One of my biggest pet peeves is people who talk quietly when asked to speak up. In general I'm not a fan of quiet people. I'm a pretty talkative person and like being around people who also have a lot to say. I also enjoy people who speak at a volume I can hear them. I don't want to have to strain my ears to have a conversation. I don't want to have to ask you to repeat yourself either.
The biggest problem comes when people answer questions in class or even small group and you can't hear a word they say. Sure, you're shy, that's fine. But don't answer a question if you don't intend to throw your voice a little. Even worse is when the professor asks you to talk louder or asks you to repeat yourself. The volume at which you repeat yourself should obviously be louder than the volume at which you were unable to be heard the first time. These people, instead, answer with the exact same decibel level they had before. If the professor didn't hear you the first time, he sure as shit isn't going to hear you now.
I know for a fact that most of these people don't have laryngitis, or strep throat, or some restrictive lung disease preventing them from projecting their voice. We can all yell. We all have the diaphragm capacity to take a deep breath and force air out of it. There is absolutely no excuse for these people to not raise their voice loud enough for the professor, and those sitting next to them, to be able to hear.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
H&P Fumbles: Vitals?
Me: The eye and ear exam were normal.
Partner: The pupils were equal and reactive to light. All cranial nerves appear intact.
Me: The heart sounded good with a regular rate and rhythm, no murmurs.
Partner: Lungs were clear bilaterally to auscultation....
Doctor: Hold on, back up, what were his vitals?
Partner and I look at each other frantically. Doctor mentally facepalms.
Partner: The pupils were equal and reactive to light. All cranial nerves appear intact.
Me: The heart sounded good with a regular rate and rhythm, no murmurs.
Partner: Lungs were clear bilaterally to auscultation....
Doctor: Hold on, back up, what were his vitals?
Partner and I look at each other frantically. Doctor mentally facepalms.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Winning the lottery
Sure, everyone wants to win the lottery. And while I wouldn't say no to winning a million dollars, paying off all my loans, and buying myself a new car and a house, it isn't necessarily what I want.
HOWEVER, I really would love to win $2,000. That'd be enough to buy myself some ski equipment, a nice pair or two of shoes I've been wanting, and go out to more sushi dinners with Joseph than we budget in (because damn, do I love sushi).
That sure would be sweet. Haha.
HOWEVER, I really would love to win $2,000. That'd be enough to buy myself some ski equipment, a nice pair or two of shoes I've been wanting, and go out to more sushi dinners with Joseph than we budget in (because damn, do I love sushi).
That sure would be sweet. Haha.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
On my own
My dad always helped me with my math homework. My dad is really smart. Really smart. He didn't make it through college, but if he had I can't even imagine the places he would be right now. He found ways to explain academic topics to me in a way no professor could. Then there came a day when he couldn't help me anymore. He looked at my homework and I had, in fact, surpassed his knowledge of math. I was on my own.
This weekend, Joseph went on a ski weekend. He went to light the industrial stove that was in the cabin they were staying in and it blew up in his face. He's not burned too badly, just a few spots of missing skin on his nose and forehead and an overall "bad sunburned" look. Not to mention his eyebrows are gone and his hair is singed. Anyway, the point is my first instinct was to call my mom and ask for her advice. She's always been the go-to for medical advice.
Then I realized at this point I know way more about treating burns than her (which, albeit, isn't much). There isn't anything she could tell me that I wouldn't already know.
It's a weird thought when you're slowly exhausting all the things you need your parents for and gaining that knowledge yourself. But, let's be serious, I still totally don't know anything about taking care of my car. I still call my mom about cooking questions all the time. My dad still does my taxes. Oh, and that whole money thing. Still need them for that from time to time (including my phone bill and car insurance).
Parents will never go out of style.
This weekend, Joseph went on a ski weekend. He went to light the industrial stove that was in the cabin they were staying in and it blew up in his face. He's not burned too badly, just a few spots of missing skin on his nose and forehead and an overall "bad sunburned" look. Not to mention his eyebrows are gone and his hair is singed. Anyway, the point is my first instinct was to call my mom and ask for her advice. She's always been the go-to for medical advice.
Then I realized at this point I know way more about treating burns than her (which, albeit, isn't much). There isn't anything she could tell me that I wouldn't already know.
It's a weird thought when you're slowly exhausting all the things you need your parents for and gaining that knowledge yourself. But, let's be serious, I still totally don't know anything about taking care of my car. I still call my mom about cooking questions all the time. My dad still does my taxes. Oh, and that whole money thing. Still need them for that from time to time (including my phone bill and car insurance).
