Anatomy and Rain

Today I’ve been studying all day. The bulk of my time is actually spent on catching up on the background details behind the lectures, the stuff I’ve learned during my post-bacc years that I need some brushing up on. Molecular Cell Bio and Histology so far have been mainly review for me, but what is new to me is that everything is taught in the context of clinical medicine. No more carbon fixation of CAM plants, no more polyploid inheritance of certain random animals, no more uric acid renal system of birds, and no more dissection of felis catus. Everything is human and relevant to our futures as doctors.

These past few days have been really rainy, as St. Maarten recovers from Tropical Storm Erika, giving me more incentive to stay indoors with my new friends: my notebook and anatomy atlas. I am so happy I have a balcony. I think as human beings, we have an innate need to connect with the outside, get a sense of our place in the bigger world. My balcony easily and conveniently satisfies this need. After hours staring at a book or a computer screen 12 inches from my face, how refreshing it is to look far out across the lagoon and seeing the rain engulf the mountains? It’s wonderful to look at something simple after staring at something as complex as the human body for several hours. My time on the balcony will be short though as the rain will soon engulf me. As would med school.

My family is coming next Thursday for my White Coat Ceremony. Unfortunately, the rain will continue through their entire stay, and med school through mine. As they duck the rain at the beach, I will try to duck away from my studies for a bit. Perhaps we will find a common ground and cherish those moments together under our own balcony.