Two Exams Down

6 weeks of Anatomy have passed. 2 Anatomy exams have past. We've covered the somatic and visceral body (everything but head and neck for you non-science types) and now there's only one exam left. In 3 weeks I'll be done with Anatomy. That's a phrase I never thought I would say. Time is whizzing by at lightning speed when I look back, but each day feels like an eternity. I get up, go to class, go to lab, come home, study, then go to bed. I had someone ask me the other day what's new and exciting and I started talking about Anatomy. They asked me if anything else was new and I paused for a few seconds and the only thing I could come up with was that I ran my car through the car wash. Not a real exciting life unfortunately, but it'll do for now. I'm still enjoying it a lot. It's stressful and the pressure is greater than I could have imagined but at the end of the day, I really love it. I work best under pressure anyway so it's not such a bad thing.

Last weekend was our White Coat Ceremony. It was nice to see the family again and the ceremony was great. It was difficult at first because it was taking up the weekend before an Anatomy exam but it turned out to be fine. As our keynote speaker said, you have received a coat, but now you have to earn it and grow into it. I'm taking those words to heart. I'm going to continue to work hard and accomplish my goals. Some days it's not easy. There are days when I'd like to turn off my directional, drive past the entrance to my neighborhood, and keep going until I can't go any further. But, at the most difficult times, something small will come along. Even the tiniest, minutest of details in lab or lecture or in casual conversation will come up and it keeps you going.

Next weekend is the annual Penn State weekend and I'm pumped! It will be nice to get away for a couple of days and think about something other than school. I'll of course have the books and laptop with me to squeeze in a little bit of studying, but I'm still going to have fun and put most of that out of my mind, even if for a few hours. Speaking of next week, pre-season hockey starts on Tuesday! Where the hell does the time do!? I'm excited for the upcoming season. New coaches and a new look team should be exciting. I'm sad I can't be there firsthand, but I hope all of my Thrashers friends enjoy themselves. You know I'll be there in spirit.

It's off to the gym and then studying for round two of exams. A med student's work is never done. Until next time...

I've Learned What?

And now the real game begins... The second week is now complete and the first full week of medical school classes is over. Looking back at what I've learned so far, it seems like I've completed an entire semester but it's only been 6 days of class! I'm working harder then I ever thought possible, but you know what, I love it. I'm tired and I need a mental break, but it's been worth it in this short time. 

Anatomy has been pretty intense and it's only getting worse. We've completed the back and moved on to the upper limb. I've taken 8 years of Spanish and I'm pretty sure I've studied close to the same amount of vocabulary this week. OK, maybe not that much, but it does feel that way. 

In the midst of that, we've started OPP and Clinical Skills which makes it seem real. Yeah, it's how to take a patient history, but it's still exciting. Student Doctor Sorci would like to know what brings you in today. How can I help you today? It has a nice ring to it. 

So, things are moving along nicely. It seems like there's no possibility that I'll ever learn all of this stuff, but I'm confident that I'll get through. Two more weeks until the first Anatomy exam and 8 more weeks of Anatomy. That doesn't sound so bad after all. 

I hope everyone back in Atlanta is doing well. I still miss everyone but I'm getting by. Until next time...

One Week

Well, the first week is in the books. It's been 4 days of orientation and one day of class and I already feel behind! The message all week is keep your head above water and DON'T FALL BEHIND! That almost seems impossible. With the new schedule, we have 9 weeks of Gross Anatomy and that's pretty much by itself (with the exception of Clinical Skills and OPP). For those of you who don't know, OPP is Osteopathic Principles and Practice. More on that another time. Anyway, it's nice to not have to focus on 15 other classes, but at the same time, 9 weeks of anatomy is intense and a little frightening. There's so much time and so little to do...strike that, reverse it. Seriously, it doesn't seem possible but I'll get it done.

Where to begin? That seems to be the pressing issue so far. A million things have been thrown at us all week. Don't get behind, study lab, look at objectives, read this, don't read that, no wait go ahead and read that just in case, know this, and did I mention don't get behind? It just seems like there are a thousand things to do and about a day to do them in. Oh well. As one of our professors said in lecture yesterday, this is medical school, dearhearts.

Overall, the week has gone well. I've met some great people so far and I'm really happy with my choice of schools. The faculty and administration is very helpful and it's just a great environment. I really look forward to working with everyone and it should be an awesome experience. I'll keep everyone updated as we progress. Speaking of not getting behind, it's time to study. Until next time...

It's a New Dawn, It's a New Day...

They tell me that time flies. I suppose they're right. One week ago I was in a Budget truck with my possessions behind me and my car in tow. Today I am sitting in my office in Lewisburg enjoying the comfortable summer day. Back in January, I never thought this day would come. When will I be moving and be able to start school?! It seems so far away. I have plenty of time. The air was freezing cold and the Thrashers still had Ilya Kovalchuk as the captain. A few months later it seemed closer but there was so much else to do that I could put off moving for yet another day. And now here we are. Orientation for medical school starts on Monday and I'm already moved into my new place. So yes, I suppose they're correct. Time really does fly.

