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January Blog Post

  
This first month flew by. Overall, I have enjoyed how this semester is structured over the last semester. I thought adding the electives would cause me to be more stressed out but the content we are learning is really interesting. Specifically, I really enjoy our endocrine elective with Dr. Lindsey. Stress is something I deal with often. I’m a worrier so having a class we’re I can conceptualize the impact stress can have on my body in the long run is really helpful. I also really enjoyed the lecture on pharmacogenomics. Every time we take a test, the toxicity of first line drugs is emphasized. Clearly, it’s important to make sure your patients are aware of the potential side effects of their medications but I never thought about how some patients are at higher risk of these toxicities because of their genetic makeup. Medicine should be individualized. No one's genome is the same so no one's medical care should be the same. Switching gears, I have been thinking about the application cycle coming up a lot. With the program winding down I have to start planning for what’s next. Transition periods like this always stress me out. I have a tendency to second guess myself a lot. Even after doing relatively well last semester I still have a huge fear that I won’t get into medical school. Besides my stress and worry I have had some fun experiences this month. I went to Studio Be and Morrow’s one weekend. Studio Be has incredible pieces centered on black history. It helped me reflect on how each day I’m a personification of my ancestor's wildest dreams. Morrow’s had this crawfish Cajun pasta that was so good it put me straight to sleep once I got home. I’m only in New Orleans for a couple more months so I’m trying to make the best of the time I have left here. It truly has been a transformative time for me. 

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