WILTIMS #4: At the gate

About a week ago, I watched live horse racing for the first time. Part of what struck me about the experience was the half hour of pomp and circumstance before each 2 minute race. The horses are brought to the race-side paddocks, then walked in a circle, then mounted, then bugled on to the track, then lead back and forth a few times, then loosely cued for entry into the gates, and finally locked in awaiting the start.

After this week of orientation, I feel like a animal that had been worked and trained and groomed and has finally been trapped an inch from the start. Let's do this already!

I don't know if I'll jump out to an early lead or stumble out of the gate, but I'm itching to find out.

TIL: An open bar on a boat is a recipe for entertainment. (Note: I promise the TILs will get more informative and medical in nature starting next week!)

WILTIMS #3: Smee

“If the act is not sexual, then it is not sexual harassment, just regular harassment." ~Captain Obvious

Decent progress for a tricky
Sunday puzzle

Today was a solid crossword day. We had 1-1½ hours of presentations each on campus security, fire safety, campus computing, library services and sexual harassment. I consider it a victory that I managed not to fall asleep.

At yet another welcome BBQ, I learned that apparently the school's chancellor/interim dean has impressive plans for expanding the campus in the next few years, including adding a dental school, nursing graduate school, physician's assistant school, as well as additional masters programs. They will be opening a new clinical teaching center this spring and hopefully a new fitness center next year. If they manage to get half of this done, I'll be impressed.

Lastly, I made it to Sam's Club in a car today. Achievement unlocked!

TIL: 50 down Hook's hand

WILTIMS #2: Orientation field study

Mingling amongst the other medical students this morning, I felt weirdly like an undercover primatologist amongst a rare group of apes (well, I guess this is technically true). It hasn't registered yet that I am, in fact, one of them.

As proof that I can indeed survive on my own in this jungle of special apes, I sought out food today. The difficulty being that NYMC is in the middle of freaking nowhere. The nearest grocery-esque store is in fact ~1.8 miles away. So after hiking for half an hour o'er streets unladen with sidewalks, I reached the consumer heaven that is Sam's Club.

View Larger Map

The spoils of my adventure. 27 lbs!

After a leisurely hour of trying to decide whether I really needed 10 pounds of Easy-Mac, I grabbed a $2.50 dinner, loaded up my scant 27 pounds of bulk food purchases and began my return journey. Mercifully, after trekking most of the way back to the school, a car full of fellow first years spotted me and offered a ride home (after quite appropriately calling me crazy, of course).

Hopefully, tomorrow will involve less walking, and more shampoo.

TIL: The root of clinic is kline meaning "bed, couch, that on which one lies."

What I Learned Today in Medical School (WILTIMS) #1: Move-in Day

As I begin medical school, I want to start up this blog again and post an entry (however brief) every day for as long as it is feasible into the future.

Today was move-in day and, of course, I had to make it as difficult as possible. I woke up at 03:30 on the wrong coast, drove 2 hours, flew 5 hours and made it to school at around 18:30. Totally unpacked by 23:30. Not bad.

Today I Learned (TIL): My roommates are pretty cool. Jet lag sucks.