Hello again.

I'm currently learning about the kidneys. Ask me anything about sodium reabsorption into the body. I dare you. It's possible I won't know the answer though, it's only been a week, don't set your expectations so high.

Joking aside, it is pretty amazing how much we've been learning. The amount of information we're obtaining and hoping to integrate into our careers is so much compared to what we're used to. It's crazy to think that the fourth year med students here are already prepared to be doctors, and that in ~4 years we will be there too. I can do weird things now, like palpitate the popliteal artery, and listen for heart murmurs with a stethoscope. Stethoscopes are very cool by the way, you should check them out if you haven't.

Right now we're all very excited for break to start after this weekend. One great realization that I have is that I'm not as anxious for the semester to end as I had been in college and high school. School is hard, but I'm enjoying it. I like what I'm learning, I like the pace, and I like the freedom I have at U-M. So I'm going into this last week of the first semester in med school comforted and content, and just a little nervous about the upcoming anatomy practical and kidney exam.

Oh yeah, and say hi to winter:

Here at Michigan we're hardcore: 20-degree highs, no big deal. If you can't make it here you can't make it anywhere. I don't know what that's supposed to mean.

Happy winter break!

-Shaza