M1 year is over! I can't believe how quickly this year flew by, especially considering that it was actually quite a long school year. August 4 to May 30... and then suddenly we are M2s! The last sequence of M1 year was Human Growth and Development (HGD), which in many ways was a nice break from the challenges presented by Infectious Diseases (like memorizing 900 pages of detailed information about bugs and drugs) and Embryology (like trying to spatially manipulate parts of the developing human body that don't even exist by birth). HGD was only 4 short days, but did a nice job of ending the year on a more holistic note.  And clicking "Submit" on that exam was definitely one of the most satisfying moments of the year!

The all-powerful weather gods in Ann Arbor must have known that we were done, because the weather was absolutely beautiful all weekend and everyone got to relax and celebrate in all the outdoorsy, sunshine-filled ways possible.  A big group of us spent Sunday morning at the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run, which is a huge annual event that raises money for Mott Children's Hospital, Hope Clinic, the Wounded Warrior Project, and more. The medical school had really excellent representation, with a good chunk of my classmates, "upper"classmen, and physicians representing in the 5k, 10k, and half-marathon. I ran the 5k, which was my first race ever and I  immediately felt bitten by the race-bug... Hoping to do the 10k next year!

After the race finished, all of Main Street shut down for another annual event - the Taste of Ann Arbor. My classmates and I rewarded ourselves for our morning cardio and spent hours in the sun, milling around between booths set up by all of the fantastic Main Street restaurants. You can buy tickets for $0.50 each and then sample some of the best menu offerings from each vendor. My advice for all Main Street connoisseurs is to try the fish tacos from Black Pearl, the red lentils and injera from Blue Nile, and the chicken sliders from Blue Tractor. You really can't go wrong with any of those restaurants though -- Ann Arbor is a great town to just eat your way through!

Many of my classmates and I started our summer research projects today! Already right back to work. :) More on that later, though... time to go enjoy the fact that I don't have to study at all tonight.

'Til next time!