Tomorrow is WHAT.

6:49 PM

Author | Stefanie Stallard

I seriously can't even handle the fact that tomorrow is January 1st. Where on earth has the time gone?!? My classmates and I are already halfway through our first year of medical school and I still haven't completely accepted the fact that I'm even in medical school, let alone that I've actually started classes. (What can I say, I'm a little slow on the uptake.)

It's been both refreshing and eye-opening to take a step back and get away from school for a while. In the grand scheme of things, we're just babies on the timeline of becoming People Who Know What They're Doing. All the same, I've been shocked time and time again over the holidays at just how much I've already learned. I'm able to chime in at the most random times with bits of wisdom I've picked up in my months at Michigan. On the way home from the airport, my mother and I had a rousing conversation about the mechanism of action of her osteoporosis medication. (In our defense, it was nearly 2 AM. We can't be held responsible for the cool factor of our conversations at such an hour.) I schooled the fam on why suddenly stopping beta blockers is an epic no-no. (This one was actually relevant to discussion and not initially brought up by me, I swear.) There's obviously oodles and oodles of stuff about which I'm completely clueless, but I've accomplished far more already than I realized.

We've tackled three big chunks of the full physical exam: cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal. Several wonderful people gave up their time to allow us to learn from their medical maladies and experience 'abnormal findings' firsthand. We've practiced taking patient histories (spoiler: I'm still super awkward at it) and learned the absolute must-ask questions for a variety of conditions. I've shadowed a number of awesome and generous doctors who welcomed me with open arms and gave me the opportunity to see some incredible things. On top of all that is the obvious: we've learned. We've learned an insane amount of things and we're just getting started. Holy moly.

I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store. If it's anything like 2014, it's going to be BOSS.

© Copyright 1995-2024 Regents of the University of Michigan
Media Contact Public Relations

Department of Communication at Michigan Medicine

[email protected]

734-764-2220

Stay Informed

Want top health & research news weekly? Sign up for Health Lab’s newsletters today!

Subscribe
Featured News & Stories Elliot Tapper
Department News
Internal Medicine Faculty Spotlight − Dr. Elliot Tapper
Elliott Tapper, MD, FASSLD is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Academic Chief of Hepatology in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Aerial view of U-M Health and surrounding in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
News Release
United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals workers reach tentative agreement with University of Michigan Health
United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals (UMMAP) workers have reached a tentative, three year agreement with University of Michigan Health.
person talking to older couple on couch in living room
Health Lab
85% of Mexican Americans with dementia unaware of diagnosis, outpacing overall rate
More than three-quarters of older adults with dementia may be unaware of their diagnosis, a University of Michigan study finds. 
Shawn Flynn
Department News
Please welcome our newest postdoc, Dr. Shawn Flynn!
Please welcome our newest postdoc, Dr. Shawn Flynn!
couple smiling in picture together
Health Lab
Tooth infection leads doctors to giant brain aneurysm
A tooth infection led to the discovery of a woman’s giant brain aneurysm, which doctors treated using minimally invasive flow diversion embolization. 
Dr. Stidham in AGA News
Department News
How AI can help physicians: Dr. Stidham's interview in the American Gastroenterological Association News
Dr. Stidham's interview in AGA "GI Docs will need to forge a 'Human-Computer Cooperative'"