Parents will never go out of style.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Dreaming about eyeshadow
Most teenage girls go through a discovery phase. It involves experimentation with clothing and makeup and such. I never really went through that phase "properly" so now I realize I don't know how to do makeup. At all. Sure, I can throw on powder and eyeliner, but I don't know how to properly do it; especially eyeshadow.
So I decided I needed to learn. I've been looking up tutorials and bought a 22 piece makeup brush set on amazon that got good reviews, but didn't break the bank. We will see how this goes.
So I decided I needed to learn. I've been looking up tutorials and bought a 22 piece makeup brush set on amazon that got good reviews, but didn't break the bank. We will see how this goes.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
H&P Fumbles: just say it!
Med student: When you, uhh, go to the bathroom do you ever have difficulty starting or stop early?
Patient: What? I have been a bit constipated lately...
Med student: No, I mean the..uhh...other one.
Patient's wife: Urination.
Patient: No, none of that.
Med student: Now what about the, um, other side?
Patient: What? I have been a bit constipated lately...
Med student: No, I mean the..uhh...other one.
Patient's wife: Urination.
Patient: No, none of that.
Med student: Now what about the, um, other side?
Friday, February 15, 2013
Gripes
Today has not been a happy day. I went to bed too late and had to get up too early. I spilled my tea TWICE all over the counter within a span of about five minutes causing me to have to remake it twice. I pulled a muscle in my neck somehow. My apartment decided to run low on hot water so I was forced to take a luke warm/boarding on cold shower. Then we got to our mandatory case discussions and were told the doctors would be an hour late. An hour I could have spent sleeping. The rest of my day thus far has been filled with studying. Needless to say, I am not a happy camper. So here are some gripes for the day:
1. The "high and mighty" attitude of morning people. I am not a morning person. A lot of people aren't morning people. For some reason though, morning people think they are better than everyone else. "Well, what are you going to do when you are on a surgery rotation?" "You can't be upset that you had to wake up for a mandatory class." I am so tired of hearing morning people declare statements of their self proclaimed superiority. I don't understand why it's unacceptable to be tired or to complain about morning class, yet if someone says they are tired after dinner that's totally acceptable. I don't understand why sleeping in late is looked down on, but going to bed early is a perfectly reasonable and responsible action. It's a preference. It's a body chemistry thing. Guess what? When I am on a late rotation at the hospital or forced to think at one in the morning, I am going to be totally fine. I get the same work done as a morning person, I just have my schedule shifted. It's the way I've always worked. So no, I am never going to be cheery and happy at 8am. Deal with it just like I deal with all you morning people being "too tired to go out" at 10 because its "past your bedtime" or "unable to study with you" because it's 9 and your brain isn't working anymore.
2. I know this has been debated before, but I don't like how some people pronounced centimeter. It isn't "sauntimeter". It isn't. I hope I don't have some attending down the road declare that it is and force me to change the pronunciation.
3. ESR and CRP tests. I want someone to explain this to me. I only recently discovered what these are and I still don't understand their point. The physician today even said there isn't much of a point to doing them because a positive test doesn't narrow down your differential at all. You have inflammation. Fantastic. However, every annoying medical student shouts them as answers like they are god. "What tests should we order on the patient?" "SED RATE" Great.
1. The "high and mighty" attitude of morning people. I am not a morning person. A lot of people aren't morning people. For some reason though, morning people think they are better than everyone else. "Well, what are you going to do when you are on a surgery rotation?" "You can't be upset that you had to wake up for a mandatory class." I am so tired of hearing morning people declare statements of their self proclaimed superiority. I don't understand why it's unacceptable to be tired or to complain about morning class, yet if someone says they are tired after dinner that's totally acceptable. I don't understand why sleeping in late is looked down on, but going to bed early is a perfectly reasonable and responsible action. It's a preference. It's a body chemistry thing. Guess what? When I am on a late rotation at the hospital or forced to think at one in the morning, I am going to be totally fine. I get the same work done as a morning person, I just have my schedule shifted. It's the way I've always worked. So no, I am never going to be cheery and happy at 8am. Deal with it just like I deal with all you morning people being "too tired to go out" at 10 because its "past your bedtime" or "unable to study with you" because it's 9 and your brain isn't working anymore.
2. I know this has been debated before, but I don't like how some people pronounced centimeter. It isn't "sauntimeter". It isn't. I hope I don't have some attending down the road declare that it is and force me to change the pronunciation.
3. ESR and CRP tests. I want someone to explain this to me. I only recently discovered what these are and I still don't understand their point. The physician today even said there isn't much of a point to doing them because a positive test doesn't narrow down your differential at all. You have inflammation. Fantastic. However, every annoying medical student shouts them as answers like they are god. "What tests should we order on the patient?" "SED RATE" Great.
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