Today was my first day in the Tiny People Only emergency department.
I arrived to town last night, still feeling jet lagged and disorientated from the packing and moving. The chaos of the last few days had me finding my toothbrush wrapped up in an ipod USB cable and a stethoscope stuffed into a running shoe.
Falling asleep last night I realised that I needed to be up at 0630h and had no alarm clock. I listened through different selections on my "Deep Sleep" app for my ipod and tried to choose the most annoying piece to set for an alarm in the morning. Word of advice: do not choose music from an app designed for sleep, if what you want is to be woken up.
So I picked one of the chanting/meditation ones, hoping the incessant gong ringing would rouse me. Instead I found myself in a deep sleep, dreaming that I was walking along a lake shore in Nepal.
Nepal. Something isn't right. Sighhhh. Listen to that nice chanting. Monks. Hmmm. Chanting. Wait. Ringing, why is ringing bad, why? Ohhhhhh nooooooo!
So I didn't sleep in too much, but long enough to be in a panic. First squarely hitting my shin on the corner of the wooden bed frame while leaping into nylons at record speed. I believe the entire bowl of oatmeal fell down my throat with one gulp, followed by two gasps of lukewarm coffee.
This really was not how I wanted to start my first day as a final med.
I scurried down the streets trying to locate my bus stop. Lost and convinced I'd missed the bus, I felt my shoulders drop, realizing that things were going from bad to worse when the bus appeared and took me where I wanted to go.
It was a long and busy day. It felt strange to tell people I was a final year student. A little daunting to step into the role of Canadian medical student where you are expected to immediately hit the ground running, perform assessments, establish diagnoses, elucidate care plans, and order tests. Plus these aren't the patients I am used to dealing with, they are all so little. The little humans. Don't get me wrong, I like it! But it is very different to the medical student role in an Irish hospital, to be sure.
For now, I am not going to worry too much about all of it. I am just going to sleep.
I arrived to town last night, still feeling jet lagged and disorientated from the packing and moving. The chaos of the last few days had me finding my toothbrush wrapped up in an ipod USB cable and a stethoscope stuffed into a running shoe.
Falling asleep last night I realised that I needed to be up at 0630h and had no alarm clock. I listened through different selections on my "Deep Sleep" app for my ipod and tried to choose the most annoying piece to set for an alarm in the morning. Word of advice: do not choose music from an app designed for sleep, if what you want is to be woken up.
So I picked one of the chanting/meditation ones, hoping the incessant gong ringing would rouse me. Instead I found myself in a deep sleep, dreaming that I was walking along a lake shore in Nepal.
Nepal. Something isn't right. Sighhhh. Listen to that nice chanting. Monks. Hmmm. Chanting. Wait. Ringing, why is ringing bad, why? Ohhhhhh nooooooo!
So I didn't sleep in too much, but long enough to be in a panic. First squarely hitting my shin on the corner of the wooden bed frame while leaping into nylons at record speed. I believe the entire bowl of oatmeal fell down my throat with one gulp, followed by two gasps of lukewarm coffee.
This really was not how I wanted to start my first day as a final med.
I scurried down the streets trying to locate my bus stop. Lost and convinced I'd missed the bus, I felt my shoulders drop, realizing that things were going from bad to worse when the bus appeared and took me where I wanted to go.
It was a long and busy day. It felt strange to tell people I was a final year student. A little daunting to step into the role of Canadian medical student where you are expected to immediately hit the ground running, perform assessments, establish diagnoses, elucidate care plans, and order tests. Plus these aren't the patients I am used to dealing with, they are all so little. The little humans. Don't get me wrong, I like it! But it is very different to the medical student role in an Irish hospital, to be sure.
For now, I am not going to worry too much about all of it. I am just going to sleep.
4 comments:
Welcome back to Canada ABB. And congratulations on getting close to the end of the yellow brick road that is medical school.
Keep up the great work!
mr
Welcome back to Canada!
Have not checked your blog in a long time and from the comments are you practicing in Canada. What happened to Ireland? Are you close to home? Are you doing residency and what is up for all us infrequent followers.
RTM and Liana--Thanks! Yes...the end is in sight...almost. :)
NPO--I just finished my 3rd year in Ireland and am on summer 'holidays' for 7 weeks. I don't really have a home to be close to---haha---but yes, most of my family is within 3-5hrs drive. I'm applying for residency this summer (for next year). Hope you are well!
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