Sunday, April 01, 2007

Descent from Cloud 9

Now the high is wearing off. I keep surfing SDN every day, posting on the allopathic boards that I can in good conscience frequent. I'm trying to figure out where we can live, which neighborhoods to avoid, but which are an acceptable distance from SLU. Never having lived in a big city in a non-missionary capacity, I don't really have what you'd call "street smarts". There are quite a few of my classmates on SDN, we'll see how long we can remain anonymous. It appears that classes are beginning on August 13, but that the white coat ceremony is on Aug 5. I think that mindy and I are going to move in late june, but spend a few weeks at camp before driving down to St. Louis for good.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

I sent my acceptance of their acceptance in as soon a humanly possible. Two days later I got a letter saying I was enrolled in the class of 2011 at SLU!!! I'm still on Cloud 9, and I keep saying "I'm going to medical school" because it doesn't feel real. I can't really fathom it all right now, since it's been occupying most of my waking hours for the last 3 years. It hasn't really sunk in that I have been accepted.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!

OK, here's the skinny. I"M going to be a doctor!!!! I got into Saint Louis University School of Medicine today!!!!! I have to retro post a lot of stuff, but I'm going to be a doctor!!!!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Verbal Exchanges, problem solving.

So, in my post a few minutes ago, I was bemoaning my lack of verbal problem solving techiques. I have only to cast my mind back to thismorning when I was conversing with a nurse on the phone. She was calling regarding a hemogram on patient X in PACU (post-op in other words). Here is a transcript of what I said, more or less.
Nurse: I'm calling about a hemogram on Mr. X, it was drawn about a half hour ago.
Me: (looking in computer for info on X's labs). Was it the one we drew at about 1211 ? (this exchange is occuring at 1240)
Nurse: NO, it was the one half an hour ago!
Me: (short puzzled silence, since there was no trace of sarcasm in her voice). Well, let's look at the hemogram from 1211.
Nurse: I want the results! All it shows in my computer is that the specimen is being processed!
Omnitient narrator: When LastWord, the nursing program for tracking and entering patient data, including labs, shows "in process", it means that the specimen is literally being tested at that very moment, and that nothing can accellerate the testing process. Once a hemogram is on the machine, no amount of righteous indignation will speed the test!
Me: ( looking directly at the results in the computer), Well, I'm showing that not only has the spec. been processed, but it's been resulted.
Nurse: (Fury with the insufferable puke at the other end of the line showing in every word), Well where do I look for results!!!!
Me: (trying to be diplomatic, but barely containing my mirth at her incompetance). I don't use LastWord, you might try looking where you would otherwise normally look for lab results. ( I said it this way because I was sure that this wasn't the first time she'd looked up a lab. It was quite a gamble, I know, but I thought it worth a try.)
Nurse: (looking at her computer presumably). Oh! there they are. thanks.
Me: You're welcome. Please, do me a favor and try to reign in the temptation to squawk angrily when you're in the wrong.

Status Report

Status Report:
New Rejections: McGill. Reaching a new low for rejection styles, McGill emailed me a pdf with a scanned copy of my rejection letter. I guess the international postage might place an onerous burden on the budget.

Waitlists:
OHSU, I'm in a "hold" pool, which means that I'll be put on the waitlist in May.
UVM. Still on the "out of state" waitlist. Keeping the fingers crossed.