Clinical's

So, I had great hopes to blog during clinical's about the wonderful experience I was having, and it hasn't happened. They had always warned us that we would be exhausted, but that was a desparate understatement. Clinical's + New baby + Sick 2 year old + Social life = Dead to the world. Can I just say that going to the hospital makes all that school work worth it. It is totally awesome. I am starting to feel comfortable in the OR and it is really nice to get used to doing anesthesia. The people I work with are so good to teach us. The only draw back is that I feel that I am forgetting a lot of the didactic portion. If I had some extra time I would be studying, but there isn't a lot of time for that kind of stuff. Oh, well! Anyway, I hope it isn't 4 weeks until I post again.

Done with Didactic and on to Clincals

Ok, so we finished class finally a couple of thursdays ago. I did really well on my test and I was glad to be done and looking forward to review week. Funny thing, my wife went into labor Sunday night, (on fathers day) and had the baby 2 weeks early. Which ended up being a blessing in disguise. I missed 4 hours of review on monday and an hour on tuesday and got the rest of class done. It was an amazing week. I loved being able to learn new things. Unfortunately, the sleep deprivation has shown its ugly face and I am desperately trying to catch up for clinicals next week. I thought it couldn't have happened at a better time. I also took the SEE exam, which I hope went well. Won't find out for 4 weeks, but we'll see how it goes then. Hopefully, I will have a better story next week after clinicals!

Week #4

Wow, I swear I just blinked and another week went by. This past week seemed to go really well. I believe it was the first week I only had allergies and wasn't sick all week. The test this week went extremely well. It seems that my study time is inversley related to the amount praying which is directly related to my test scores. I am definetly a fan of praying before a test now. Lectures went well and I was also able to spend some time with the family. Megan will be the first one to tell you that the whole spending time with the family thing doesn't occur all that often. Anyway, next week we have lecture mon/tue, test thur and then my summer semester is officially over. Then comes the more exciting stuff, full time clinicals (residency/internship). Well I let you know how things went next week!

Week # 3

Holy cow, this summer semester thing is flying by so fast. We took our first test last Tuesday, and besides some stupid mistakes it went really well. We also had some great guest speakers come. They spoke about owning their own anesthesia service. The one anesthetist made it sound like it was super stressful. The other anesthetist contracted with small rural hospitals. She just charged them a set dollar amount per hour and the hospital had to come up with the medications etc... She made it sound like it was the best thing ever and she wrote off her car, computer and almost everything else. It gave some good perspective towards owning your own business, which won't be for a while. Well this next week starts out with another test. Hope all goes well and then there is only one week left, review week, and then full time clinicals! Crazy!!!

Summer Week #2

So we only had class 2 days last week. It was really nice, however I was supposed to study my behind off for the test. Unfortunately I got sick again over the weekend. I hate how my son brings home every disease known to man. Oh, kids how we love them. Well thats about all the excitement for now! Till next week, arrivederci!

Summer Week #1

Well I just put a week in the books for the summer semester. It went by crazy fast. We only have 2 classes and they are both anesthesia related, Co-existing Disease and Professional Issues. Heidi seems to think that this is one of the hardest semester, but I don't think that is possible. Darla talked about volunteerism and how she went, and took students, on a medical mission to the Dominican Republic. It sounded like some much fun I ran home and told my wife that I wanted go, but she didn't exaclty share my excitement. So it might be something I have to put on hold until we are done with school. Hopefully this semester goes well, I only have 4 weeks left and then 1 review week, then its clinical full time. It will be over before I know it. Crazy! Until next week!

Finished

Yeah! I finally finished the longest, worst and most defeating semester in my life. It was super difficult and sometimes I wonder if it was truly worth it. However, I found out a couple of days ago I got some really decent grades! I was really excited about that. Well Thats about it for now. We started up with the rat race again a couple of days ago. But I will have to blog that next week. Ciao!

