than to give them the gift of sight. The profession makes for a great balance in family life and work life and the financial component is sure to make for a more than comfortable life style. That being said...optometry school costs almost indistinguishably the same as medical school....with less pay off in the long run. I mean $200,000+ of debt is not something to take lightly when you may only be promised $90,000-$100,000 a year following that education. But with Optometry it is the education itself that is also alluring, whilst medical school requires 15+ hours a day at the job...optometry school offers a more balanced school schedule (not to say it is any easier..just more balanced). Also it would allow me to partake in a SVOSH mission trip to an underserved country...which has recently been a dream of mine. Something about giving a child, who has never seen before, a pair of glasses and watching their entire world change is just a goal that is appealing.  For those of you who don't know what SVOSH is, it is a student organization in OD schooling that organize trips to underserved countries to screen thousands of people a day for eye care and needs. read more about it here.




My third option is the safest and most cost efficient option...becoming an R.R.A. or Registered Radiologists Assistant.  And R.R.A. is essentially the equivalent as a PA for your family practice physician...just an RRA works under a Radiologist. It pays quite well, about $90,000-$100,000 and the masters degree itself is relatively cheap compared to the other two options...about $150,000 cheaper.... that being said it is unfortunate that it holds the least amount of appeal of the three for me personally. It would just be an extension of my bachelors degree knowledge and it would provide a safe work environment. There is just one flaw with this career option...it is not yet legalized in some states..including mine. Over the past 10 years it has increased in popularity and will continue to do so...the question is will it become a more common place career once it is my turn to roll that roulette. With this option it is really just a matter of waiting and seeing.

I guess it will just take time for me to choose one...and it will take a lot of effort. What I do know is I have wonderful support from my loved ones...and I cannot falter as long as I have them at my side.

Another Day In Paradise

Last night was yet another day in my vary own paradise. Yes I am talking about that over glorified....extremely over dramatized area of the hospital filled with drug addicts and cough symptoms....the ER. We've all seen the TV shows that so holistically portray the ER as a place of certain death, and uncertain survival. We all think of it as the true essence of a hospital....blood...gore...the whole nine yards. When in reality it is normally not that extensive. On a normal day it is about 90% cough or abdominal pain victims, and about 10% addicts, drunks, and homeless wrecks. There may be one trauma or car accident mixed in for a relief from the unbearable unfortunate arena of disease and sickness. And I love it all. So you might be thinking why "But why would anyone love dealing with the drunk, ill, homeless addicts that so frequently migrate into the ER arena?". Well I love it because SOME days...every so often, a day can change....it can become a hectic exciting place. Last night was one of those days.

The day started undeniably with an arena (the corridor of patient ER rooms) aforementioned societal paraphernalia. 34 rooms all with nothing more than cough symptoms and aspiring aspirin addicts. But alas...today would be different straight from the start. I was told to get a patient that for privacy purposes we will call Mr. Unlucky. Mr. Unlucky was at work that day assembling a shed of sorts. Also at Mr. Unlucky's work his coworkers were about to celebrate with a party commemorating two wonderful years of accident free work environment. A great achievement in anyones book to be sure. But like the ER, and environment can change in a heart beat. And in this work environment it changed in the form of Mr. Unlucky shooting a nail gun with 4 inch carpenter nails... straight...into...his fingers. I mean needless to say its pretty common to see people who have shot themselves with nail guns, I mean think about the concept of a nail gun...not so smart. I guess someone decided that in a world where people cannot even go one day without hitting their own hand with the hammer, we needed to add to the equation a nematic device that can inflict just a bit more pain. I digress, so Mr. Unlucky is in the ER hoping to get just an ounce of great patient care at the hands of yours truly. He proceeded to tell me about his unlucky accident that ruined an accident free party at his work. He said that everyone at work was disappointed at him. Hell I would be too if I lost out on cake and ice cream, none the less I felt bad for the guy and proceeded to tell him that he may have ruined everyones day at work but he sure as hell brightened my day up. Because as I stated before...a nail can change someones day...and for me that was for the better.