I miss everyone back in Atlanta, but I am definitely enjoying myself up here so far. The move could not have gone any better. We made great time getting here despite the painfully slow ride up the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia. Getting into my car made it feel like a Shelby GT500 and not the V6 that it is. It was hot on Saturday but we got it done before it got unbearable outside. We were able to put the ramp to the truck right into my front door over the porch steps so it was like a loading dock. That came in handy big time. It took some work but I got everything in order and I'm ready to take on the school year.

Yesterday I took a ride up to the New River Gorge Bridge. It is just outside Fayetteville, WV which is about an hour from here. Well, it's more like an hour and a half but the Mustang and I did pretty well around some of the mountain twists and turns ;) It is the longest arch bridge in the western hemisphere and the second highest in the world. It was the highest in the world up until a few years ago when the French built an aqueduct that's higher. Lousy frogs. Anyway, it was incredible. It really is amazing to see an engineering wonder that high above the ground. It was an amazing blend of man and nature. I think I will definitely be heading back up there soon for some calm unwinding.

That's about it for now. I am including just a few pictures. Those of you on facebook can see the whole album. If you're not on facebook but would like more pictures, send me a message and I'll email them to you. I hope everyone is doing well. I miss you guys and I hope to see everyone very soon. Take care.

In the End It's Right...

It's been a little over a month since the last game of the 2009-2010 Thrashers hockey season. With the playoffs in full swing and some changes being made to the team, it's finally beginning to set in that I will no longer be a season ticket holder.

It seems like just yesterday I was sitting in 218 cheering the boys on to the first ever Division Championship and their first trip to the postseason. A lot has changed since then. Coaches have come and gone, players have been signed and traded, and my seats have moved across the arena for a new perspective. However, despite all of the changes and differences over the past few years, the memories and friendships I have made will always remain with me.

As I move on to medical school and leave Atlanta, it will be odd not to be preparing myself for the upcoming season. Opening night will come and go and a new coaching staff will be hired. Free agents will be signed and some old faces will be sent off to pursue other opportunities. I'm not sure what it will feel like to have to watch opening night at home on television rather than at the arena, but I am confident that I will be there in spirit. One thing I am sure of is that I will miss everyone as I already do. I realize it won't be the same without Angry Steve there to put on a show by yelling and screaming or cursing under my breath about the annoying opposing fans sitting around me, but I'm sure you all will carry on. I will definitely be in touch and I wish everyone well. Have a beer and drop an F-bomb for me every now and then. Thank you for being such great friends. It wouldn't be the same without you and you will never be forgotten. Until we meet again...

Webster Defines Cluster as...

We work for the people. That's what they tell us. The men and women of Congress sit up there in their tower and insist that they work for us. They are here for us to make our lives better. Don't believe the hype, folks. With the recent House passing of the Health Care Bill, this theory of "working for the people" has pretty much been disproven and eradicated. Never in my short lifetime have I witnessed a more blatant disregard for the needs and wants of the American public.

I don't understand how a group of people who is supposed to be working "for us" can pass something that only fits their own skewed agenda and feeds their own massive egos. It doesn't make sense.

I am about to enter medical school at the end of this summer. Right now there are few things I want more than to jump on a plane, fly to Italy, and spend a few weeks relaxing and taking in the sites and culture of my ancestors. Yet, I don't have the money to do so. I have bills to pay and I have to be financially prepared for the next 4 years and beyond. Why is this such a hard concept for the American Government to grasp? Our deficit is in excess of a TRILLION dollars at the moment. The answer? Blow up spending with the new Health Care Bill to make sure people can get coverage. If you're scratching your head, you're not alone. I know, I know. It's all Bush's fault. He can be blamed for everything right? Not so fast.

There is no possible way this bill will NOT cost us money. No possible way. 0% chance. Nil. Zippo. Zilch. Goose Egg. The number of goals the Thrashers have scored against the Bruins in the last two meetings. Period. You cannot tell me that increasing the amount of people by millions that rely on the government will not cost us money. They have even explicitly stated that individuals making over $200,000 a year or married couples combining for $250,000 or more per year will face drastic tax increases. Does this affect the majority of Americans? Maybe not. Does it affect many? Yes it does. People making this amount of money work hard and have earned the money they make. They have health care for themselves and their families and now they are responsible for funding the health care for individuals who don't care to work or make less money? This group already funds the welfare and unemployment system so these people don't have to work and can still survive, now they have to provide prescription drugs to them as well?

