tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76951570026219090242024-03-13T21:49:30.118-05:00My Road into & through Medical SchoolHow I got into Medical School and what M1 & M2 year is like.Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-41065589239850544382012-10-17T14:03:00.000-05:002014-02-18T12:24:31.270-06:00Live in the Moment<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gFVgCeBcK1wYGxn1YqUf9NW-0uOackSiA1LQ1FmahXlhaTpCKGbXgWPAB7J_K1A1IKuvQdp-r7OG_YEPGw3YpAJmZxRBm0iRqaJpHGvO1D_vhd4Lg-ndXgitPpqZl7PV2AYqaoAN48fa/s1600/sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gFVgCeBcK1wYGxn1YqUf9NW-0uOackSiA1LQ1FmahXlhaTpCKGbXgWPAB7J_K1A1IKuvQdp-r7OG_YEPGw3YpAJmZxRBm0iRqaJpHGvO1D_vhd4Lg-ndXgitPpqZl7PV2AYqaoAN48fa/s320/sunrise.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This morning on my bike ride to school I saw the most amazing sunrise! I made sure to slow down and thank my Heavenly Father for such a beautiful morning. As I continued towards school I watched as the striated clouds went from deep purple to light pink to brilliant orange. I rode in amazement of the beautiful color contrast and magnificent display. I know God made this earth for us...It is for us to enjoy! We can enjoy it fully as we</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Live in the Moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I simply wanted to take a second to say I believe whole heartily that it would do us well to <u>take the time</u> to live in the moment. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Take just 5 more minutes to watch a child play. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Slow down your car or busy schedule to watch a sunrise or sunset. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Take a little break from work to <i>really</i> talk with a friend.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is in <i>while </i>living in the moment</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">that we <i>truly </i>live. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MLH</span></div>
</div>
Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-32202444379947320822012-10-14T00:10:00.001-05:002012-10-31T12:41:11.927-05:00Anki Flashcards for a Medical School, an Undergrad, or even a Busy Mother<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last night it was just my son and I at home. It was a
lovely evening playing with his tennis ball and stacking his colorful blocks.
I just love my son and it has been an incredible release to come home to
him following a grueling day at medical school.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the midst of
stacking blocks I was privileged to talk to my little brother who is working on
getting into the Business Program at BYU. He is incredibly busy as a member of
the BYU football team and active in a variety of other roles in life. Science
classes for him, is what accounting is for me; very meaningless. So, I sat with
him and taught him about<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://ankisrs.net/">ANKI, a flashcard app/program</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>that uses space repetition algorithms
to plan your studies. The science behind the program is fascinatingly simple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are some
highlights:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br />
Why Anki?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Learn a language</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Study for medical and law exams</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Memorize people’s names and faces (<i>which I am
currently working on for my medical school class)</i></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Brush up on geography</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Memorize facts before a business banquet</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Master long poems</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Even practice guitar chords<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">What’s the Science Behind ANKI?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Use it or Loose It</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;">We forget about 75% of material learnt within a 48 hour
period</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;">This applies to material we’ve studied hard to learn!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Spaced Repetition<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Sebastian Leitner popularized a method of spaced repetition
with paper flashcards. By separating the paper cards up into a series of boxes,
and moving the cards to a different box on each successful or unsuccessful
review, it was possible to see at a glance a rough estimate of how well a card
was known and when it should be reviewed again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Active </span></i></b><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Recall Testing<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The act of recalling
something </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">strengthens</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> the memory, increasing the chances we’ll
be able to remember it again</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">When we’re unable to answer
a question, it tells us we need to return to the material to review or relearn
it</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Why I Like Anki<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Anki
creates a drive to be honest with yourself. In undergrad I often found myself
saying things like, “Don’t worry, you’ll recognize it on the test.” Or “You
don’t </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">really</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> need to know that.” Statements such as these are
KILLERS for your test scores and for your learning. When I learn by using
ANKI, I demand myself to memorize the material no matter how many times I might
see that card in a study session. I am compelled to be honest with myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Another
reason I like ANKI is it’s editing ability. When I study flashcards I
especially like to write out pneumonics, silly phrases, or bizarre pictures to
help me recall the details more quickly. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">An
example of this tactic is shown by Oligosaccaride Dolicol, That sugar means
nothing to me. However, I do need to know it and remember it for the test and
for an understanding of what happens to patient’s when it’s malfunctioning.
Oligosaccaride Dolicol is in the Endoplasmic Reticulum and flips to the outside
to grab glycosolated proteins. How do I remember that? I think “Ol
go sac” the glycosolated Protein that looks like a “Dol”. That phrase helps me
enough to remember the full name, “Oligosaccaride Dolicol” and the function of
the protein, “get glycosolated proteins”. Try it, it’s fun and it works.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">To say
the least, my brother and I had a good evening figuring out how he can remember
the proposed theories of Molecules and Atoms. WE moved from the Continuous
Theory to Brownian motion and more. I loved helping my brother and
I hope you find ANKI helpful as you work on learning and memorizing for your
specific class or career.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Go ANKI!</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-MLH</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
<b><br /></b>Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-70427632898462530832012-10-08T21:41:00.002-05:002012-10-08T21:42:06.171-05:004th Test, Last Test of the 1st Block<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
THE DEATH TEST DAY!
I seriously felt so defeated after our multiple choice section of our test
today. It was the last test of our first block of Medical School and I felt
like it was no fun. There were many dimensions going on during the test that
made it particularly difficult for me.</div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;"> My computer didn't work for the test so I
started late...which meant</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">I ended late and everyone was
talking and packing up when I had 5 minutes left and 7 more question! I
had to guess on the last 2. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">It was so frustrating to feel
defeated on that test because I felt like I could have answered 5-7 more
questions more thoroughly, it was just timed so that made it so much more
difficult. I couldn't do some of the math quick enough and I didn't know
my stuff as readily as I needed to. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt;">There was so much material on
that test!! 88 questions in 103
minutes! So much biochem, anatomy and pharmacology. SO much!</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
At any rate, I got
to the MSL to study before the last part of my test, the lab practical, and I
just flat out didn't want to study. I
felt like eating lunch and listening to Reggae...which I did for a while:) I called my wife and son on Skype and that
was when my day got good. My son on the other side was just staring at the
screen and waving to me. It felt so good to see them both and to remember one
of the reasons why I am in medical school. What a blessing to have such a
united and beautiful family. I am so blessed and so grateful for their support.
