As a first year Ob/Gyn resident we only spend 3 blocks (4 weeks) “on service” meaning, doing Ob/Gyn rotations. We spend the other 10 blocks on “off service” rotations (other specialties). For my residency program, we have 2 blocks of General Surgery, ICU, and Internal Medicine; 1 block of Emerg, Anesthesia, and Women’s Health Psych/Sexual…
Happy day, this girl is going to be an Ob/Gyn! We found out our match results on February 26th, 2019 and I have been on cloud nine since! It still doesn’t even feel real. I feel so, so lucky to be able to train for the next 5 years in Ob/Gyn and I can’t wait…
A couple of people have been asking me what exactly are you applying for right now? What does the process entail? Do you have any tips to help get through it a little smoother? So, I’ve decided to write up a post for y’all about my CaRMS experience. Obviously these are just my own opinions,…
Knock, knock. I pulled back the large door and stepped into the room. It was early in the morning, just after 6am. She was lying in bed, awake. Her gaunt frame swam within her hospital gown. Her hair was growing back, just longer than a buzz cut. Her cheeks were sunken in. She looked child…
Being a clerk can be stressful. You’re constantly moving to new teams and new wards. It feels like you’re always learning the ropes and just when you’ve got the hang of it, you’re moving on. I feel your stress. Here are some tips on how to be a helpful clerk during your surgical rotations. 1.…
General Surgery. The two words have the ability to send medical students into a tailspin. You’ve heard the horror stories – the hours are long, you’re on your feet all day, and anatomy pimping is at an all time high. Every medical student will have to complete a surgery rotation before they get their MD,…
Contraception can be one of the most stressful things to think about. There are so many different options out there that it’s super easy to get overwhelmed. Pill, patch, IUD… What is the best option for you? Read below to find out 7 things that are super important to consider before talking to your doctor…
I was very fortunate to take part in a workshop called Her Braids last week. The workshop is led by Sunshine Quem Tenasco. She is the founder of Her Braids and is an Indigenous woman (Anishinabe) from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Quebec. Her workshop is a three hour session that teaches people how to do traditional beadwork.…
Over the course of my medical training, I’ve thought “what would I do in the face of injustice?”. I have learned about so many. The prejudices and biases we hold, the decisions we make, the things we say when we don’t think anyone is listening. Each time this question comes up in class, we recognize…
Originally published on Unwritten, modified for my blog! I used to work a job that often required me to work around 60 hours a week. The days were long and my body carried a lot of tension. One day, I had this strong sense that I should turn to something like meditation to help me better understand…
Today on this Transgender Day Of Visibility, I am humbled to share one of the most important things I will ever publish on this blog. As a medical student, I’ve been incredibly frustrated with some of the large gaps in my curriculum. One that I keep bumping into time and again is caring for trans*…
Words. “Your mother is going to die” How do you keep it together when you thought your mother was out of the woods? She just finished rounds of chemo and was looking well. Now you find yourself in the emergency department making the toughest decision you’ve ever had to make. Words. “It looks like you…
Over the winter break I finally had time to read, and boy did I read! It was so nice to finally have time to read for pleasure instead of my usual pages upon pages of anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology! As I was walking through Walmart finishing up some Christmas shopping, I stumbled upon the book Oxygen by…
Originally Published On Unwritten My name is four syllables and it’s spelled “weirdly”. I say “weirdly”, because it’s not weird to me, but it’s not the Americanized way of spelling it, so it’s dubbed as weird. In my four months of medical school, I’ve grappled with trying to change my name to make it easier…
Just like every other student in my medical program, I was required to complete 18 hours with a family physician as part of a “Family Medicine Experience”. The family doctor that I was placed with was extraordinarily kind, listened deeply to their patients, and was always willing to help me learn. But, there is one…
Ever feel like it’s Thursday afternoon, but it’s really 1pm on a Monday? I’ve been there and it’s one of the worst feelings in the world. Getting your week off to the right start is hard. That said, when I put in the time on Sunday to get myself grounded for the week, I know…
When I walked into my family medicine experience for the first time, I wasn’t expecting much. For as long as I’ve known that I wanted to be a physician, I’ve also pretty well known that family medicine is not where I think I’ll end up. Even still, I try to approach most new experiences in life…
Anatomy is a cornerstone of medical education. As such, thousands of medical students have passed through anatomy labs over the years. During my second week of medical school, I had the privilege of stepping into the anatomy lab for the first time. Saying that I was overwhelmed would be an understatement. I was overwhelmed by so…
_If you’ve followed any of my writing over the last year, you know it’s no secret that getting into medical school was my battle royale. 21 rejections and only 1 interview later, I’m here at McMaster Med. I’d be lying if I said that McMaster Med was my dream school when I started this whole…
_ This week marked the day I’ve been waiting for longer than I can remember – the start of medical school! The first week of medical school was O-Week, your classic mix of intro and fun to ease you into school. Intro sessions, speeches, welcomes, pub nights, scavenger hunts, and coffeehouses galore. It was an awesome week filled…