It's only Tuesday

The first week is in full swing. I am currently on the couch, not moving much, enjoying what little free time I have from day to day.

Our pathophysiology professor seems very nice, and talks very quietly. And yes, Pathos = suffering, for all of you who didn't know the greek roots of the word "pathology" - in that spirit, we have our first test next Wednesday. Yes, in our second week.

Our Intro to Professional Nursing class is fantastic. We have two professors teaching, both who are incredibly intelligent, and one who is a fireball of animation. I'm in stitches (no pun intended) whenever she lectures, and she makes us want to go to class. Sigh. Thank goodness we've got great instructors. I'd expect no less, but man, the charisma of these people who have developed our program, from the Dean all the way to the instructors to the students is off the charts.
Even though I'm a little tired, I have a smile on my face.

Today was our first clinical skills day, where we spent time learning how to wash our hands properly (15 seconds) and make beds with patients still in them. We also went over giving bed baths, and spent a good hour taking turns in the spotlight, explaining how to bathe a patient, and why it's so important. Good ice breaker, along with good information.

Tuesdays from now on will be spent driving to San Rafael, but today we met our CIs (clinical instructors) whom we will be answering to on Thursdays and Fridays from 7am-4pm, or earlier if placed at Stanford. I already dig my CI, Chuck, who seems really down-to-earth and happy to teach. I lucked out and am at UCSF this quarter, although I get my dose of commuting to Palo Alto in the winter. My fellow MEPN group are all people I know- one friend from Mills, one friend from around SF, and one person in my specialty. All students are in med-surg type wards: some are in trauma, some in geriatrics, some are in oncology, but it's all med-surg. I'm at Long Hospital, on floor 9, which should be super interesting - to quote from the UCSF website:

"Transplant: 9 Long is the unit where all of the kidney, pancreas, and liver transplants are cared for. UCSF is a Center for Excellence in Transplant Surgery, performing over 668 transplants a year."
-and-
"The Acute Hemodialysis Unit (AHU) on the 9th floor of Long Hospital provides dialysis/apheresis treatments to adult and pediatric inpatients."

Apparently we also get overflow patients other wards, such as Immunology/Oncology.

Clinicals should be interesting. We only have one day this week- Thursday, although usually it's Th/Fr.
Typical first quarter schedule:
Mon 8-4 class. Go home and read forever
Tuesday 9:30-4:30 clinical skills lab in San Rafael. Carpool, joke around, come home and read and collapse.
Wednesday: 9 or 10-4 class. Go home and read forever.
Thursday: 7a-4 or 5pm clinical. Go home and collapse.
Friday: 7am-4 or 5pm clinical. Drink a beer, go home, collapse.

Yep, it's only Tuesday.
Favorite word encountered so far: "blebbing" in pathophysiology. Say it 5 times fast without laughing. Go on, I dare you.
On to homework...
And tomorrow, we'll see what Pharmacology has in store.