BUT WAIT! the day wasn't over....it had just one more surprise waiting for me. This time in the form of a man strapped to a gurney being brought in by the paramedics. This unfortunate man, we'll call him Mr. Unfortunate, was yelling and screaming at the top of his lungs rambling on about divorce and not obtaining it. Now It's not to say I don't see any drunks in the ER, because let me asure you .... I do. This man was covered in what seemed like his or someone else's blood. Also not so distinguishing. I mean people get in fights... apparently this time about divorce..... and come in bloodied up all the time. So until this next event I was unwaivered by the sight of said bloody drunk.....until the following. Remember before when I said things can change in an instant...well it was about...in a not so good for Mr. Unfortunate but great for my entertainment value ...way. Mr. Unfortunate is rolled in the ER room..NOT the more emergent Trauma bay mind you. And the attending Doctor strolls into the room with his indefinite confidence and demands the patients condition. The paramedic proceeds to state that there was alcohol on board, IV started, BP stable, Allergies, and Oh Yea a "laceration to his right arm"....... Let me remind you all that a "laceration" is defined as the following: A tear or break in the dermis or skin of an individual....THIS WAS FAR FROM A LACERATION!! Dr. Confident proceeds to remove the dressing and garb around Mr. Unfortunate's arm and proceeds to yell "What the FUCK is this guy doing in the arena...Get this man to the Trauma Bay or he is going to bleed out right now!". Now at this point I have yet to see the arm. But I quickly rush to meet the crew in the trauma bay...as is customary in a Trauma situation. And there it was...the full extent of this unfortunate mans injury. Lets just say his arm was..... divorced. I mean this guy literally managed to punch his way through a window that undeniably won the fight. It was a partial to Full amputation. I watched as Dr. Confidant held pressure on this mans right arm above the "laceration". Looking at the man's arm was like staring straight into an anatomy book's cross-section of upper extremities. You could see the bone....muscles were clenching...blood vessels were squirting all over....I mean you could see the nerves! If you want to get an  idea of what it looked like... go out an buy a T bone stake with the bone inside. Take a look at the meat and squirt ketchup all over it.....thats about right. Just you know...attached to a human being...... None the less this guy was rushed to surgery and the painfully skillful team was able to do damage control. But in an case it brightened my day up and I hope I didn't gross anyone out...but the ER is my paradise!   

A Radiologist :)

Just a short video on what exactly a Radiologist and what they do. It's a good reference for me and I think many others!

ENJOY!

Radiologist Interview

These are just a few of the questions that I got answered during my Job shadow. Enjoy.



#1) What is the hardest part about Medical school?
          The hardest part about medical school is not wasting time, it's being efficient. If you can nail that you will do fine in Medical school. Whilst having a dedicated knowledge of the sciences and a great academic standing is important...."making the call" is the most important skill you will learn.

#2) How do you pay for Medical school?
          Medical school is almost always put on loans, The entirety of the tuition will be on your loans.....also each school allows for a certain amount of money to be loaned for living expenses. For instance the Medical college of Wisconsin loans about $7000 a year for Rent. This amount of money doesn't necessarily allow for  a comfortable living style but it is enough to not have to work throughout your medical career. One thing I learned in my interview is that school is more important than money, and working can leave a detriment on your education through medical school.

#3) Can you have a Life in Medical school?
          YES! Like I said before medical school is all about prioritizing, being efficient. Don't waste time in front of the TV or playing games, or just plain being lazy.....you will make time for Friends and Family. Having a social life will not only help you be a better person but it is a well deserved part of your life that rounds you for your chosen profession....Humanity.

#4) Do Radiologist work long hours?
          I think this is a question that's answer lies in the reader. For some people working 50 hours a week is just too much. For some people it seems like a dream to have ONLY 50 hours. So for this question...personally...I think 50 hours a week is something that many people are doing in their careers. I mean I am hard pressed to find someone only working 40 hours a week. So for me I was surprised...In a good way....to find out they on average work about 50+ hours a week. Sometimes more work sometimes less.

#5) Is Medical School worth it...financially?
          I asked this question and I got an answer that may have changed my outlook on why exactly I am doing. I was told that Medical school is a delayed return. It is a situation where someone sacrifices much time and energy to get a pay off in the long run. The point is YES you are paying 200,000+ for medical school but you need to keep in mind you will be making that in one or two years following your training.   That being siad YEs it is worth it. It's just a matter of knowing wether or not the sacrifice of your time and energy is worth it.

#6) Is it too early to be thinking about a specialty for instance Radiology?
          He told me that yes at this point it may be too early to select a specialty. Medical school is a broad.....HUGE education that spans all aspects of medicine. To narrow your options so early...even before medical school is just a waste. Keep and open mind....you may surprise yourself.  
       