I didn't talk with them love but I was re-energized. They said they would pray
for me and I felt the answer to their humble prayers as I had energy to study
and performed well on the lab practical.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
I am grateful for
these experiences in Medical School because I believe they are training me for
more difficult experiences down the road. I want to be there for my family,
first and foremost, and to my patients. I look forward to internalizing all
these dump-truck loads of material and information. It will be great when it
all applies to patients and I can see who I am treating. Right now it's easy to
get caught up in tests and paperwork and miss the big picture.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
I am grateful for
glimpses of the big picture.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
-MLH</div>
Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-15858017290218056302012-08-23T21:55:00.001-05:002012-08-23T21:55:36.687-05:00Results From the First TestSo I learned today that some of my fellow medical students have been reading my blog. Ths makes me happy AND makes me realize that I am not the only sweating bullets the morning of the test. I am glad to hear y'all are liking this blog. Maybe well be lucky enough to get a guest post from one of you!<br />
<br />
The test, the test, we received the results of our first medical school examination today at 12:30 I s pretty hesitant to open up my score but I eventually did. Happily I passed! I am happy that it wasn't super close to failing either. As my wife said, it was a perfect score for my first test. I take that to mean, "honey, you did well for your first test, now it's time to step it up." step it up I will. We have another test in just a week from today. It's mostly anatomy and will be heavily weighted by the anatomy lab practical. 60 questions from cadavers, CT scans of th e thorax and x-rays of the thorax region as well. We've been dissecting the heart these past few days and it was awesome to hold a human heart in my hands. That s a crazy sensation. Hearts are incredible. Oh, today we had a professor give us a lecture. I really wish I could past the video on here, but I recorded her teaching. Man, she was so passionate about the cardiovascular system, she kept using awesome and exciting words to describe the flow of blood and the different cells that are flowing through the system, it was actually really cool to be taught by such a passionate professor. She's been teaching medical school for something like 35 years!<br />
<br />
Until next time my friends.<br />
<br />
-mikeBrother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-30599912853633344232012-08-20T21:36:00.002-05:002012-08-21T10:51:36.023-05:00My First Medical School Exam<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3059991285363334423" itemprop="articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 516px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Preparing</b></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Ok, let's start from the beginning. When there was a test in undergrad one could spend about a half a day, maybe a full day, studying for it, take it, and obtain pretty good results. Studying for my first medical school exam proved a little different. Beginning three weeks ago...ok so not that far. Beginning last Thursday I began preparing for my Monday exam. I made a game plan of conquering/solidifying my understanding of molecular medine (biochem), gross anatomy, and histology. 5 hours on thursday, 11 hours on Friday, 14 hours on Saturday and 4 hours Monday morning were what I put in to prepare for that beast.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Minutes Before</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The exam was scheduled to start Exactly at 9am. If a student showed up late they would not be permitted to take the first half of the exam but could join for the second half. As you could imagine the place was buzzing around 8:15. That's when my tacos started. I thought of taking a picture with my hands in the air and the sweat stains under my axillary region (armpits) but never got around to it. IVE NEVER BEEN SO NERVOUS FOR A TEST IN MY LIFE!!</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I could barely even talk. I am not joking. Someone asked me a question when I was in the hall and I could barely even answer it. It was the most bizarre feeling. I sat near some of my friends and people I've studied with and and know really well. I was talking with them seemed to lighten things up a bit nonetheless, I was still shaking. Really, it was weird.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>The test</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The test began right at 9:00. The first 50 questions were all histology slides. We were to identify structures cells that. Had colored arrows pointing to them and to write down functions of certain tissues and the primary purposes of other cells, I felt good about this section.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">-short break-</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The remaining portion of the test was 100 questions timed for two hours max. At BYU I rarely ever took timed exams by studying for the MCAT/lion I learned how to time myself pretty well and that helped today. The questions were tricky and difficult. I felt supported and strengthened because I knew that others were praying for me. I definitely felt it. My favorite questions were those where I knew what the professor was testing us on and thereby knew the answer pretty quickly. I won't know my score on the exam until <i>Friday</i>. I just hope I passed and I really hope that I can set a good pattern for learning for the remainder of medical school.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Feelings after</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 1.4;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">On my bike ride home I just had this happiness come over me. I'm really doing it!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxLPTVlIeCQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxLPTVlIeCQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 17px;"> I'm really in medical school and taking tests and learning how to become a physician. I am very grateful for my Heavenly Father allowing me to be here and study to be a physician at A&M!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17px;">-one step closer to dr. Mike:)</span></span></div>
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</span>Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-3125966373224859812012-08-17T22:35:00.003-05:002012-08-17T22:35:48.028-05:00Preparing for my first Medical School Exam<br />
Today was a wonderful 11 hour day iof studying. I had hopes/dreams of being top in my class before medical school began...now I am simply hoping to pass this first exam. It is a fascinating phenomenon; I go over my flashcards, create good study manuals and reviews notes and feel pretty good about things just to attend a review and find that I have so much more to learn and a whole other level of integration to encorporate. T say the least, it never ends. <br />
<br />
I have one more day to study for this test because the test is on Monday and I have made a decision not to study in Sunday (we'll see how that goes). My plan for tomorrow is to solidify all current knowledge through flashcards haven and then to take some practice exams that the students have created along with some other tests that are practice. I think that might teach me some new things along with help me solidify even further.<br />
<br />
Everything is going to be alright, I hope we all just rock this first test,<br />
<br />
Time will tell.<br />
<br />
-dr. Mike (hopefully:)Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-1112527257645530482012-08-15T21:57:00.003-05:002012-08-15T21:57:47.585-05:00Diagnosis from a First Year Medical Student I have been thinking about this blog often. There are stories and details I could tell you about nearly every hour of the day! Seriuosly. <i>What I have concluded is I will be making more frequent, but less lengthy posts.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Brazos County Free Clinic.</b><br />
The 2nd-4th year medical students came to our lecture hall before class started today. They played this clip and since then have been laughing all day:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8l8_G_ce_Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8l8_G_ce_Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player</a><div>