Week 16

So another week bit the dust. I had 2 final exams this week. The first, in pharmacology, went really well. I am pretty sure I secured myself and A. It is a nice thought to think that I won't have to go to pharm anymore. After the test, we had a 3 hour lecture for anesthesia with a quiz (thanks Jamie!). Then we went over to the anatomy lab for our final. We were split into teams and we had to tag body parts on the cadavers. Heidi wanted us to tag the ligamentum flavum, so I got out the chisel and started to do surgery on the vertebrae. Needless to say it was too hard and we didn't have enough time, so we settled for the dura around the spinal cord. I also went to clinicals this week. It was fun, but I have been in the orthopedic room all semester. Hopefully when I make up the clinical day on friday it will be something other than ortho. As a side note, Megan and Coleman returned from their trip to Utah yesterday and it was soooooo nice to see them. Well 2 finals next week and then a weekend off before its back to summer school! Till then....

Week 15

Oh how relaxing and somewhat stress free this last week was. It was so nice to know that I didn't have a big test hanging over my head all week. Unfortunately it won't be the same for this coming week. This weekend I was able to attend the Spring NDANA meeting in Fargo. The conference was super good, but way too long. It was fun to talk with the CRNAs. Also it has been fun being the Student Rep for the board. It is really interesting to see the profession from a different point of view. The worst thing that happened this week was the snow. It started snowing after I dropped Megan and Coleman off at the airport (they got sick of me studying and decided to take a trip home). Anyway I woke up in the morning and there was 16 inches of fresh snow. I am starting to agree with Megan sentiments toward living in ND when we are done. Well I gotta go!

Week 14

Wow, another week just flew by. I had to ask my wife what I did last week. Apparently I had another pharmacology exam. I don't know if the material is getting harder or if there is just more of it, but that test was a doosy. We had to study medications for diabetes, depression, psychoses, seizures, anxiety and thyroid disorders. I barely ended up with an A and it was the first time this semester I was glad to get that low of a score. One of the reasons could have been that our son got super sick. He had a 104 degree temperature or greater for two days. I was also supposed to go to clinicals on Thursday, but at one in the morning Coleman woke up and puked on our bed, on his bed, on the couch and on me all in one hour. Needless to say I called Heidi in the morning and it was a cancel-ectomy for me on clinicals. So I will have to make it up. Oh well! He is feeling a bit better now although he isn't eating solids very well yet. Well this next week is a miracle, NO TESTS!!! I haven't been this excited or lucky all semester. Well, till next week Adios!

Week 13

Finally a long awaited lull in the storm. I got a somewhat final copy of the first couple of chapters of my independent masters project complete. I sent if off to a few grammar goo roo's and hopefully it will fly with my Professor on Tuesday. It was nice to get done with one of the big projects. I was also able to read up on some of the reading I have been missing for anesthesia. It was fun to read about vascular surgeries and their anesthetic considerations. The information sounds as though it is a roller coaster in the OR when you have a big AAA or aortic repair. Hopefully one day I will be able to tell you what it really is like. This week is a little more laid back. Once I turn in my paper I have just one test (pharmacology) on Wednesday and then clinicals. It will be nice because the following week I don't have any tests, hooray!!! It is also my beautiful wife's birthday on Friday and I am pretty excited to just unwind and spend some time with the family. Gotta go! Till next week.

Week 12

This week was such a blur it wasn't even funny. First was the pathophysiology test, I was aiming for a 96 but didn't quite get it. So for the last test I will have to get a 92 to receive an A in the class. The pressure is on now. Plus it is my favorite subjects (female reproductive, pregnancy and neonates). Hopefully the stuff we are learning in Anesthesia will help. Then it was the statistics final. I think I did well, but I will have to go in and see the Professor to figure out what my final grade is. Also I had another clinical this week. It was pretty good. I was with a CRNA who was pretty intense. He taught me a lot though. I found out that if you can get a milligram of dilaudid on board 15-30 minutes prior to induction you don't see them have a hypertensive response, although it did seem as though we were fighting them on the hypotensive end. But it didn't really knock out their respiratory drive, which was surprising, and the patients woke up with relatively low pain scores. We also extubated a patient deep, just to try it out. I didn't really like it. It seemed as though I was holding the airway the whole time, which was a real bugger trying to get the bed down to the PACU. They say you take the things you like form all of the CRNAs and form your own practice and now I really see what they are saying. As for next week another anesthesia test and then back to the research paper. Will it ever end???
Oh I almost forgot. The BIS monitor rep came into town this week and a bunch of CRNAs and a couple of students went to dinner at a golf course. The food wasn't that great but the rep had a CRNA that spoke to us about increased incidence of Alzheimer's and breast cancer metastasis and how it might be related to our volatile agents (anesthesia gases). It was super interesting and I can't wait to see the studies that come out in the next few years. It should shape anesthesia practice in the next several years!