Radiology Shadowing

Monday I had a tremendous experience. One that may have permanently affected my educational life. I shadowed a Radiologist at the hospital I work at.....it was amazing. Before I get into just why exactly it was amazing, I just want to give you a bit of information on the radiologist I was shadowing. He works at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is a level 1 trauma center which, for those of you who don't know, is the most equipped hospital to exist. It can handle any case that is thrown it's way, from a cough to a semi-decapitation. So needless to say the Radiologists, and all other physicians there, see many very interesting things. The Radiologist I shadowed also is involved in many of the academic activities that occur on the campus of FMLH, which so happens to be the Medical college of Wisconsin's campus as well. That being said he had a wealth of information for me as the day progressed. So on to the day at hand:

9:00am- I stepped into the hospital I work at almost everyday....but today was different. I was going to shadow someone who is the very person I hoped to become. Yes I will become a Radiological technologist, and yes I will become a Medical student and someday a Doctor, but most of all I hope to become a Radiologist. This Radiologist represented my future as I had known it. 

I worked my way through the Radiology Department and into the "Rad Pad" as we like to call the control room for diagnostic x-ray. I picked up the phone and paged the number that the Radiologist had given me to call when I had arrived. Within 5 minutes I was answered by a call from the Radiologist who said to meet him in the Radiology Reading Room......the Radiology Reading Room! I mean this is where all images are sent to from around the entire hospital, it is the room where 20 or more of some of the most highly trained professionals in Froedtert reside, and I was being given a front row seat! Plus directors cut!

I walked down the hall and stepped into the RRR, there I was...in the very place I hope to work some day. A goal that may take me well into my 30's to achieve....and there I was now at the age of 21. I shook his hand and he immediately told me how impressed he was with my determination. We sat at his workstation that was dominated by 4 large computer screens. The entire room was dark and quiet....but at the same time I could hear the bustle of Residents learning and Radiologist teaching them. The quiet mumbling of Radiologist dictating the image findings and patient diagnosis' was just barely audible in the background. It was comfortable, but I could almost feel the amount of knowledge that was racing throughout the 20+ workstations. 

"We're just getting the morning started so if you have any question don't hesitate to ask." He said and I looked at him with a face that showed I had no idea where to start. He jumped right in and began dictating his images... explaining to me all the intricacies of the image, his job, what exactly they look for and so on. The primary diagnosis, clinical findings, impressionary comments, and acute trauma were all things noted on almost every film. I sat in amazement as the Doctor read off image after image almost in a fluent motion. They use a dictating program that records what the Doctors say then type it out as a word document to be sent off with the image to the patients primary care physician. I asked many questions about how medical school is, what was the hardest part, how did he pay for it, what should be my focus, is the financial burdon worth it....and so on. And I will create a separate post that will contain all of these in interview format following this post.

We worked steadily through the morning...stopping to point out irregular findings and new things to his Residents. I couldn't help but wonder...Could I make it here?....Could I really become this man?....After everything we did that day I can't help but hope that I will achieve it. The day progressed quicker than I could absorb everything and before I knew any better it was lunch. 

"You can come with us to lunch if you want" He offered. Him and 4 other Radiologist were going to lunch together and he offered me to join them. He said it was a good opportunity to ask questions...besides he was paying right! So here I am thinking it was time to go to the cafeteria with 5 wealthy upstanding professionals....wrong! Instead we proceeded to head to the parking structure get into a rather nice vehicle, drive 15 minutes to downtown Milwaukee where we enjoyed a hardy meal for about an hour or so. I got to know the five Radiologist and they had asked a few questions about me and how I was doing with school. We returned to the hospital and continued to read films...An imaging came up of a man with Clay Shovelers Fracture (just a link to MyPACS.net where a case of Clay Shovelers can be seen). It is a rare fracture of the spinal processes and it is caused by uneven torsion of the spine, a discussion of it can be found on Here. He explained to me how this was just one of thousands of conditions that a Radiologist must keep an eye out for. 

 

One thing that struck me was just how closely Radiologist work with Radiological technologists. That day we had a CT of a forearm that was sub parr and defiantly was minimally diagnostic in quality. The Radiologist worked closely with the CT technologist to clear up the image as best they could to save the patient from having to repeat the examination.

All in all it was an outstanding day and through the knowledge and dedication of that Radiologist I learned a boat load. I learned that if you want something like Medical school you have to just go for it, there will always be ways to work around it. I also learned that Medical school is about efficiency and learning how to "make the call". A Radiologist is challenged on a daily basis and they are efficient and hard working. I will do my best to rise to the goal I have set ahead of me and I wish the best of luck to all who pursue a life goal. I'd also say a special thanks to the Radiologist who I shadowed...With his help I was able to clear away the anxieties of pursuing my goals.       