<br />Did you like it?!<br />
<br />
<b>Clinical Studies Class Today</b><br />
Medical school has been brutal. I have felt like I'm studying to take a huge test nearly every day and have seen my colleagues even more stressed than I. Many of my friends in the program come to class each morning just struggling to stay awake. They tell me they couldn't sleep or they were up till 3. One even says he goes to sleep, wakes up and studies and then goes to sleep some more. These people are on turbo charge. I have been getting about 7 1/2 hours of sleep every night and I have been even feeling my immune system slightly weaker with the increased tension and desire to succeed.<br />
Let me calm your nerves by telling you that our professor today gave us some wonderful advice. B's still make MD's. As hard as we try, tests are going to be difficult and we are not going to get every question right. We must face that fact. He looked at us and asked, "Does anyone know what rank I was in my class?" Someone said, "32nd?" Then he replied, "No, not how old I was, what I was ranked!" Everyone laughed, then he said. "Was I first? Was I last? No one knows because no one cares! I'm an MD and I am practicing medicine as best I can. You've been cut throat all your undergraduate careers. Now you're in. You've made it! Help eachother, get some rest, exercise every day and relax. You will do well and no one will care what rank you were in your class!"<br />
<br />
The doctor in the back said amen and we all felt better. I totally agree. I am going to work my gluteus maximus off this weekend as I study for my first medical school exam which will be on Monday, but I will not worry to the point of illness. I will relax and know I have given it my all and I will still come home and night and hug my wife and play with my son!<br />
<br />
Conclusion, this is why it still might be difficult for me to write short glimpses of the days we have in medical school. I think about the day often and I like writting it down.<br />
<br />
Enjoy your night because I'm going to enjoy mine!<br />
<br />
-Dr. Mike</div>
Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-18856597702801042552012-08-08T22:17:00.001-05:002012-08-08T22:18:10.247-05:00The First Week of Medical SchoolCheck out this link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://whatshouldwecallmedschool.tumblr.com/post/28985228486/trying-to-keep-up-the-first-week-in-medical-school">http://whatshouldwecallmedschool.tumblr.com/post/28985228486/trying-to-keep-up-the-first-week-in-medical-school</a>
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Need I say more?Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-91337591005103336702012-08-04T21:49:00.001-05:002012-08-04T21:49:33.430-05:00One week down 200 more to go<img src="webkit-fake-url://8F3A3349-CA79-40F4-A0BA-62508AFE64DD/imagepng" />My librarian at the Health Science Center said something similiar to a student after the first day of Medical School. "Well, how was your first day?" (they lied and said good or something) then the librarian said, "I'm glad to hear that. Well, one down, a couple thousand more to go..." I just laughed out loud when I heard that.<br />
I don't even know what to say right now.<br />
<br />
Feelings about the week<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>It felt like a finals week at BYU</li>
<li>I've made more flashcards in one week than I think I did in a whole year in undergrad</li>
<li>I miss my wife and Jackson :-(</li>
<ul>
<li>My BYU study buddy/road biking compadre told me (after I said I might not be able to meet up with him to study one day), "If you'e gotta spend time with your wife I understand. You'll see me more than you'll see her these next two year!" ... ...</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
Stats from this week</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>I studied over 30 hours</li>
<li>Went to class over 22 hours</li>
<li>Biked to school two times</li>
<ul>
<li>Got two flats</li>
</ul>
<li>Watched the olympics 3 days (personal fav Missy Franklin)</li>
<li>Still worked out every day and got 7+ hrs. of sleep</li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
Just want to throw a personal shout out to my wife. She made me lunch and dinner nearly every day this week. She's pretty incredible like that. Our son hasn't been sleeping the best so she's been exhausted trying to help him and comfort him. I think she's going through more than me.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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Overall</div>
<div>
I KNOW with the Lord's help this is doable. Just from this week I've learned I need to constantly work to learn. By saying that I mean I must be willing to do study groups, extra time in the lab, talking things out with study buddies, making hundreds of flashcards (if that's the best way to learn that material), and writing things on white boards. Just crank it and learn it. I have found that I learn Anatomy best by seeing it or doing it. Flashcards are ok for specific points of anatomy but structure orientation must be learned by seeing it and talking about it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Whew. We did it. One down, 200 more to go. If I did one week then I can do next week. One week at a time baby!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
-Dr. Mike (future)</div>
<br />
<br />Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-11209131552031048462012-08-01T22:25:00.004-05:002012-08-04T15:38:08.462-05:00I don't even know the name of my first patient...<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yesterday and this morning I was pretty consumed with the idea
that at 2:00pm I would open up the lid of a big titanium tank and there would
be a dead person in it. I just didn't know how I would react. I imagined all
the medical students would be in a big room with about 20 tanks and all of us
would just lift up the lids and sort of gasp as we looked inside to see a naked
dead body. I imagined them fully exposed, just eyes closed, ready for us to
dissect them... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIQeR4V2kUkibHQ6bOw6Tarav6TgurP2WJ2Dm4JeMa46EDpml1wyDEYN60TmrdZgVdgsK2ml-jeEwqFkQkSa1FwgmFTieAg-XK_dfxHlHeg6Gxq1cWXhJ6JMrbez2uuv2LfLXjtX7HLef/s1600/cadaver+lab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIQeR4V2kUkibHQ6bOw6Tarav6TgurP2WJ2Dm4JeMa46EDpml1wyDEYN60TmrdZgVdgsK2ml-jeEwqFkQkSa1FwgmFTieAg-XK_dfxHlHeg6Gxq1cWXhJ6JMrbez2uuv2LfLXjtX7HLef/s320/cadaver+lab.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(This picture is not from our A&M lab, this picture is off the internet. Imagine 5x's this many people and 20 more tanks...we were in white lab coats too)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am glad to tell you that it didn't go down exactly like that.
Although there was a large number of medical students (140) all in one room,
and there were exactly 21 tanks, when the time came for us to open up the
cadaver tank, we found a body that was covered in a white cloth. As we pulled
the white cloth down from the head, the head of the cadaver was wrapped in
bandages. The hands, the feet and the head were each wrapped in this same type
of bandaging. That was nice. I don't think it would have been good to have first
seen the face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We began lab by becoming familiar with the anatomy of the cadaver. We felt along the sternum, the clavicle bone,
and the ribs. Then we placed a single blade at the manubrium, right below
(inferior) to the jugular notch and made our first incision. It was
neat because we all had our hands on one scalpel when we made the first cut into the
skin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Throughout the next 4 hours we removed the skin on the chest and
got through the fatty layer (subcutaneous fascia) and made our way to the
muscles. We identified the pectoralis Major, Pectoralis Minor, Deltoids, and
subclavian muscle. We found nerves supplying most of these muscles and many
arteries (I say "found" but really we were assigned to dissect and
identify these structures:) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was more difficult than I imagined, and just as
intriguing and accelerating as I expected. It was almost as if I were
discovering arteries and veins that had never before been seen. As I made
incisions and picked away fatty tissue, it was almost like I was creating a
personal study module for me to learn from.
