the glory and the horror

So I haven’t been doing much studying today, and instead been wandering around, looking for honeymoon stuff. So if you have any ideas, please, let me know. We’re looking at January 2005, so it’s definitely winter time in the Northern Hemisphere. Beach is also not all that high on the list. We’re flexible, otherwise. We prefer to head west out of DFW, since we’re going to swing by CA and Hong Kong, anyway, so heading that direction in general would be nice.

Anyway, I know there are creative romantics that read this blog, so come on out of the woodwork and show yourselves!

On Friday night at SCF, we prayed for opportunities to serve, and it was incredible to see this weekend happen, as God threw opportunities for us to serve right at us. We got to give people rides, help out at a car accident, help make apple crisp for psych patients. It was a good weekend for serving, and just getting to do things that are about things besides ourselves.

I’m finished with second year. An incredibly wonderful feeling. The grind of all these badly organized classes and hit-or-miss teaching is over. ACtually, that’s not totally accurate. Some classes were very badly organized. Some were very well-organized, but they were much fewer. And the teaching was hit or miss. One professor could be stellar. And then he or she would be followed by a whole string of people that just read right off their Powerpoint presentations.

If I didn’t know better, I would think they really didn’t want to teach. And that our learning is only a function of our Type-A personalities that refuse to let us fail, and that we’re too worried about getting our MD than we are about dealing with systemic problems with the way our “teaching” institution “teaches.”

Sometimes, being in the middle of all of this frustrates me to no end. Medicine is not about the facts. Anyone can learn the facts. Medicine is not merely ending or alleviating suffering. It’s giving meaning to the process of going through the suffering. Sometimes the suffering ends, and the person gets well. Or at least somewhat better. Sometimes the suffering only ends with death. Sometimes the pain can still persist, but the suffering is dealt with. Medicine is so much more than treating illnesses. Or even just achieving “good health.”

A fascinating article on CCM in the New Pantagruel: Hymns in the Whorehouse

I have to thank the Kristen of Kristen & Mike over there on your left for the link to this one. I especially enjoyed the kidney analogy. Perhaps I still do like medicine. Or maybe I just like vivid analogies.

Only one more graded test left to my second year of medical school. It can’t come soon enough. Finished our Clinical Medicine course today, finally. I don’t know why people at my school think that’s the best class. It must be content, because it sure isn’t the organization or teaching. I’m convinced that medical school courses could be taught with a lot fewer instructors, and lot more clarity, if you’re going to stick with this 2 year didactic bit. Personally, I’d advocate for a more sweeping shift towards more of an apprenticeship/mentorship thing with less classroom time, more time in the hospital watching, learning, and being. The science is important, but not 2 years worth, and not totally separate from the clinical experience.

Anyway, I’m glad that’s over, and I’m certain I passed. So the last thing between me and starting studying for USMLE Step 1 is my last Pharm test. Yippee.

On a slightly happier note, I’ve bought our tickets for our trip back to California after Step 1 and Justin’s wedding. Wedding planning is slowly progressing for us. We’ll need to finalize a location quite soon, though. We’re working on that.

I just realized that I haven’t played the piano or guitar in several weeks. That’s quite sad. Pitiful, even.

Does anyone know of good free resources to learn CSS?