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Words I Want to Avoid as a Physician: Focal
Medical jargon drives me crazy sometimes. It makes sense to use with other health professionals who will know what you’re talking about. It facilitates communication in certain situations. With patients though, it seems to just get you in trouble, or make you look like a fool.
A focal neurologic deficit as I understand it is a deficit that is affecting a specific part or side of the body. Right sided weakness, a facial droop on the left side, or right arm numbness would be examples of a focal neuro deficit. Focal designates that the symptom is in a specific area.
Most people don’t know that, heck, it took me many months to figure it out working as a scribe.
So, naturally, it was surprising and frustrating when a physician I was working with asked a drunk guy coming in complaining of weakness-
“Do you have something focal going on? Anything focal?”
Wow. I think the blank stare would have been the response of 99.5% of the population in a similar situation.
Note to self: never ask someone if they have something focal happening to them, unless my patient is a neurologist.
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Mountains Beyond Mountains: What Paul Farmer Teaches Us About Passion
“I’m going to build my own f—ing hospital. And there will be none of that there, thank you.” 
Dr Paul Farmer can get testy at times. He helped raise money to get blood bank equipment at a rural hospital in Haiti. He was pissed when he found out the hospital was going to charge patients in advance to access it, so he takes matters into his own hands. He states earlier in the book, “I”m an action kind of guy.”
And yes, he does build his own f—ing hospital. And he does not charge patients for it’s services. The story is told in Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder.
The book illuminates the many journeys of Dr Farmer and his work to serve the poorest in the world. We see him go from Alabama, to Harvard Medical School, to rural Haiti, south to Peru and across the Atlantic to Russia to name just a few destinations. But the book, like it’s primary subject, is anchored in Haiti, the western hemisphere’s poorest country.
Dr Farmer’s quest is an inspiring story for anyone, but it has special resonance for those interested in medicine. Reading the book for a second time recently has re-oriented my reasons for going into medicine. I remembered why I wanted to be a physician and travel.
Everyone goes into medicine for different reasons. I am in no place to judge whether certain motivations are superior to others. I only know what makes sense to me. And to me using my knowledge and influence as a physician to serve the poor, well it fits with who I am.
I want to serve those in need. I want to increase access to vaccines, antibiotics and prevention programs. I want to study global public health and make a contribution. I am under no illusion that I want to do this because I am some selfless human being. I want to do it because I think it will be fulfilling and it fits with my faith background.
While Paul Farmer is an inspiration to me, I do not wish to model my life after him. His life really serves best as an example of someone who cares deeply about people and translates that intense passion into meaningful work. And that is something I will always support.
Read more about the organization Farmer helped to start, Partners In Health. They are doing great work in Haiti.
Has anyone else read Mountains Beyond Mountains? What did you think?
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My First Deposit to Medical School
I just put down my first deposit for medical school. $1000 to hold my place at my top choice so far.
One thing I didn’t realize about osteopathic medical schools is that they have early and expensive deposits. They want deposits 2-3 weeks after you are accepted.
This was tough to do, but I didn’t really have a choice. I have three more upcoming interviews but the deposit was due today. If I didn’t pay it I would lose my spot in the class.
It is essentially a $1000 insurance policy in case I do not get in anywhere else (assuming I would want to go to another school). While a grand is tough to swallow if I end up going somewhere else, in the big scheme of things it’s not a huge deal. And if I end up going to the school it goes towards tuition anyway.
Man, this process is long and financially costly. Hopefully I’ll know where I’m going within the next month though. I’m not complaining though, I’m going to be a doctor!
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Summer Medical And Dental Education Program: Awesome Opportunity
Apply for the Summer Medical And Dental Education Program, a great opportunity for pre med and pre dental students. For all the details check out the site here.
Here is a brief overview:
-The program is a free (tuition, room and board included) 6 week educational experience for those interested in medicine or dentistry. This includes some clinical exposure as well as information on financial aid and career development.
