Yet another week down in Med school and it is flying by. Over the past week we have moved from dissecting the muscles of the deep back to the upper limb aka arm, well stopping to perform a mastectomy (removal of breast) to see whats inside... Not only have I been learning a lot but I also attained a great formaldehyde rash that engrossed my entire body for an evening. Note to self wash your scrubs more then once every other week to avoid such unpleasant skin rashes.
The time put into this process is enormous but it is amazing at how much I have already learned. From basic cellular function, to clinical correlations with anatomy, to the recognition on neuronal bodies on slides there has been vast arrays of materials shoveled at all of us. Just another day in paradise I guess.
The highlight of this week though had to have come from outside the class room. Yesterday I was lucky enough to join a "drinking group with a running problem" called the Hash House Harriers. Which apparently is an international running organization that holds runs all over the world. So for all reading this who enjoy running look up this organization and see if there is one near you b/c it is probably one of the most fun things I have been a part of in some time.
Cadaver Lab
The Hash was invented in kuala lumpur in the late 1930's and as the story goes a british couple living there began to constantly argue b/c the mans wife said he was getting to fat and he needed to lose weight. So the man decided to start running in the woods and would always end at a restaurant called The Hash. Apparently over time he became very fit and other people would come to him and say "hey I want to run as well can I come with you and get fit and such". Well the man now very in shape said fine fine but I dont want to wait for anyone I am to fit to jog... so he would run ahead and leave saw dust markers for people behind him to follow. The man became known as the "hare" and was chased after by the "hounds." Eventually this tradition made it back to England and was then spread all over and it is now a global club.
Anyway the local St. Kitts hash consisted of about 100 people and takes place once every 3 weeks. Each race a different hash member is in charge of making a course. Now the course can be anywhere on a beach, up the side of the volcano, through downtown. But the only way that you know where you are going is to continue following the saw dust markers which is not always easy as there may be multiple junctions in the road.
For my first has we started at the base of the volcano and ran down to the beach. The second we hit the beach it started to downpour... hashers being brave of soul and thick skined trucked on, from the beach we made a B line for one of the smaller but still very steep mountains next to the volcano and ended up following saw dust all the way to the top. Sadly due to the rain I was unable to get pictures but rest assured they will come for my second Hash, just take my word that the view from the top was beautiful as the storm had moved out to sea the sun was out and you could see lighting over the water (I know medical school is tough right). Anyway on to the last and most important part, thats right the drinking. Coolers and coolers of beer were brought and the post race festivities began. Little did I know that anyone who was a virgin hasher (first race) had to become christened into the Hash. This consisted of first taking a knee stating your name, getting beer dumped on your head (baptism), chuggin a beer, and then having any of the beer that you were unable to chug dumpped on your head. All an all a great experience but I would advise against beer showers as they tend to make one very sticky.
Anyway with only two weeks until our first block exams everyone is starting to feel the pressure of our first exams and you can feel the anxiety in the air. Once we have a feel for how effective our study schedules are I think everyone will be more at ease but thats wont happen until we get this first exam out of the way, so bring it on.
Sunset at The Strip
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