Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Day 910: Good talk, good talk

I had the great fortune of catching up with an old high school friend this past Sunday. He is actually a fourth-year medical student at the school in New Orleans where I interviewed. It was great to get some insight from him about the school as well as get his honest thoughts and advice.

I suppose the moral of this story is to tell you that I have had the utmost pleasure of being given a choice of where to attend medical school. At this point, it is between a school in New Orleans and a school in Milwaukee. Given those cities alone, I can guess where a majority of you are pulling for. However, the talk with my old high school friend, let's call him Magellan, really helped make my decision easier.

And what is that decision? I'm leaning towards purchasing an all wheel drive vehicle for a cold, cold, cold environment. Honestly, the program in Milwaukee was more suited to my taste and I really enjoyed all the people I met while I was there. I was just more comfortable there.

I think I was leaning towards New Orleans, rather heavily, because they were the first school to accept me. I wasn't sure if I'd have any more options so I adjusted to the idea of a life in NoLa. Honest to blog, the New Orleans school was my least favorite of the four schools I saw. I don't think it helped I got sick and infected while I was there, but overall, the school just wasn't my favorite. It's that cheesy-but-true sentiment of "following my gut." Right now, my gut is leaning towards cold times, winter weight and an SUV!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Day 900: Has it really been 900 days?

The first one was something I was incredibly reticent about mentioning for fear it was a mistake. The second one is, well, a pleasant surprise.

I hate to spell it out for people, because it feels so crass laying all my "accomplishments" out on the line, but I suppose there's no harm in stating facts. I have, in fact, heard from cette school in Milwaukee and the prognosis is good.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Day 897: Undergraduate musings

Having had the great pleasure of participating in four medical school interviews, it was my last one in Milwaukee that led me to this post.

For those of you that know (and those of you that don't), I went to college in New York.


I'm from California.


Upon telling people this, they all seem very impressed. Well, maybe not impressed, but they do tend to say, "wow you've been all over." I didn't realize that it was odd to go to university outside of your state. All of my friends from college did the same thing. One is from Wisconsin, the other is from North Carolina by way of Indiana, and the others are from nearby Pennsylvania. Of course, there's my one friend from New York state (you know who you are), and I actually found it odd that she stayed in New York. I suppose it's what you're used to.

Anyway, I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to study in New York. It provided me opportunities abound that I certainly would not have had if I went to a state school (which my mother still laments).


It also, I find, made me much more willing to up-and-move to wherever. I kid you not, every single student and/or applicant I spoke to in Milwaukee told me they ended up attending this school (or applying/interviewing at this school) for the sheer fact that they wanted to get away from home and/or college. It would have been too much of the same and they all wanted to get away.

I realized, probably by the fourth person that told me this, that I'm not getting away from anything. Home is always going to be California. If I seem especially willing to leave it, it doesn't mean I don't love it. I adore California. But I'll always come back. To see family and friends and whatnot. So, I don't feel a pressing need to stay because I know I'll always return. I think I just never realized how different it was of me to be so willing to move. Especially when I've never considered myself to be terribly nomadic or anything of the sort.

You really learn (or finally glean) something new (about yourself, in this case) everyday.