Every new image became burned into my memory. Using a real
cadaver to learn anatomy is the only way to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am grateful for the individuals that donated their bodies for
me, and my fellow medical students, to learn anatomy. I will treat the cadavers
with great respect and reverence. It is an interesting thought that we work
with dead bodies so we can keep people alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Dr. Mike<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-62399911614636962732012-07-30T22:10:00.002-05:002012-08-02T12:18:26.560-05:00First day of med schoolNo one could have said it better than my M1 colleague this morning on Facebook.<br />
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"Who else is excited to start drinking from a firehidrant? :-D"<br />
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It was drinking or of a fire hose. My favorite part of the day was when histology lecture was going on and all I wanted was for the lecture to stop right there. Our time was up, it was 4pm, but then a notification flashed on the screen, "Your scheduled lecture has been extended to 4:15. New end time." I don't konw what it was, but today was just a lot of information. The worst part...I've already learned most of what I heard today wihle I was in undergrad! I don't know why I don't still have it al in my head.<br />
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FINALLY once our histology lecture was over, a few buddies and I went to a classroom to review the days lectures. You should have seen the looks on these guys faces! We were all pretty toasted. I felt like it was finals week and we were studying for yet another exam. Seriously. The first day of medical school felt like a test week in undergrad. Guess "ya gotta love it."<br />
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So I still plan on telling you all about orientation week. Perhaps I'll share the details soon. Suffice it to say for now that last week I heard hundreds of "do nots" and "expectations", signed form after form to be able to set foot into professiona clinics, and learned this is a "professional" school. Ther are high standards, and rightly so.<br />
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I am motivated to do well in Medical School. I am committed to succeeding. I met with a M2 yesteraday, we had over her and her husband for dinner. I learned a lot about what books to get and not to get, lectures to really be prepared for, and some study ideas for succeeding the first few months. I am very grateful for this friend and would like to do the same for someone someday. Seriously, this profession allows for great amounts of service, or no service as all.<br />
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Hope you're day is going great!Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-53925870622709237832012-07-24T22:23:00.005-05:002012-07-24T22:24:53.796-05:00Texas A&M Medical School, Student OrientationOrientation<br />
Day 2<br />
<br />
From 8:30-5:30 we were getting pictures taken, lectured to, participating in video conferences with the Temple Texas campus, and a lot about one another. <br />
<br />
I plan on updating you on the specific events for the whole week of orientation including: MCAT changes, diversity issues, what it feels like to be among 141 medical students (hint: not much different that 141 undergraduates), and what I learned from M2's about being married and going through Medical School.<br />
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Coming Soon to a computer screen near you!<br />
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-MikeBrother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-6157077174464016932012-07-20T23:44:00.002-05:002012-07-20T23:44:45.465-05:00The Week Before Medical School<br />
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It's been at least
two months since I posted last, it's time to get back at it</div>
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<b> So I've decided to try to keep up this blog
during Medical School</b>. </div>
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I've even thought about doing video's like Jake Sully
off Avatar...</div>
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The week before Medical School hasn't been exactly what I had expected.</div>
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I have four points
of contact for the Medical School: </div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Facebook COM2016 group, </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">myHSC
e-mail, </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">yahoo list serve group, and </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">personal gmail.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></li>
</ul>
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Checking each of those to stay up to date
with parking, registration, immunizations, white coat ceremony, and orientation
can be rather time consuming. I have had less time with my family than I would have liked. I was planning on
spending these last few days at the pool with Rachel and Jackson, playing tennis, and reading books under the trees. Rather, time
has been spent keeping up with all the before mentioned contacts in addition to unpacking and getting the house in order. While I am discussing what I've been up to; <b><span style="background-color: white;">Medical School</span><span style="background-color: white;"> is going to be a </span><span style="background-color: white;">beast</span></b><span style="background-color: white;">. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Today I registered for classes, 43 credit hours…yeah. Perhaps that is over the whole school year, but still. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">On a <b>positive note</b>, it has been good getting everything in order before Medical School begins. Our house is looking better and better and Rachel and I have made time, over lunch or while unpacking the boxes, to discuss how we can still make time for one another during School.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;"><b>My goal for keeping
up with the blog</b> is to show others, y'all, what medical school is like. I plan
on telling the awesome and gruesome (without violating <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/summary/index.html">HIPPA</a>).</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">If there are any questions you would like me
to address or subject matter worth discussing, let me know. I'd be happy to
share it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
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-Mike</div>
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<br /></div>Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-11459192839942309992012-06-03T11:54:00.000-05:002012-06-03T11:54:27.863-05:00Visiting Texas A&M Health Science Center at Bryan College StationMy little family made a <b>three day trip to <a href="http://www.visitaggieland.com/">Bryan College Station</a> </b>from Memorial Day to Wednesday. We started the trip off great by both placing in the <a href="http://www.summerofsharing.blogspot.com/">Lubbock Summer of Sharing Fun Run</a>. I took second overall and my wife took 3rd in her age division. We drove to Dallas, stayed the night at her sisters, and then arrived in Bryan College Station the next morning at around 10am. One thing I have to say about our time in Bryan College Station is if we hadn't been so <i>blessed with connections</i> down there through the <a href="http://www.lds.org/?lang=eng">Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a>, and other friends, then our trip would have been a disaster. <br />
<br />
