Monday, December 20, 2010

What Study Hath Wrought

Ok so that is a radial nerve injury. When was the last time I showered?
Ever wanted to know what medical school looks like? Well here at Asystole I am willing to show the ugly truth. It involves a lot of sitting. At a desk. And reading/memorizing/cramming/blogging/gnashing of teeth/flash card writing/ and questioning your decision/capabilities/intelligence/motivation for medicine. 

I've been wearing these pants for so many days I'm surprised they haven't
created their own blood supply from me. 
It also involves choosing outfits that are a combination of comfort and warmth, borrowing clean clothes from your boyfriend and not buttoning them up properly. Medicine makes you commit the biggest fashion faux pas of all (yes something worse than scrubs)--socks with flip-flops. When it gets down to the wire, one also goes around with self-made flash cards in hand so that the boyfriend can 'quiz' you while you make dinner. And by 'quiz' I mean 'fail to read your handwriting, comprehend your shorthand, or pronounce 'natriuretic' properly'. Proof that three of my loves cannot be combined: medicine, Tobie, and cooking. 


You will get up before the sun and go to bed after it. And most of the time there will not be a paycheck or excessive alcohol consumption involved (the two main reasons I'd be up early or in bed late when I was in my early twenties).


The garbage closest to you for the month approaching finals will look like that. Note *one* item from Canada's food guide. Seriously, I was so aghast when I saw this I had to take a photo. I have been a pseudo-health-freak for many many years and this image is but one more plot on the 'demise of healthy living' that is medicine.

And that is just the beginning.

9 comments:

Keet said...

Love it. particularly the mis-buttoned sweater.

OMDG said...

Aw! You're so cute with your misbuttoned sweater on! Seems like the junk food hasn't taken nearly the toll that you feared.

Albinoblackbear said...

Hahah, yeah when I walked out and saw my reflection in the mirror I just said "ok, this has to be documented".

What you can't see is that I am wearing a longsleeve fleece and ragged t-shirt UNDER the cardigan. Bad on so many levels.

Grumpy, M.D. said...

No, that is NOT a radial nerve injury! Look at how your arm is on the desk. It's an ulnar injury, distal to the elbow.

Sheesh.

A radial nerve palsy is from compression at the spiral groove in the mid-brachium, which is NOT where your arm is resting in that picture.

Okay, I need a vacation.

Maha said...

LOL! My little cousin (well only by 1.5 years) just got into medical school in the UK and I forwarded her this post.

Also: "I've been wearing these pants for so many days I'm surprised they haven't created their own blood supply from me" literally made me snort out loud because that is the only way to describe my kitty jumping over the moon PJ pants. Freaking love them.

Tele Jane said...

Lol!
So true it is.
Loved every word of it.

ertwro said...

That's really a typical room for a medstudent.

Such compromise (tears pouring down my face)

Philosophically speaking our duty is to preserve the state of entropy around us. Altough it's kind of sad to see it taken at heart by a woman. (as long as we men do bathe "OR" shave you can't tell the difference)

Once I went to the hospital and wore my pijama under the scrubs. When someone noticed it and commented about it I worthily (yell at) told them: "I'm just taking this carrer at heart"

I love scrubs. In the morning I'm ready faster than wonder woman.

Anonymous said...

My first reaction was I am jealous of that sweater. It looks like the perfect Study Sweater. Now what does *that* say? Also I spy some sort of yogurty container in that garbage. V healthy, you'll be fine :).

Albinoblackbear said...

Grump--Indeed you DO need a vacation!

Maha--Seriously! I knew I'd been wearing them too often when Tobie came in, saw me in jeans and said "why are you so dressed up today?" without a hint of sarcasm!

Tele--Glad you enjoyed!

Ert--I loved scrubs for 5 years then got bored wearing them and started wearing jeans or prana pants to work with a scrub top. No one cares what lowly agency nurses wear to work. (They were NICE jeans not ratty ones).

Ninja--It is the perfect study sweater, unfortunately NOT mine! Though Tobie is very generous with it. Yes, the yogurt was the one healthy thing I was referring to! hahah sigh...