Problem Based Lumpage

Well, that's one and a half weeks down. I spent a little time trying to figure out what that means for me. Apparently, that makes about 1% of a doctor. I'm not sure if that translates to a one percent improvement in your health merely by my presence, but I guess we'll see. If my years in science have taught me anything though, 1% isn't really biologically significant.

So how was the first week? Well, it has been enjoyable, I'm less nerve wracked now and starting to feel a bit more comfortable around the joint. It's weird being around so many people again, but enjoyable. It seems to be an alright bunch of people. The corpses, though mentally intimidating weren't that bad. It was weird, because I wasn't sure whether I was going to be grossed out by them or not (even though I've seen bits of people in pots before, but whole dead people is another story!)
So I sat down at the end of the lab, having befriended another scientist fleeing the research system. I couldn't help but notice the smell from the body 6 feet away, covered by a 'tarp.' Though the top of its head poked out, almost casually. It smelled exactly like trizol, I kid you not. It took me back to those crazy days of honours, where extracting RNA was pretty much all I did. Then the anatomy guy, who is quite an excitable talked excitedly, then cracked open a dead person right next to me, a super strong wave of trizol like odour washing over me... and it was fascinating. I think the thing that was most unpleasant was the fact that the skin was pretty much like leather. The actual inards were captivating, and putting your fingers through peoples hearts and exploring the coronary arteries was really fun. I think one amusing chap, who is a hybrid between body-building Adonis and genius lawyer, turned medical student said it best. "This is pretty interesting, hey." It truly was. Weird though...

The rest was fun, the whole PBL gimmick is neither underwhelming or overwhelming. I am just whelmed. I think my groups make up is weird, as we don't have any nurses or pseudo medicos in it so we seem to know very little and have to catch up a fair way. On the other hand, we're all on the same page so it's good.

It has been interesting though, I have met a few nurses and ambos, and sat in on a fascinating discussion about people who try to commit suicide with panadol. In short, it doesn't work well. It fries your liver and you take two weeks to die - slowly and painfully. I'm not an advocate of suicide, but pro-tip. Don't use panadol.

Which brings me to my final dither. They seem to be really concerned about our mental health. I reckon I had 4 or 5 different lectures on not being depressed, and making sure I have a GP. It was a worrying sign, but I can't imagine mental health is any worse in med than in phd research students. The working conditions there are heaps worse...Well, I will survive.

Hey hey!