Week 11

I finally hit the wall this week. So our anatomy class was supposed to be one of those show up and get a grade type. But one of the 2nd year students, who will go unamed on this blog, told the professor that there wasn't enough structure to the course. Who in their right mind tells a professor that there isn't enough structure in an easy class? Especially when you are totally getting killed in your other classes! Well it turns out that we will be having quizes and a final now and we have to watch these videos prior to class. I am super excited about that! So, because I was so frustrated, I decided to take it easy this weekend. Now I have to study 3 packets for pathophysiology for the test on monday. Which isn't impossible, it just would've been nice to have more of it done. Anyway enough complaining for now and time to go spend some time with the family before another week! Ciao!

Week 10

Another week has gone by in a blur. We took our cardiac anesthesia test this week. If it weren't for stupid mistakes I could've probably received an A. It makes me mad because I haven't done this poorly in a long time. I think its because I have too many things pulling in way to many directions. Also this weekend I have been working on my masters independent project paper. We have to have a rough draft of it for EBP on tuesday. It will be nice because it will be done at the end of this semseter (besides the project aspect). My wife thinks it will be nice when I finally get into clinicals because I will have more time, which I really hope will be the case. Anyway, on to another busy week with the paper and then I have to start studying for a pathophysiology test, yeah!

Week 9

So another week bites the dust. I am so glad to be done with that week. The antimicrobials test was a doosy, but it could have been a lot worse than it was. I am so glad Kevin is straight forward because he could have smoked us on that test. I also got my presentation out of the way. I felt as though it went really well and it was actually kind of fun (once you get over the nervous feeling). I hope one day I can teach a couple of classes at the college level. So I am kind of nervous for the next couple of weeks. We got over 80 pages of notes on Wed/Thur for cardiac and that is with 6 slides per page. There is just too much to know and I hope enough time to learn it. Then the next week we have a rough draft for our masters project due (30-50 pages worth). I feel as though "I was up the creek without a paddle" and fell out and I am about to go through some class 5 rapids! And we won't even begin to talk about how neglected the family is. I am so thankful to have a loving and supporting wife, and a son who won't remember any of it!!! Well gotta go! Ciao!

Spring Break

So amazingly enough for the first year we actually follow the school's schedule and I got a week off for spring break. We decided to make it worth it and we took off to sunny California and Disneyland. It was a great and well needed break. The weather was fantastic and it made it super hard to return to a snow storm and -10 degree weather. Saturday I studied for the pharmacology test that is on Wednesday (there are about 100 antibiotics that we have to know). I didn't quite make the dent I needed to, so that will be on the list for Tuesday. Monday is another clinical day, so I am excited and dreading it because the time change was early this year and I'll have to get up at 4:30 instead of 5:30. I sure hope I will have enough energy to study on Tuesday and then my presentation is due on Wednesday. Another week of fun and lots of hard work. They say it will pay off in the end, but that remains to be seen.

Week 8

So there is a possibility that I was so busy the week prior to spring break that I forgot to post. Plus we were kind of en route to California on Sunday. This last week was super hectic with the two tests. I was worried out of my mind over the pathophysiology test and didn't have enough time to study for either of the tests. I must say that I felt pretty prepared for the pathophysiology test until I took it. When I left the test I looked through the notes and thought that I bombed it. So I came home and immediately started studying for the anesthesia test. My wife made me promise that I wouldn't look at the score until I was finished with the anesthesia test, to help with the anxiety. Once I had finally finished the anesthesia test I found out that I did well on the pathophysiology test, which was an awesome start to our spring break. Still haven't heard about the anesthesia test, final grade, but I felt as though I did well and I only missed a few on the multiple choice. Anyway it was way hectic but worth it for a weeks worth of vacation.