We <b>arrived in BCS </b>and found very quickly that the <b>trees </b>(which I'm not used to) made each street look like the only street in town. The maps we picked up from the <a href="http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/texas/hilton-college-station-and-conference-center-CLLCHHF/index.html">Hotel </a>made BCS look so <b>much bigger </b>than we'd prepared for also. Because of the Lubbock Fun Run someone had contacted their sister and we had a place to stay. After realizing we were <b>lost </b>and needed to regain our bearings, we linked up with the sister, had internet connection, and was able to get insight from her husband on his lunch break. We were then much more prepared and saw a number of houses, apartments and condos that day. Although we had seen alot of apartments, we didn't feel good about any of them. I didn't feel like they were in safe places. It was somewhat discouraging to go to so many places and feel like <i>non of them were what we wanted</i>. We also <b>met with a medical student and his family. </b>I was able to get some insight about the A&M's medical program and how it is living in BCS with a family while going to medical school.<br />
<br />
He said Medical School at <b>A&M is good</b>. The <b>people at the school are very kind</b>, there is a <b>brand new Health Science Center facility</b> which is very very nice (for the first few years they wouldn't let anyone eat anything in any of the rooms there. Since that time they have loosened that policy. It remains a pristine facility still). He likes the people that he studies with. There is an option to choose who is in your <b>anatomy tank</b>. He chose some people from his same church and some other guys. Since that day he has remained study partners with all of them. When they are not available, he said, he just walks around until he finds a group of people studying. He just asks if he could join them and then studies with them. He says that <b>study partners are one of the most effective ways to learn in medical school</b>. I believe that is true because if often takes a whole lot more effort and requires one to know the subject in more depth to study with others. <br />
<br />
There are <b>few MD residents there are BCS,</b> only family medicine residents. Because of that structure as a 3rd and 4th year medical student <b>you get to work directly with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attending_physician">attendings</a>,</b> which he has found to be very helpful. He likes surgery, particularly the operating room (OR), and believes that because he was able to be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeon's_assistant">first assist</a> in the OR right alongside the attending, he had a good experience and would like general surgery as a profession. Along with attendings, he also said the faculty at A&M is outstanding.<br />
<br />
"Here at A&M there are very good professors...with the good also come the bad." He told me of one doctor that he has followed that practically runs from room to room. One day my friend asked him why he practically runs. The doctor told him that he has a family at home and that it is his goal each day to be home at 5 to be with them. My friend says that this doctor is one of his favorite to work with and that he would like to pattern his future medical career similarly. It was good talking with my friend. While talking and later discussing things with my wife, I just had this strong feeling of excitement for medical school. It didn't seem to matter where we lived or where we went to medical school, I'm just excited and eager to begin! Where we live was/is still an important issue for my wife though.<br />
<br />
The <b>next day of apartment searching</b> was even better than the previous. We found an area up east of highway 6 that just felt good. It is around <b>Pecan Ridge</b>, off of Boonville rd. We liked the area much better than any other area we had visited. The Realtor was from <b><a href="http://twincityproperties.com/">Twin City Properties</a> </b>and showed us to many apartments at Pecan Ridge and even some in Bryan. He was informative, honest, helpful, and friendly, traits that are important when you're looking for a place to raise your family. We believe <b>we will live far east of campus</b>, perhaps I'll get a little motorbike or something to commute to campus cheaply and easily. <br />
<br />
Overall we left BCS somewhat sad for needing to leave so many friends and family in Lubbock Texas, but we also knew that just as we came to love so many in Lubbock in one year, we will also come to love so many people in BCS over 2-3 years. <b>We plan on making the most we can of this medical school experience.</b> <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>I want to help others</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">So many people have been such a HUGE help to us through everything leading up to Medical School. </div><div style="text-align: center;">My wife and I will, in any way possible, help others as they work on getting into Medical School. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I am willing to accept phone calls, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and my wife and I will open our home and our fridge to anyone that needs it! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's been great talking with future medical students about Texas Residency and doing well on the MCAT.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't claim to know everything about this grueling process, </div><div style="text-align: center;">but what I do know and what's worked for me, I am willing to share.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't hesitate commenting on this blog to get in contact with me.</div><br />
-Mike, future DocBrother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-53731746065550808452012-05-16T22:35:00.000-05:002012-05-16T22:36:13.334-05:00Telling Texas Tech I'd been accepted to A&M<u>The call</u><br />
So I called the admissions committee today at Texas Tech. I told them I had been accepted to A&M and it was on the premise that I will be a resident as of July 1st. The response was congratulatory from the other end which felt pretty good. I learned that June 15th is the cut off for being accepted off another wait list. Let me explain: Anyone on more than one wait list can be accepted by more than one school but on June 15th the Medical Schools of Texas have decided that you may only say yes to one school. Therefor, were I not to hear from Texas Tech before June 15th, that would mean I would no longer be on their wait list and could only go to A&M. <br />
<br />
<u>Excitement about A&M</u><br />
My wife and I have enjoyed looking at the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ix=aca&q=google+maps&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=CGK0T_fyGurE2wXX6Igw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=3&ved=0CGIQ_AUoAg">Bryan College Station campus</a>. I have been looking for <a href="http://www.brazoscyclists.org/">bike routes</a> around that area and she found some <a href="http://www.apartmentguide.com/apartments/Texas/College-Station/">neat apartments</a>. I plan on connecting with some <a href="http://premed.byu.edu/">graduates from my school</a> and asking them where most medical students live and how they like College Station. We will be taking a trip down there in the next couple of weeks and are looking forward to seeing what it is like and how it all feels. WHAT AN EXCITING TIME!!<br />
<br />
-Future Dr. MikeBrother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-75606602316482609832012-05-14T22:44:00.005-05:002012-05-14T22:44:48.074-05:00ACCEPTED INTO TEXAS A&M MEDICAL SCHOOL!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I have been officially accepted into Texas A&M Medical School. I am so excited to share this news. I was absent for about a month here on the blog. It was almost like I was holding my breath just waiting for the very moment that came just today.<br />
<br />
The call came this morning (May 14th) at 8:48. I was at my desk preparing for selling for <a href="http://www.adeptwm.com/">adept web marketing</a> (a little side job I've picked up). Leila Diaz called from Texas A&M. She asked if it is confirmed that I will be an <a href="http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/medical/residency.html">official Texas resident</a> as of July 1st. I told her that is true. "Then we would like to extend an offer to you for this years medical school class at Texas A&M." I said absolutely something like three times. Then she asked, "So is that a yes?" I said "YES." There was so more talk then I hung up the phone and just cried. All the hard work. All the prayers from my own knees and the many many prayers and faith from so many friends and family members. I felt/feel so overwhelmed with gratitude and sheer joy. It has all paid off.<br />
