Day One

Wow, that just happened. Day one is done. It started at 8:30a with coffee and muffins. At 9a we gathered in a lecture hall and were officially greeted to Harvard Medical School. We began our introduction to the profession!

Walking into the lecture hall I was really taken aback. There were a lot of people in there! I was thinking: "there are a lot of future physicians in here". How many Nobel laureates, CEOs, and politicians will come out of this class?

Taking my seat, I sat with students I met at the revisit targeted to the underrepresented minorities. I usually don't like to cluster by shade. This morning I felt that I needed to get a feel for home base. I love to explore but I need to know where home is so I can "get back at the end of the day". After each break we sat with a different configuration of students. I think it is important to mix it up.

At the end of the day I was pretty exhausted. I think there was a lot of energy sent out into that lecture hall. Whichever organ that senses that energy was overstimulated. Listening, speaking, watching, thinking and feeling all require energy.

I am definitely going to get some rest tonight and prepare for the white coat ceremony. Gotta be so fresh, so clean for tomorrow!

Listening to Wale "Um rika feat K'naan"

It's late or should I say early? In any case, I was winding down from some exciting reading about polysomnography and EEGs. At the same time I was listening to the songstress, Jill Scott, when I came across this article about HMS suspending funding for the Primary Care Division.

My first thought was, "Dang, my friends in Cali were right". I'm going to be out here in Boston trying to hollerin' about wellness and prevention to an institution what totally doesn't want to hear it. After reading the article I felt hope. The author of the petition protesting the cuts is a MD/MBA candidate with the right idea. He is brought to light the need for HMS to lead in domestic primary care in addition to the work they do in global health, research and expanding general awesomeness. Highlighted was the need for outreach to medical students from day one to the time they are looking at residencies as well as working across disciplines to spur creativity and foster new leadership. I was thinking, "Hey that's just what I wanted get into when I get rolling".

I guess I didn't notice the wheels on my feet and the wind in my hair...I'm rolling already. This path with be a long one but I trust good times are to come.

Peace and love.

Making it OFFICIAL

Alright, let's get down with the get-down! Yesterday, I ran into a future classmate on campus. That was a real treat. We met at Alliance Weekend. It is a second look weekend targeted to the under-represented minority applicants accepted to HMS. From the subset of 2013ers I've met, I think we have a dope class. That pleasant experience offset an odd one from the night before.

I had a bizarre dream two nights ago. We are assigned societies but as of yesterday our class had not been made aware of our assignments. I was told societies weren't a terribly big deal, just a way to make the class feel smaller. There are friendly rivalries between societies, however. Anyway, in my dream the semester had begun and I was in a common area and students where talking about which society they where in. Apparently they posted what society you where in next to your name placard on your room door. This happened overnight or early in the morning and I didn't notice when I left my room.

So I get excited and race back to my room to see my assignment only to be dissappointed by which society I was in. Do I remember which it was...of course not. I forgot about it when I woke up but later that day a student mentioned societies and it brought me back to my dream.

Today, I received an email saying the society assignments have been posted. So let me say it for the first of many times: "P-Biddy, Stand up"! Yup, I'm in the Peabody Society (Pronounced pea-biddy according to Bostonians and Crimson associates). That's it. Now back to research.

First Post

Welcome to my blog! The purpose of this page is to document my time at Harvard Medical School (HMS). This project should last about four years. I'm really excited. Stay tuned!