 

Butts N' Guts

One day at work I was reminded of a phrase that many Healthcare "Professionals" use on a pretty consistant basis. "Butts N' Guts" is referring to the bowels and beyond and it in general makes people feel better about spending their entire day in GI studies.  But all kidding aside it made me think hard about my medical career. It made me realize I was on the right path in life. Let me elaborate....(warning the following is a bit disturbing)

Earlier this year I was assisting on a KUB x-ray. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is an x-ray of the abdomen that in order to be diagnostic will contain an anterior to posterior view of the Kidneys, Ureters, and Bladder...hence the K.U.B. On this specific gentleman the reason for the x-ray was constipation. Now it goes without saying that no one wants to be constipated let alone blocked up in any fashion, but believe me when I say this person was ready to explode...if you know what I mean. He was in so much pain that it was hard to get the patient to lay down let alone hold his breathe for a second or two while we obtained the exposure. None the less all went well (so far), we got the patient over to our table, got him laying down. At this point the technologist gave the instructions to stop breathing as follows:

"OK sir, take a deep breathe in..."said the technologist, and the patient took a painful breathe in.

"Ok now let that air out and hold it out...." said the technologist as they simultaneously pressed the exposure button.

Now normally at this point we would have obtained the exposure and simply finished the exam.....NOT TODAY! As soon as the technologist released the exposure button, all hell broke loose....and I mean the shit hit the fan...literally. A torrent of fecal matter oozed out of the patient in a splendiferous display of disgust and unpleasantness. Needless to say we found the source of the patient's constipation. But what really made me happy about the situation is I neither flinched nor was grossed out by it. I mean I actually found it in a way interesting. So maybe thats what it takes to be a Medical Professional, an unerring sense of interest in the strangest things, the want to do good for other people, and on some really occasional days, the ability to withstand some really...really nasty events. What does it take to be a Medical Professional....Butt's N' Guts! 
       

Osteopathic or Allopathic?

It is a conundrum that most pre-med students face at some point in their decision. Do I apply for Osteopathic or Allopathic Medical school? After doing a bit of research Im not sure there is a real difference other than the initials after your name. Other than about 200-500 extra hours of manual osteopathic musculoskeletal training you receive in OD, MD is virtually indistinguishable. And OD's generally receive the same chance in residency placement come that faithful March day! The pay is also generally indistinguishable. So there in lyes the question, which to apply for? In my case it will come down to my life restrictions. I live in Milwaukee Wisconsin and I would like to keep it that way If I can help it. This means the furthest I would look to go for Medical school is Chicago. That being said it narrows it down to just a handful of medical schools, only one of which is an Osteopathic Medicine school and that is CCOM or Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. The other options that I may consider are obviously the Medical College of Wisconsin ( the building next to the hospital I currently work at), UW College of Medicine in Madison Wisconsin, and about a dozen or so Illinois colleges of Medicine all of which are Allopathic.

Another aspect to consider, although it is the ONE small difference between the two, is the manual therapy hours you gain in Osteopathic Medicine. In OD you gain the experience of learning real manual therapy techniques designed to increase your scope of medicine. This can only be a good thing. I mean not only will it increase your ability to provide care but, hey, why not use those body techniques at home on a significant other ;) Who doesn't love a good massage? In any case I think whatever I choose to attend (or which ever of them chooses me I should say) I will be happy with the education I am provided.    

I have EVERY Disease Known to MAN!!!!!

This past week I had written a post on Cystic Fibrosis. I learned a lot of the outcomes, symptoms, signs, precursors  and science behind it. But this got me worried. You see as you learn more and more about pathology you start to feel like you may be experiencing exactly what it is you are reading. This week I had fluid in my lungs ( wet cough), I sweat quite a bit, and Metabolically I feel malnutritioned.

"This MUST be Cystic Fibrosis!" I thought. "Im GOING TO DIE AT THE AGE OF 30! MY life is over....how could this happen!" and immediately I started to research the chances of me having it. This almost immediately led me to the conclusion that I was acting like a complete fool. I mean yes I had a cough, which could be a sign of CF.......OR about a million other things, including a spring cold. And yes I felt Malnutritioned which is a cardinal sign of pancreatic failure.......OR I am a student who probably doesn't eat as well as I should. And yes I was hot and sweaty all week so I MUST HAVE CF!!!......OR It could simply be a week of bad storms and humidity......