<br />
I know that this success has not been from my efforts alone but a cumulative effort from so many friends and family. From <a href="http://www.altiustestprep.com/Pages/default.aspx">MCAT study help</a>, to publishing a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22155431">Journal Article</a>, to being allowed to serve at the <a href="https://intermountainhealthcare.org/hospitals/uvrmc/Pages/home.aspx">hospital</a> and <a href="http://coraldesertortho.com/surgeons/dr-anderson.php">shadow doctors </a>and have my personal statement edited so many times, to having so many friends always ask me how things are coming. All of it has been such a help. I think there has been much I have gleaned from this experience. I have chosen to include just a few of these lessons learned. I hope it helps.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Lesson Learned:</u> </b><br />
- As one of my friends, Don Morris, said today. "If you really want anything bad enough, and are willing to work for it, you can accomplish it." This has been my experience through applying for Medical School. I am not the smartest or most intelligent applicant but I wanted to get into medicine so I worked my tail off in other areas to make up for those losses and got in.<br />
<br />
- Move to Texas as soon as you graduate from College. Apply to medical school, work a year, become a Texas resident = increase your chances of getting into a Texas School & only pay $12,500/yr in tuition.<br />
<br />
-Keep in contact with those in the admission's committee. I e-mailed A&M my junior year of College and asked for their opinion on how I can best prepare to be a great applicant. Since applying I have called, e-mailed and met with many individuals on the admissions committee of both Texas A&M and Texas Tech.<br />
<br />
-Never, Never, no Never give up. Disappointment comes, just dig down deeper. Make goals and plans and allow others to help you along the way. Never stop.<br />
<br />
<br />
I will continue to update this blog until my white coat ceremony (I'm really doing this man!). I will work on improving posts and including more links to other sites that I find helpful. I will assist others in getting into medical school just as many have helped me. I am now a part of a group of Doctors and future doctors that are committed to improving and preserving lives. If I can do that by helping others get into medical school then I will.<br />
<br />
with sincere gratitude,<br />
<br />
-Michael, future MD<br />
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<br />Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-4977950445990599812012-05-02T23:45:00.000-05:002012-05-02T23:45:07.954-05:00Any guesses for when I'll hear from Med school this month?I am very happy to be back and speaking to you all in a post. I have been enjoying the month of April by not thinking too much about Medical School Acceptances... (please be on the alert for a new post soon. I actually had a heart stopping call from Texas Tech on April 20th. I'll be sure to tell you about it as soon as I can!) I have been spending time with my family in <a href="http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/kansascity/">Kansas</a>, beginning a sale position at <a href="http://adeptwm.com/">Adept web Marketing</a>, and doing landscaping side jobs for neighbors. I like spending time with my family the most!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Any guesses for the day I'll hear back from Medical School?</span></b><i> Post them in the comments. The person that guesses correctly will get a prize:) Gotta get the school, date and what they'll say all correct.</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1920517533">fyi: March 15th is the official day AAMC allows all accepted applicants to only hold on to 1 school's acceptance. So, what this means for me is, it is after this day I am most likely to get a call.</a><br />
<a href="https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/recommendations/62826/policies_admissionofficers.html">I am so excited!</a><br />
<br />
<b>Michael's guess</b>: Texas Tech, Wednesday May 23rd, Accepted to the MD program?Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-19211949686457028132012-03-24T22:02:00.001-05:002012-03-27T21:56:17.482-05:00Not Allowing the Admissions Committee to Make YOUR Decision<div style="text-align: center;"><u> Not Allowing the Admissions Committee to Make Your Decision</u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><br />
</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrI7fqu9cpQi-AS_ec2l8cCSzxL195vU5kkf57bEOZD0T9iSN879OmMD1XBTS_7I0Td5FcxnG-C6fcnqe0USAT2JCJjRfGPeUjKFEy11efEzlOBiEX-9m-pjlX32lBOrGSyXe1ZYCbBN1/s1600/trouble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrI7fqu9cpQi-AS_ec2l8cCSzxL195vU5kkf57bEOZD0T9iSN879OmMD1XBTS_7I0Td5FcxnG-C6fcnqe0USAT2JCJjRfGPeUjKFEy11efEzlOBiEX-9m-pjlX32lBOrGSyXe1ZYCbBN1/s1600/trouble.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">My wife and I have been talking about my opportunity to re-apply in May. I've been thinking about it since a doctor asked me about it on Thursday. When he asked me about it I was shocked because I literally hadn't even thought about the need to re-apply nor seen the urgency of re-applying. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">A</span><span style="color: #444444;">s much as I would really not like to re-apply, I think I need to. I have some shadowing and volunteering I desperately need to do...this is </span><span style="color: #444444;">imperative</span><span style="color: #444444;">. I have very little in terms of volunteering and shadowing for 2012 and I'll have only one additional class on my transcript. I'd better get to work to see what I can put together. I've also got to find two <a href="http://www.startmedicine.com/app/recommendationletters.asp">Letter of Recommendation</a> writers. Here we go again on this stinkin process all over again:) (reluctant smile)</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">I'd love to hear from those of you that re-applied. What's it like? What areas did you juice up your application and what was most important to do different? </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">I've got to do this. I am not allowing the admissions committee to tell me if I'm going to Medical School or not.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">Thanks for all the prayers, support and interest in this, my journey TO medical school.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">-Mike</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">p.s. this is a really difficult and tricky process. It stinks. I sure hope to be a fantastic and happy doctor. I see a lot of unhappy doctors out there...perhaps it goes along the same lines as this post's title, </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">I can't allow others to make me happy or not, I must choose to be happy and satisfied with my job. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">After all, it is <i>MY</i> choice to be a doctor.</span></div>Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-65733078089501827052012-03-24T21:56:00.002-05:002012-03-25T23:00:19.834-05:00Close Call of Acceptance/Denial<div style="text-align: center;"><u>Close Call of Acceptance/Denial</u></div><br />
So there I was at work, enjoying my day <a href="http://premed2medicalschool.blogspot.com/2012/02/im-certified-health-unit-coordinator.html">CHUCing</a> on the rehab unit of the hospital. I hear the phone ring and notice while picking it up that it's my wife.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">"Thanks for calling 3 west, this is Michael how can I help you?" </span>I say.<br />
<span style="color: red;">"Hi honey, how are you?"</span> she says ever so kindly. <br />
<span style="color: blue;">"Great. How are you doing?" </span><br />
