Back to the Grind and a Long Winter

Vacation is officially over as I type from Blacksburg. It is 20 degrees here with snow and ice all around. My 4 days as an extern at the Hope Center were eye-opening. I started to feel like a doctor because I was being treated like one for the first time. I started writing practical medical records and became more proficient and slightly confident in my physical exam skills. I detected an abnormal kidney on palpation and did not miss that many things when the doctors reviewed my physical exam findings. I performed open chest and closed chest CPR, and saw everything from an abscess to pericardial effusion in just 4 days. I kept thinking I sort of know what I am doing, and my gosh, someone is going to pay me to do this in just 5 months! It was exciting.

Over vacation I got a chance to do more yoga than I have done in months, and it was amazing. I also spent time with Spokane and successfully taught her to shake, but the roll over is proving difficult. The gentle leader intro was a success as well. I saw some friends and family, but there as just not enough time spent with anyone. They will be there in May, although rumor has it I won't have too much free time either if I get an internship.

Now I begin community practice, a rotation I have been looking forward to for a while. It should be a little more like the real world then some of the other hospital rotations and propel me forward toward May 14!

In the meantime, I am in a state of limbo. With board results and the internship match program pending until early February the suspense is killing me. I am trying to channel back to 2006 when I had to wait a similar period of time to find out if I got a vet school interview. I recall the first few weeks hard to not think about it, but after that I was able to put it out of my mind. I'll miss you vacation, but with only 3 primary care rotations left I must persevere.