This got me wondering what it is like to be a Doctor when taking someones history. I mean If someone told me they had sweats, cough, a high temp, and feeling like they are missing out on several minerals and nutrients I would probably feel a bit fizzled. I mean these are signs that our body are fighting something....anything at all. How exactly do Doctors sift through all of the extraneous information to come to a clear diagnosis? I guess I will find out sooner rather than later. But for now I will stick with the fact that I have EVERY DISEASE KNOWN TO MAN!!!


P.S.- I found a rather intriguing article about being sick....or rather acting sick and how to be a professional  ENJOY! How to Fake being Sick    

An entertaining video

This has nothing to do with my medical career but I just had to post it. ENJOY!

Cystic Fibrosis is a Real Downer

Today I was assisting in an x-ray on a young lady ( I think she was 26) who had a severe case of Cystic Fibrosis. I looked at the x-ray and I saw how crummy the lungs looked and it sparked my interest (if anyone is interested in seeing what a CF chest x-ray looks like check this page out, MyPACS.net). In any case, I wondered what exactly CF was, I mean I see it on a daily basis at the hospital I work at and I never once realized how common it was until today. So I did a bit of digging and this is what I found:

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic defect in which the gene that is responsible for regulating chloride ion amounts inside the cell is defected.  The gene thereby disrupts the CF protein called CFTR or Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator, which in turn disrupts the regulation of Chloride ion that is a major component in maintaining the balance of salt and water inside and outside of the cell. This causes an increased production of thicker mucus along the lining of the pancreas and lungs. The mucus in the lungs causes a whole slue of respiratory distress and the pancreas is disrupted in that it cannot produce the enzymes required for the absorption of fats and proteins causing malnutrition. So as you can see it is a disease that can cause major disorders in patients affected, which is the main reason that most people diagnosed with it live on average into their 30's.

The disease is the most common life limiting affecting white (caucasian) adults and adolescence. It occurs 1 in every 3200-3300 newborns in the US and the numbers are growing.  One reason that researchers believe that it is persistent in white patients is because the gene defect may be a protective defect. Now why would a disease be a protective disease? The answer lies in another disease: Cholera. It appears that affected individuals with cystic fibrosis will not be affected by the cholera toxin. Because of this inherent advantage (called a heterozygous advantage) the disease, cystic fibrosis, was able to survive in times of cholera outbreaks across central europe. It was able to pass from generation to generation on that specific gene mutation.  This same heterozygous advantage was presented as a probable explanation for the persistence of sickle cell anemia in response to malaria outbreaks in Africa.

So there it is, a bit of information of CF that I could dig up. Also here is an article on "sciencedaily.com" about the research being done on Cystic Fibrosis using PIGS! I will continue to post about other cases that I see and I hope to spark interests as I go.

Ask and You Shall Receive

Today I got an email from the Chief Radiologist at the level 1 trauma center here in Milwaukee. He was replying to an email I sent to him a few days ago about a possibility to shadow a Radiologist. Today he ask me which day I would like to come in, and I am now scheduled to shadow on the 13th of this month. This is just one example of me asking for opportunities and receiving them. Because I have been curious and vigilant in asking for shadowing, job openings, and just plain asking questions, I have been able to push my medical career further and further and it if were not for the the help of a few key individuals I holistically believe I would not be working as a Radiological Assistant at the level 1 trauma center in our area. I would not be focused on a career goal yet and above all I would not have ANY idea of what the real world is like for medical professionals. So just a quick tip, always ask for opportunities.

If you want to shadow a Doctor, email them. More than likely they will try and accomodate you even for just a few minutes. If you want to gain a job in the medical field, call the area hospitals and clinics, express interest in the field. Schooling can and will teach you many things for the road ahead, but trust me when I say this, it is VERY important for you to witness what the job is really like before investing all your time and energy into it. It can be revealing, discouraging, empowering, surprising, or even boring and it is paramount that you get a handle on the ups and downs of your career before you pursue it.

I Support "Support"

Support....something that many of us take for granted. We look for it in just about any aspect of our lives and it's always found in the best of family and friends. For Medical students in particular this can be a huge necessity. In my search for answers about medical school I have already been fortunate enough to get support by family, friends, and above all the love of my life. I can't stress how much of an impact it has had on my decision to pursue a Medical degree. Without it I can tell you honestly I would have slipped and faltered at the very IDEA of 8 more years of school minimum. Support will not only be paramount in my premedical career but I personally know that it will be an aspect of my life that will be tried vigorously throughout the entirety of my journey. Support is both the very thing that will allow me to continue AND the very thing that I will be struggling to keep.