-There are 12 program sites at these schools:
Case Western Reserve University
Columbia University
Duke University
Howard University
University of California-Los Angeles
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical and New Jersey Dental
University of Louisville
University of Nebraska
University of Virginia
University of Washington
University of Texas-Houston
Yale University
-Application closes March 1st, 2010.
Has anyone participated in this program? Care to share experiences?
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Pre Med Resources
This is the best list of relevant websites, articles and blogs regarding the pre med journey that you will find on the internet. Bookmark this. I’ll be updating the list as I find more useful info.
Pre Med Basics
- Pre-requisites for Medical Schools. These are the undergraduate classes you need to take to apply to most medical schools.
- American Association of Medical Colleges
- American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
- AspiringDocs.org List of Helpful Links
- Top Ten Pieces of Advice for Pre Med Students – A great list from VitumMedicinus, a medical student.
- Student Doctor Network – Want a place to interact with other crazy pre med students? This place is for you. Also useful for reading perspectives of students and residents further along the pre med journey. I prefer to use it for this reason.
MCAT Links
Perhaps the most dreaded part of the pre med journey. Be not afraid.
- The Basic MCAT Overview – A brief guide to what the MCAT is all about.
- MCAT home page
- 2010 MCAT Test Dates
- MCAT Registration
Medical School Application
- American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) – Registration and instructions for applying to MD schools.
- American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) – Application instructions to apply to DO schools.
Best Books for Pre Meds
These are books that I have either read and used or heard great things about.
- Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World
- Planning a Life in Medicine: Discover If a Medical Career is Right for You and Learn How to Make It Happen (Career Guides)
- Med School Confidential: A Complete Guide to the Medical School Experience: By Students, for Students
- Essays That Will Get You into Medical School
- Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance
- How Doctors Think
Pre Med and Med Student Blogs
- Medaholic – Medical Student
- A Med school Memoir – Medical Student
- Vitum Medicinus – Medical Student
- The Impossible Pre Med – Pre Med Student
Pre Med Forums
- StudentDoctor.net pre-Allopathic forum (MD)
- StudentDoctor.net pre-Osteopathic forum (DO)
- The Best Pre Med Forums
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Accepted!… and exhausted
I will be going to medical school.
It feels great to type that. I recently heard back from my first interview and was granted an acceptance. I was also accepted at my second interview.
All the hard work, the long hours studying in undergrad, the revisions of the personal statement, the tedious application process and the nerve wracking interviews, well, it’s all starting to pay off.
Not that the work was not rewarding itself at times, but ultimately the purose was to get into med school. And I have accomplished that goal.
Unfortunately I have had little time to reflect. I’ve had three interviews in as many weeks. Sandwhiched in between has been 12 hour scribe shifts, Christmas parties, family problems and flight delays. Last week I came home from an interview at 11PM Friday night, worked at 6:30AM the next day, then worked a string of 12 hour shifts until Wed when I left for another interview. I finally made it home yesterday.
I’m tired and looking forward to a break.
But I made it into med school. And that is awesome.
In Brief
Welcome to Pre Med Journey
News, advice and links to help you get into medical school.
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Vitum Medicinus says it’s because it will help you get into medical school. Check out this stellar article outlining all the reasons it’s a good idea to read as many medical blogs as possible. Among some of the best reasons provided: you’ll write a better essay, you’ll know for sure if medical school is right for [...]
The MCAT is a big deal. It tests your basic science knowledge, but more importantly your critical thinking and reading comprehension skills. Medical schools need a way to figure out not just whether you can memorize facts or understand biological concepts. They want to know if you have the brain capacity, focus and work ethic [...]
Each medical school has it’s own set of prerequisites that each applicant to their school must meet. However, most medical schools have a basic course load that is very similar. Here are the main undergraduate courses that nearly every medical school will need in order to accept your application.
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