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If You Don’t Use It You Lose It
Summer semester has started this month. In four weeks I am supposed to learn all of plants,animals,organ systems, and ecology. Friends have told me that summer classes are harder because the material is much more condensed. I took their advice with a grain of salt and definitely have experienced their advice after this first week. I wanted to give a quick update with where I am in the summer. Every day last month I was in the orthopedic clinic working and gaining some great clinical experience! Every day this month, so far, my face has been in the books. My motivation and dedication are definitely up though!
Now, for the title of this post. I was working on some general Chemistry last night for kicks, specifically, chemical kinetics, and could not figure out how to solve a rate problem! I just finished learning all this three months ago and have already forgot it! ALWAYS keeping the MCAT in mind, I hope other concepts are not this difficult to pick up when I start my strict study schedule for the MCAT next summer! The old adage, “If you don’t use it you lose it” holds true, especially for concepts like rate laws, which never come up again outside of general chemistry.
I recommend subscribing to MCAT questions of the day to stay on top of your game!
“Respect the MCAT.” – Ryan Grey, medicalschoolhq.net
Being Employed Vs. Physician Shadowing
Working in a clinic and shadowing in clinic have very different objectives. This summer was my first time actually being employed by a healthcare facility. Although I have helped out the doctor and his nurses with specific tasks before, I did so as a student shadowing. I have been shadowing this orthopedic surgeon for two years and have balanced the nurse’s tasks with my ability to shadow and see patients with the doctor. Being employed this summer, my number one priority per my job title is to call the patients back from the waiting room and either send them to get x-rays or put them in their private room. Rarely will I go in the room with the doctor anymore and see how he diagnoses the patient. I am greatly appreciative to have an income this summer but I do miss observing the doctor-patient interaction.
NONETHELESS, I am still able to have some patient interaction as I am in charge of inputting patient’s information (HPI, Vitals, etc.) into the computer so it is ready when the doctor walks in. During the history I ask the patient what the mechanism of their injury was, how long ago their symptoms occurred, and if there are any other issues of significance. I use this time to really connect with the patient and establish a sense of raport. Even though I am not the doctor (YET!) I enjoy understanding the unique story of each patient. I conversate as long as time permits because I believe that talking with and having them connect with someone in the office gives them an overall better clinical experience.
For various reasons, one must understand that doctors can not spend as much time as they want with patients. Listening to a patient’s life story might take away the doctor’s time from other patients who are in need. I try to replace this job myself by readily accepting to hear each patient’s story while taking their history.
I wanted to write this post specifically for premeds who are trying to gain clinical experience shadowing. I want them to know that there is a difference between working for a private employer and shadowing a doctor because I stumbled upon this unique experience unexpectedly.
My 36 Hour Trip to NYC: Medical Schools & Hospitals
Having a father as a pilot is very beneficial. This past weekend I zipped on up to New York and saw the best of Manhattan’s medical schools and hospitals… in 36 hours. With the aid of NYC’s MTA subway system I managed to cover some of the most prominent healthcare systems from 32nd street up to 168th street.
Medical Schools: Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, Weill Cornell Medical College, NYU School of Medicine, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Hospitals: New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, NYU Langone Medical Center, and Bellevue Hospital
New York City was HUGE! I loved seeing all the renowned hospitals and medical schools… but that was all I could do. Although I did go inside each one to try and track down medical students, I failed. School is out of session and it was indeed the weekend. Bear in mind that each of my subjective remarks and opinions about these centers are strictly based on APPEARANCE only. I have mildly researched each of the medical schools to understand their history, but not enough, yet, to write about it. I am writing this post to report on an aspiring medical student’s iconic view on (mainly) the LOCATION of NYC finest medical facilities.
– Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons:
Traveling the furthest away from Grand Central Station all the way up to 168th street marked my first stop on the trip, Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). CUMC has Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons and New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center right next to each other. I walked around the perimeter of the hospital and even into the medical school’s lobby. I found my way to their main auditorium, pitch black, and snapped this photo on the central podium: 
I could feel a sense of the prestigious Columbia University inside. The appearance of the school looks quite dated, but, to me, reflects a sense of uniqueness and specialty. Location wise, 168th street was by far my favorite place in the city I visited. Around CUMC was a more open city with not as many skyscrapers… I wish I would have taken a panorama shot. More pictures of the New York Presbyterian/CUMC area:
In a dream…
The beautiful front entrance to NYP Hospital/CUMC
Weill Cornell Medical College: Weill Cornell Medical College and New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center are under a great deal of expansion and construction. The medical school and the hospital are somewhat connected to each other, but still, of course, have many of their buildings surrounding the famous hospital. I wish I could speak more about Weill Cornell Medical School and their philosophy but I do not know much at the current moment. All I know is that this area on East 68th street was SUPER busy. I almost got hit by a taxi. Nonetheless, this hospital is GORGEOUS! 
I wish could have taken better shots but it looks like a true palace! There is beautiful white marble everywhere inside. More photos of the area: 
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai:
Mount Sinai Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai are located up on East 98th and 99th intersecting Madison Ave. I am very interested in Mount Sinai because of some recent statistics and figures I have came across. The medical school,hospital, and student dorms are very close to each other, which is a fantastic for an out of state student unfamiliar with the city. I was not fortunate enough to go into either the Icahn or the hospital but I did go inside this building:
Almost all research done for Mount Sinai is handled in this very new building. The buildings and vacinity of Mount Sinai look very pleasant, however, the surrounding area looks to serve the less fortunate East side of Manhattan. Up and coming with their new Flexmed program, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has my undivided attention right now.
NYU School of Medicine:
I did not plan on seeing NYU Langone Medical Center on my trip but I am glad did! Ranked on the US News & World Report nationally #6 for orthopedics, researching NYU is definitely on my to do list. From the walk-by I did the medical school and hospital appears to be very recently built. 
Being right on the Hudson, NYU Langone Medical Center is nice and busy area.
The rest of my short adventure to NYC, including visiting the NYC Public Library (beautiful!) as well as additional photos, can be found on my personal blog!
Next up, New Haven, Connecticut to visit Yale College and Yale Medical School. I have been wanting to visit Yale for quite a while now after reading a biography of Harvey Cushing. I can not wait to see the Harvey Cushing Library with some of his personal brain specimens!
A Pre Med's Journey 