<span style="color: red;">"Good." she continues. "Well, I just have a quick question."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">"Sure."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">"</span><span style="color: red;">That Flash drive you were going to get from Texas Tech...were you going to pick it up or was it going to be mailed to you?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">"I already picked it up from the office. Why?"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">"Well, a package from Texas Tech Health Sciences Center came in the mail today."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">"Cool." (what could this be? An acceptance letter?! No, they call the new applicants... Oh no. Maybe a letter of denial) I then said, "I don't think it will be a good letter. They'll call me if I'm accepted...maybe it's a letter of denial?"</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">"Well, what should we do?" She said with a tinge of hope that I'll say to hurry and open it.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">"Go ahead hun, you can open it." </span><br />
...deliberation and more discussion...<br />
<span style="color: red;">"Ok, I'll open it... " and she began reading </span><i><span style="color: #666666;">'</span>Thank you for accepting our request to place you into our alternate pool. We look forward to reviewing your application once there is movement within our entry class. </i>(sigh of relief on my end)<i> 'Thank you for your interest in the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine Sincerely, Associate Dean of Admissions'</i><span style="color: red;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: red;">Well, it's not an acceptance but not a denial too, right?" Rachel said.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">"Yes dear. Glad to get that out of the way."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">So, there I almost had an acceptance or denial but it was neither.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span>Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-2320467114988405732012-03-16T22:46:00.003-05:002012-03-18T20:56:01.079-05:00March 16th Texas Residency Match day...Has there been a time that someone succeeds and it seems like everything inside of you <span style="font-size: large;">jumps </span>with joy for them? <br />
<br />
Tonight my buddy Andy (named changed) got into his <b>NUMBER 1 residency choice</b> and I felt so excited for him. I was reminded by a friend at church that it was residency match day <i>today. </i>As soon as I could, I text my Andy to hear if he had any news. He told me that he would <b>be at Tech for another 5 years!</b> I just couldn't stop smiling. All his hard work and anxious waiting had paid off TODAY!!<br />
<br />
This is a guy that defied many odds to get into medical school AND to be accepted to the Texas Tech Orthopedic residency program. It is people like this that continue to motivate and inspire me to keep on keeping on!<br />
<br />
Way to go Andy!Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-40896921865179935552012-03-12T23:21:00.001-05:002012-03-18T20:51:54.687-05:00Officially Wait Listed at Texas Tech!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaK35U0GZSaxonziGDq7S0wFuiBzAHU2giXE_ru1M8nmkDni282niw1ZWZ28PWUmQMVfWLBsQlou5cOMSCFzch5SjM_3FiHbpwSaknBcewyE6kul2tCalPa7sho_-IyNX98y1muxxEhmaI/s1600/excited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaK35U0GZSaxonziGDq7S0wFuiBzAHU2giXE_ru1M8nmkDni282niw1ZWZ28PWUmQMVfWLBsQlou5cOMSCFzch5SjM_3FiHbpwSaknBcewyE6kul2tCalPa7sho_-IyNX98y1muxxEhmaI/s1600/excited.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Finally and officially I've been sent a notification that I've been put on the "<b>Alternate List</b>" at Texas Tech School of Medicine in Lubbock Texas.<br />
<br />
I was very happy and pleased when I received this e-mail. As my brother in law (with two master's degrees) said, <i>"Progress!"</i> That is what this is. Progress. Not the final step of acceptance, but progress.<br />
<br />
I will most likely send an e-mail back to Dr. Peck thanking her for allowing me to be on the alternate list (although all out of state applicants are put on it:) and see if there is anything she would like to see from me as an applicant so I can show my commitment to Texas Tech School of Medicine.<br />
<br />
Exciting. Thanks for your encouragement and interest! I can really feel it.<br />
<br />
-MichaelBrother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-84223416843390788852012-03-09T21:55:00.003-06:002012-03-22T22:37:17.349-05:00Texas Tech Medical School Involvement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFXvfJqWK4dY1-BElsYZ_xTtXuAnBq84f8T5c_GOBMgxeJVL39BtQuHwiZTe_mF_LBUKdh-GasqZoBQ6zCqwcYkKbhWkeYLEtXnNVTEniM86A2vCf7flxuJaxH_hvZj5rQEbCZOxeNLvv/s1600/school+of+medicine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFXvfJqWK4dY1-BElsYZ_xTtXuAnBq84f8T5c_GOBMgxeJVL39BtQuHwiZTe_mF_LBUKdh-GasqZoBQ6zCqwcYkKbhWkeYLEtXnNVTEniM86A2vCf7flxuJaxH_hvZj5rQEbCZOxeNLvv/s1600/school+of+medicine.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I was writing up something for my dad this evening about all I've done to get into Texas Tech. Aside from studying 350+ hrs. for the MCAT, writing 30+ drafts of my personal statement, and spending 30+ hrs. on my application, these are some of the other involvements I've had with the Texas Tech School of Medicine:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Contact with the Admissions Committee<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Former Dean of Admissions</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Discussed with him my decision to move to Lubbock and its impact on my application<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He has spoken with the Admissions Committee twice about me as an applicant<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Associate Dean of Admissions</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Met with her in admissions office, on my own accord, at conclusion of interview day<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Assistant Director of Admissions</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Met with him in his office on numerous occasions to discuss updates to my application and residency status<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Other Contacts of Consequence<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dean of the School of Medicine</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Met with me for 30 minutes <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Discussed current application including my GPA, MCAT score, and medically related involvement<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mentioned his preference of BYU students as out-of-state applicants and said he would review my application status personally<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Texas Tech Ophthalmology Clinic</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Met in his office. He provided insight regarding the Texas Tech interview process and character traits interviewers look for<b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Referred my name to </span></span><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Associate Dean of Admissions</span></i></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Provided me with contacts for a potential job opportunity<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div>Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-34781988063296852442012-03-05T23:51:00.001-06:002012-03-18T20:57:31.523-05:00UT San Antonio Denial<span style="font-size: large;">No go for UT San Antonio</span>. Obviously this was e-mail was just a matter of time because I didn't interview there. The e-mail just made it more official.<br />
<br />
The e-mail did provide some cool insights though:<br />
<br />