That brings us to the issue of fining individuals or businesses without health care. If you make a certain amount, you have to have health care. Period. These fines will help encourage people to work hard and work for companies with benefits and the money the government collects will help pay off the deficit. FALSE. These fines will do the opposite. Few people will want to face fines and most who do will not be able to afford to and will therefore opt for the government's Medicaid plan thus increasing people who rely on the government causing an increase in spending and an increase in the need for more tax revenue. The economy is in the toilet. The fix? Let's tax and fine the hell out of businesses that don't offer decent health care plans. That makes sense. Did it ever occur to you that they cut out health benefits because they CAN'T AFFORD TO OFFER THEM?!! Maybe businesses like airlines and medium sized retail stores would like prefer to cut out benefits rather than laying people off in these tough times.

As a future physician, I am not only taking it on the chin with regard to tax increases, I'm also taking it when it comes to my business. The government plans to cut repayments to hospitals, physicians, drug companies, and pharmacies by an undisclosed amount. This is in addition to the almost 40% physician cutbacks for Medicare and Medicaid starting in January of 2010. Walgreens in Washington state has stopped accepting new patients on Medicare because they cannot afford to help them. Physicians in family practice are doing the same. Physicians in specialties are cutting back because many of their procedures are not covered by the government as it is. Remind me again how putting more people on the government aid is beneficial to care. Please....I'll wait for your answer...Actually, I better not because I don't have time to wait that long.

I cannot believe the ego of these idiots passing this bill. They are all incredibly insane to think this is a good idea. Pelosi has an approval rating of 11%. Reid has one of 8%. Obama has a DISAPPROVAL rating of 58%. I wasn't alive to see Jimmy Carter take office, but this is pretty much the same thing so I guess I can get my fill. I beg the American people to see this as a travesty. People without insurance are viewing this as a hay day. The system is running wild. The government cannot control itself or its spending. A person who preached "transparency, accountability, and an open government" has egotistically signed a bill which was created in "Democrat-only" closed door meetings and has purchased votes by bribing Democrats in certain states. This bill smells and it smells bad, forget the fact that's it's unconstitutional. Where in the Constitution does it say we have a right to health care? Where in the Constitution does it allow the House to pass a bill and THEN read it to see what's involved? What happened to "the public will have 5 days to read the bill before I sign anything?" The only good that has come of this is that the Democrats have shot themselves in the foot for the midterm and Presidential elections. I'm only sorry that it wasn't the face...

Olympic Reflections

February 22, 1980. The United States and the world finally believed in Miracles. February 28, 2010. The belief was back. The last time a home country won gold in men's hockey was 1980 when the US men took gold at Lake Placid, a time nobody could forget. Although the singing of "God Bless America" was replaced with "O Canada" in 2010, the USA finally had a miracle to believe in again. The United States was not supposed to compete in the medal rounds in Vancouver. With the recent success of Russia and Sweden on the world stage, and Canada's all-star NHL roster competing on home ice, there was no way the USA was going to even take bronze. They couldn't. They had the youngest roster in the games, and even if they did make it out of their pool with Canada, they'd have to fight Russia, Sweden, or Finland to get into a medal round. There was so little confidence in them that most of the US hockey players were booked on flights leaving Vancouver for the respective NHL cities on Sunday morning, three hours before the gold medal game.

That's where the miracle started. The men's hockey team not only got out of their pool, they won the pool by defeating Canada and securing a bye and a spot in the semifinals. They fought hard and routed Finland to stamp their ticket to the finals with Canada. Everything was going right. In the final game they won a silver medal, but not without a hard battle. It may not have been Mike Eruzione, Jim Craig, and Herb Brooks, but it was very much Zach Parise, Patrick Kane, and Ryan Miller. Good for Canada for winning the medal on home ice. It was a spectacular accomplishment for them. However, it was an even bigger accomplishment for the USA team to prove their doubters wrong. Many questions remain about 2014. Will the Canadians be able to repeat? Will the NHL allow its players to compete in the games? Will I have time to remember that the Olympics are on since it will be in my final year in medical school? Only time will tell.

We have come to the end of another Olympic season. The Olympics are a time when we can put our differences aside and recognize all we have accomplished. It's a time when we can look at friends and neighbors from other countries who may be very different from us and congratulate them on their achievements. It's a time when we can look past our anger towards one another and shake their hands, give them a high five, and rejoice in a common ground.

Pretty soon our lives will be back to normal. The NHL will resume tonight and the players we cheered for last week will once again become our rivals. The players we booed yesterday will be our team's heroes. We will look at Vancouver as just that Canadian west coast city that seems ever so far away on a map. Life will go on but we should remember to keep the Olympic spirit going as well. Congratulations to all the athletes who made us realize that we are all together in this world. Congratulations to the United States for setting a Winter Olympic record with 37 medals, including our first in Nordic Combined and Men's 4-man Bobsled. Farewell, Vancouver. We thank you.