Week 7

This last week was so busy. I had the normal load of homework plus my presentation that I was trying to prepare for. It was really crazy. In fact, I haven't started studying for my pathophysiology test yet. This could be very dangerous, but I do have all day Monday and Tuesday morning. Clinical went pretty well this week. We did a couple of total knees and I was able to assist and do one spinal. The first one was really bad I got the needle in there and all I could feel was bone. Then the CRNA tried, and finally the MDA tried and it took the MDA a couple of sticks. So I wasn't feelin' to bad about my skills. The next spinal went smooth as butter. It is good to get into a clinical setting and get some experience under the belt. Well this next week I have the 2 test (patho and anesthesia), then its off to Disney Land with the family. I can't wait to get out there and enjoy the good weather. But this week will be interesting and the week we get back will be too. Also next week we will get our clinical rotations. I hope I get some good ones. Well till then, have a good one!

Week 6

This last week just flew by so fast. I got my score back from our anesthesia test and I ended up doing quite well. It was nice to know that I have a handle on one subject. We had our first paper due in the research class as well. I wouldn't say that it is my favorite class, but you have to take it to graduate. This next week I am going to try to get my Ischemic Heart Disease presentation done so I can have some peace of mind on vacation over spring break. Well, tahts about it for now!

Week 5

Well to say the least this was a long week. After the scare last week I was really worried about our test. It covered some huge topics such as spinal, epidural, peripheral blocks and Local Anesthetics. The test was on Wednesday morning and the pulled another surprise on us. The first 25 questions were multiple choice and then we had 15 short answer/essay style questions. I think it took us 2 hours to finish the test. Then Jamie lectured us on Neuro with a presentation by Crystal on Tumors. We were so wasted after the test, I'm no sure much sank in with the Neuro lecture. I was also able to do my first clinical for the 2nd semester. I thought I would have forgotten everything seeing how I hadn't been to clinical in 2 months, but it all came back nicely. It was really good to get back into clinicals to remember what it is truly all about. Well gotta run and make some cookies with the family!

Week 4

So as you can tell I was pretty busy last week and didn't even get a chance to post. We took 2 tests and I kinda bombed my patho test. This came as a huge surprise because it was on the cardiovascular system. I guess I just got too complacent, and it really killed me. Justin one of our friends reminded me that sometimes things like this happen for a reason and that maybe it was just a trial of my faith. I really hope that there aren't too many more trials this semester. So that Friday I went to speak with the professor about what happened. Turns out I read way to much into a few questions. I still don't like here as a teacher, but have more respect for her as a person. At least I did really well on my second test in pharmacology. Oh, well!

Week 3

We had a really good time this week. Eric Rodes came from Crookston where he is a CRNA and did our lecture on peripheral nerve blocks. It was really interesting to hear it from someone who does them all of the time. I asked Heidi again if it were possible for me to have a rotation at Crookston, so we will see how it goes. Also, there are some pretty big tests next week and I have a lot of reading and homework to do. I am starting to feel the stress of this semester. So hopefully I will have some good news next week. Till then arivederci!

Week 2

We were in for a big surprise this week. In anesthesia they started out telling us that they didn't feel as though we were challenged enough last semester. So now we are really going to get killed. I guess it will probably be good when I am loking back on it after the fact. The first week was ok. I have a feeling that once the tests start we are really going to be in trouble. Anyway, I gatta go prep for the nex week.

Semester 2 Week 1

Wow, what a Christmas break. It felt so good to have some time off after a stressful end to a semester. We went to visit our parents in Utah and saw our family and some old friends. Anyway, when I saw this semesters calendar I wanted to cry. It looks to be a very busy semester, and I only have one anesthesia class. I guess our Prof's didn't think we were challenged enough last semester so they added some pop quizes and presentations. Then you add the fact that I have to take Research, Stats and Anatomy and thats going to be a recipe for a tough semester. Well, gotta go watch Sunday Night Football.