for more info, refer to http://www.ncemi.org/cse/cse1017.htmI'm in Kenora for a 4-week ER block, to round out my first year of residency.
Yikes! i can't believe it's almost half-finished already! it's remarkable how much has happened in the interim, how much i've learned...
in other news, since my last post life has been quite full and juicy-
- i met my boyfriend at that halloween party - spending time getting to know him may have something to do with the decreased posting frequency thereafter... i came as a super hero and he had a fabulous home-made 'Doc Oc' costume (ie. a super villain) i guess it's inevitable that sparks would fly!
- work wise - after a couple of months of fam med in TBay, i moved on to a busy month of ER at the Regional Health Centre, also in TBay. That was interrupted by a short 'green Christmas' vacation at Glenmount.
In January, i did an international elective in Nigeria - joining my parents and an eclectic interdisciplinary team of 'Friends of Mkar' for a medical mission for 3.5 weeks. It was overwhelming. I'll post more about it sometime, if i can figure out how and what of those experiences to share in this medium... I had some pretty major reverse culture shock upon return. The busy surgery rotation i came back to forced me to shelf a lot of the stuff i was processing, but i did (and still do) take out parts of it to ponder and grapple with and mourn over and marvel at from time to time. A lot of it is still steeping.
Chris and i visited some friends of mine in Toronto for a lovely wedding in February, and had a good time with them despite both being sick with a doubly nasty cold. We also spent a pleasant day with my parents and brother who also happened to be there that weekend.
My surgery rotation consisted of about 5 weeks of Gen Surg and 2 weeks of Ortho, for both of them I worked with fabulous preceptors, so there was tons of good learning and lots of practical skill refinement and some very memorable patients.
In the middle of all that i took a Wilderness Advanced Life Support course, including taking part in a late-night mock disaster wilderness rescue scenario! It was an interesting mix of personalities in the intensive 4-day course - in the end i think i learned almost as much about group dynamics as i did about wilderness medicine.
After surgery and before my obs/gyn rotation, i joined a bunch of my friends from high school for a leisurely week at a resort in the Dominican for another wedding. There's nothing quite like love to get people together, is there?
I do enjoy obstetrics, and as a woman physician obs and gyn issues will inevitably have a significant representation within my practice i'm sure. Many of my experiences and discussions i had with my preceptors and nurses from that rotation will be invaluable in the future.
Next was a week of 'mandatory' academic activities - highlights included Grad for my colleagues in the year ahead, with a great party at some friend's camp afterwards (i had my first dip in the Lake of the season too - not Superior, but chilly enough, thanks!) Then we loaded into a bus and made our way to Marathon for the 'mines & mills - occupational medicine' focus for a few days. it was great to catch up with friends there! I took ACLS the following weekend, and upon successful completion of the written and 'mega code' tests on Sunday afternoon, i loaded up my car and drove for 6 h to get here. My first shift was at 8 the next morning, and it was a busy one!
and now, this post has come full-circle, so you're up to date in broad strokes. i may fill in some of the memorable and poignant details later. or maybe i'll just move on and comment on the hear and now observations and meandering thoughts...