<i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Academic issues</b> are typically <b>obvious </b>to the applicant. However, efforts to modify other aspects of your application should be based on those activities that have “<b>value</b>” to you, and<u> not activities just to get into medical school.</u></span> </i><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>My experience is that <b>reapplicants are much more successful</b> if they determine what might be shortcomings in their application and then act on them. At least this way there is a solid discussion point for the essay in the reapplication and especially for discussion during the interview the next year. Your <b>Health Professions Advisors are also important sources of information. </b></i></span> <br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-signed by Dr. David J. Jones. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I actually e-mailed Dr. Jones much earlier in the application cycle. It was good to finally get an e-mail back from him...</span>Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-8515614318797459322012-03-03T23:16:00.001-06:002012-03-18T20:55:43.373-05:00Dealing with Burdens (my burden as an example)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYYhXdBSSvBuQVJZHpF1K21hLDxHh2wqBMM5hbRlBOqJA6VtmnsEHuPOx7XoAmvasMwVAofHJBPKX1uxUqCdolT_Ro_1W1jfpRHdBV4vZTiL0IpUvGmWOTN53ScydsxqpL3ololv8OW5Y/s1600/burden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYYhXdBSSvBuQVJZHpF1K21hLDxHh2wqBMM5hbRlBOqJA6VtmnsEHuPOx7XoAmvasMwVAofHJBPKX1uxUqCdolT_Ro_1W1jfpRHdBV4vZTiL0IpUvGmWOTN53ScydsxqpL3ololv8OW5Y/s1600/burden.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I don't mean to get anyone down before the approaching Sunday but I just had to post tonight to say that <b>today was somewhat of a downer.</b> All the talks with medical students, admission's committee people and family, I just need a good Sunday to revive my spirits. This week I:<br />
<br />
- Learned I might have to, "<i>Just re-apply next year</i>" when I met with the former dean of admissions while at a church function.<br />
<br />
-Was reminded of the hard times during undergrad as a premed when I had about an <i>hour chat with a pre-med student</i>. I felt like an experienced soldier talking to a newby, knowing there are a lot of hard things he doesn't know are coming but will be experiencing soon.<br />
<br />
- Had <i>no good news about medical school applications</i> to tell my medical student friends after playing ball with them. They obviously know what it's like to not have a clue about your future for <b>MONTHS. </b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>- </b>Spent<i> long hours in thought and speaking with my wife</i> about our decisions for the future. It sometimes feels like you're not just carrying a reasonable burden on your back, but the future of your immediately family, your loved ones, and a small part of the future of all those you'll come into contact with... <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTI0pr-mDLngvNarnpLoDeDLlxBla8JP_POorIZjI5Bg7-tvng_0aY2zrCVqPwpV_6yvWVyO5_FIIDfhap3nxll-WRwdo1MLAYp1L-kF_Wi-uqpIJ-NccwJdzClm13rS4E81ZR-fdg5FM/s1600/burden+big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTI0pr-mDLngvNarnpLoDeDLlxBla8JP_POorIZjI5Bg7-tvng_0aY2zrCVqPwpV_6yvWVyO5_FIIDfhap3nxll-WRwdo1MLAYp1L-kF_Wi-uqpIJ-NccwJdzClm13rS4E81ZR-fdg5FM/s1600/burden+big.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kind of feels like a bit bigger burden when you put it that way eh?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is obviously <span style="font-size: large;">no burden too big for the Savior</span>, which is why I look forward to Sunday. Tomorrow I get to I forget myself as I serve others . <span style="font-size: large;">Things will work out </span>how they're supposed to<span style="font-size: large;">.</span> I have no doubt about that, especially as I am doing all within my power to make it into Medical School. I also feel it is very important to <i><u>"be a running horse with velvet ears"</u></i>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If I am not paying attention to the whispering's of my heart as I work towards medical school, I may miss powerful detours. Detours that may help me achieve my ultimate goals of helping others, but detours that don't make me an MD. Detours I never took the time to notice existed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a great Sunday and remember, someone carried a burden MUCH heavier and for MANY MORE than you or I ever will . He carried that burden so you and I can turn to Him and obtain relief! Sweet relief.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrZ5kh7kz6iqdf9PwfhOrh_t6VGG28DkLJpEW4IZz0D5m3Bm4sXC58UdiTMhwYY5T_CWlEx5qRS1zNajt6UeCtz8NbRaCV-dPClJJoSYotaVzdvujLe3Qk09CHqpgA_H5DCH4tz1f55m1/s1600/jesus+carryin+gcross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrZ5kh7kz6iqdf9PwfhOrh_t6VGG28DkLJpEW4IZz0D5m3Bm4sXC58UdiTMhwYY5T_CWlEx5qRS1zNajt6UeCtz8NbRaCV-dPClJJoSYotaVzdvujLe3Qk09CHqpgA_H5DCH4tz1f55m1/s1600/jesus+carryin+gcross.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I KNOW He carried that burden and lives today to help us along our own Journey...wherever that takes us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Michael</div><b><br />
</b>Brother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7695157002621909024.post-22497514214888552772012-02-28T22:25:00.002-06:002012-03-18T20:57:16.970-05:00Application Update & doubts about doing the MD/MBA program<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUeJrowXq_5-E02-vfnOWgsOk0K4jDLJkKZqTI7SJtyn_5VdQQbxie7lTOntwkY-hyAECKvdWawG8gSIso2SQ-Q2wqtIZp9Hi3_NGQKJUB883evxZbkKr-scZznuRe6QxH5HQr2yUo9FU/s1600/landscate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUeJrowXq_5-E02-vfnOWgsOk0K4jDLJkKZqTI7SJtyn_5VdQQbxie7lTOntwkY-hyAECKvdWawG8gSIso2SQ-Q2wqtIZp9Hi3_NGQKJUB883evxZbkKr-scZznuRe6QxH5HQr2yUo9FU/s1600/landscate.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>No, I'm still not in...</i></span> but I know there's light at the end of the road. <br />
<br />
<b>APPLICATION UPDATES</b><br />
<b> </b>I thought it a good idea to notify Texas Tech and A&M about my HUC certification test. This morning, after nearly finishing my e-mail to Louis Perez, I decided instead to take a copy of my HUC certificate to the Admission's office and include the <i>revised</i> (A&M) personal statement. I went to the office today and turned the two documents in. Louis was gone, so I just turned them in to the front desk. I hope something comes of it. I will e-mail Leila Diaz tomorrow (with Texas A&M) and notify her of my becoming a certified HUC. You may laugh, but I think it's a big deal. That test was hard...also, I didn't even mention this but of the <b>100 HUC</b>s at UMC, only <b>12 are certified </b>and the average employement as a HUC is <b>19 years!!</b> So, it is pretty good to tell them I'm certified. Which brings me to my next discussion point: MD/MBA.<br />
<br />
<b>MD/MBA</b><br />
I have been <b>considering only doing the MD program</b>. Here is how this decision began. My wife, beautiful and wonderful woman that she is, simply said to me one night, "Mike, are you SUUUURE you want to do the MBA program too?" That's pretty much all it took. Her soft spoken, thought provoking question has now lingered in the corners of my heart and occupied my thoughts. <br />
I now ask myself:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>How much time do I want to spend with my family? </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Isn't the MD going to make me busy enough?!!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Where are my priorities? and </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Do I need to have an MBA to do business as a doctor? </b></div><br />
I've already taken most of the MBA classes they offer at Tech anyway. I will continue to consider this issue and possibly go in and talk with Louis, asking him if I could possibly be considered ONLY for the MD program. This late in the application process, I believe that decision would positively benefit my chances of getting in.<br />
<br />
<b>MY BRAIN</b><br />
There you have it, the inner workings of my mind right there for you. That's what I'm thinking right now on this lovely 28th day of February year 2012.<br />
<br />
-MikeBrother Michael Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03326876301608657224noreply@blogger.com1