On the flip side I think it is a topic many prospective medical students oversee when looking into the chasm of trials ahead. They forget to realize that not only will THEY need support throughout medical school, but others in THIER lives will need support FROM YOU in their own endeavors!!! That, I think, is the flip side many will fail to realize. Support is a give and take, a shared task that is about as necessary as O2 is to our bodies. I personally will try my hardest to never let this slip my mind. Love and support others around you, show interest in the things they are striving to achieve and you will be given the same support from the right people.

Just remember that you will be a Doctor....as well as a family member, a spouse, maybe a mom or dad, an aunt, an uncle, a brother, a sister. All of these are roles that provide support when  it is needed the most. Just because you will be pursuing a goal in your own life does not mean that you can forget to live for the people around you as well. If you can keep that in mind I believe it will not only make you a better Doctor but it will let you be a better Doctor whilst not giving up on the people you love most.      

Medical Word of the Week: Omphalocele

I wanted to do keep up with my medical terminology so I will be posting interesting words that pretain to things I have seen working at my area hospital or maybe even a bit of inspiration from my favorite TV shows Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, House etc...

Omphalocele:
An omphalocele (British English: omphalocoele) is a type of abdominal wall defect in which the intestines, liver, and occasionally other organs remain outside of the abdomen in a sac because of a defect in the development of the muscles of the abdominal wall in a neonate.

This is a bizarre case that I have seen in three different situations. Firstly It showed up in Grey's Anatomy I think in the 3rd season. Also I did see a case of it in the hospital that I work at a while back and until now I did not know it was a known birth defect. Lastly I did see a case of it posted on MyPACS.net which is an online database of case studies used by Radiologist Educators and practicing Doctors alike. It's a pretty neet website wether you are interested in medical imaging or not and I encourage anyone to check it out. It is a free membership and its a good pass time.

Also just a quick mention of a new article, posted on medicalnewstoday.com about how the environment of a fetus in the womb may be related to health effects on the baby later in life. It's a good read and is something to keep in mind. I am in the process of obtaining a shadowing experience of a Radiologist at one of the leading facilities in my area so I will be sure to post about that once that has come to pass.

Introduction

To start off this blog I'd like to take a minute just to introduce myself. Firstly I am a future physician, a future care taker that has set out on finding his way to the ultimate goal of "Doctorhood".  An ultimate goal that I think many students out there are pursuing and I would like to wish you all good luck because if you are reading this post it is probably because you are dedicated and interested in a common denominator that will one day spur the making of a new generation of physicians. As I am writing this post, the first of many to come, I am not sure I will succeed. And like many of you I am intimidated and scared at the prospect of devoting the better half of my young adult and adult life in a chase that could possibly run me into the ground, it could possibly ruin me. But also, like you, I feel that it also has a damn good chance of bringing  me everything that I search for in life, happiness, self accomplishment, societal accomplishment, the chance to give back to the world, and above all the chance to save peoples lives.

I am currently pursuing a bachelors in Biomedical sciences with an emphasis in Radiological technologies, and I will be starting my two year clinical process this coming september. For those of you who don't know, a Radiological Technologist is a professional who accurately and timely produces diagnostic x-ray films that can be used by a Radiologist to project a course of treatment for that particular patient. Some of you may be wondering "why go through becoming a Rad Tech if you want to become a doctor?" This can be answered easily in one word: timing. It was not until last year that I decided I wanted to become a Medical Doctor. By that point I had already devoted 3 years of my life to my bachelors. Was this such a bad thing? To me it seems to be the best case scenario, like most of you I decided to become a Doctor as a secondary objective. The more I look at my situation I realize that this gives me the chance to not only be a working professional whilst pursuing a challenging goal but also it allows me to get a taste of the real medical imaging world before I begin the arduous task that lays ahead. 

In the following post I will hopefully have a chance to express my experiences as I tread through my educational journey. This journey will consist of 2 years of Radiological Technologist training, 2 years of Premedical studies, mentoring experiences, volunteering opportunities, research involvement, MCAT's, Applications, Medical School, Board Exams, Residency matching, and the Residency itself. Although my particular interest is in Radiology, medical school and training will encompass all levels of medicine and I hope to learn from them all and share with you.