The Freedom of the Moon ~ a poem by Robert Frost

I've tried the new moon tilted in the air Above a hazy tree-and-farmhouse cluster As you might try a jewel in your hair. I've tried it fine with little breadth of luster, Alone, or in one ornament combining With one first-water star almost as shining. I put it shining anywhere I please. By walking slowly …

Adult Neurology Residency: PGY1 to PGY2

My first year of residency was exciting, tough, and brutal. The first few months of the year are tough as you go through the motions while simultaneously looking over your shoulder learning through mistakes and modeling after seniors. But after months of repetition, you begin to find your grove and find that you have learned …

Small Town Alaska

Note: I have not been updating this blog regularly - an understatement I know. But now that Third year and residency interviews have come and gone, I have been able to find more time to do what I love - read and write. Here's a story from this last week during my time in Alaska. …

Anticipate, Adjust, and Survive

Here's to surviving six weeks of surgery at a number-one trauma center located in Seattle. No more will I have to rise from the dead at 3:30am for pre-pre-rounds, race through patient rooms for pre-rounds, or test my frozen-statue technique as a human retractor in the OR. (I have a new respect for metal retractors …

Day 1 of Surgery

I arrived a few minutes early with breakfast and coffee in hand for surgery orientation. Hearing voices behind our planned meeting room, I knocked on door in eager anticipation to start a new clerkship. The door creaked open a few inches, and what I saw before me floated the blank stare of an experienced, gray …

Maintaining humanity in medicine

It is not a stretch to believe that we all enter the field of medicine out of an interest to connect with people and help them in one form or another. I understand I am committing an unforgivable crime in science when using absolutes such as 'all', but I must believe that we enter medicine in …

Making it as an MS3

(Enjoying Smith Rock, Oregon) Succeeding in your 1st and 2nd year of medical school is fairly straight forward: study study study. Find the s that work for you (books vs video lectures vs audio lectures vs online videos vs question banks vs All Combined!). There are innumerable resources out there that it is also easy …

Welcome Back… me

Hello everyone! Before I begin posting more focused pieces, let me quickly recap what has taken place since my last post. It has been 2 years since my last post (end of 1st year) and now I am mid 3rd year. Time has gone by incredibly fast! Believe me when I say it is not …

First Delivery

I gave my number to the front desk of the hospital during the first week in hopes of being called for a delivery. At least two babies were delivered by the final week of RUOP, but my phone remained silent. It had seemed that my chances of seeing a baby delivered were diminishing quickly. And …

Rural Town of Elk City

On Friday, my preceptor and three other staff traveled to Elk City for an away clinic. Elk City is 60 miles SE of Cottonwood in Idaho County with a population of roughly 200. Although we traveled only 60 miles from Cottonwood, the drive took 2 hours winding through the woods along the river. History shows …