From Bagels to Beignets

Cumulative Hours- 4 Wow, November is already coming to a close! This month in class, we did the renal and pulmonary module. Every time I learn about the kidney in class, I am always amazed at how complicated it is. It's crazy to think about how every part of the nephron has its own function- while they all contribute to the same end goal, each portion of the nephron contributes in slightly different ways by changing which ions and molecules can permeate through at each region. Seeing that and seeing how different drugs target different parts of the nephron really underscores the complexity of the kidney.  I think my friends and I have solidified our study strategies for this program. We all take notes during class and sometimes study together after class, but for the most part we do the initial legwork for learning the material individually. As the exam approaches, we review together, quiz each other, and try to fill the gaps in each others’ knowledge. At the end of every modu...

Hey everyone! I’m back at the end of October and it was a pretty busy month. October has always been my favorite time of year, as the weather gets cool and everyone pulls out their sweaters. It is a bit weird not seeing the trees change color here- back home, all of the leaves would range through vivid reds, oranges, and browns.  School has been in full swing this month and there were some very welcome deviations from standard lectures. We had three team based activities that were helpful in learning the material. Applying the material critically in a different way than usual helped us all solidify our knowledge, whether it was by answering questions as a group, walking through a clinical case, or doing a full patient simulation. The patient simulation was especially helpful as we not only learned what clinical signs to look for and treat in real time, we gained some insight on our instructors personal philosophy on bedside manner and what it means to be a good caretaker. K...

As my first month here comes to a close, I am getting more and more convinced that moving to New Orleans was a turning point in my life. My entire life has been spent on the beaches of New Jersey and in the shadow of New York, so moving to the south has been a jarring experience. The weather, the people, even the plants (and insects) are different.   An experience that stood out was volunteering at NOLA on Tap, a festival the SPCA hosts every year to raise money for animals. I signed up for the roaming team, where we were sent to whatever area of the festival needed extra hands. I helped check IDs, sold and distributed tickets, and set up tents and booths. Volunteering is always a good time, but doing it with the new friends I made was a great bonding experience too. I spent 4 hours on that Saturday and am glad I was able to use my time to help animals in need.  Speaking of new friends, my friends and I have been studying after school almost every day this ...