so it comes to an end...

Today was my last day of medical school (officially; next week is an informal review week for our mega exam).

It's hard to put into words what I'm feeling. It feel so surreal. Part of me cannot believe that it's been 5 years since I applied, 4 years since I got in and am now done. When people ask me what I do, I now have a real career to point to. It's scary but exciting. Although I will still have exams to write and some lectures to attend every week, it'll be more like on the job training. There is such a relief that I made it through the bulk of it. I survived all the situations thrown at me. I learned a lot about myself and a lot more about other people. Although, not all my realizations about the world and people were positive, overall, there is nothing I would change about the experience.

I guess a new chapter of my life is beginning now...wonder what life has in store for me next? :)

Fucked up people

So I have 3 days left of my 5 week psychiatry rotation and let me tell u, there are some truly fucked up people out there. Some examples:
1) woman #1: god and satan fight inside my head; last time I left hospital they were playing (this is what she said when asked if she hears voices)
2) man #1: brought in by police...admitted to hospital. decided he didn't want to stay. took the window out of the frame and jumped out. brought back by police 2 hours later
3) man #2: when asked did you sleep: "I was comatose for a little while there."
4) woman #2: what brings you in: "I am jesus' wife and I was told by him to come here and help people
5) man #3: decided to take a cat, tie it to a tree and kill it with a shovel. Why? He doens't know why...he just felt like it.
6) man #4: came into hospital because (his words): "I am homicidal. I have actual plans to kill this person but thought I should come in and get help."
7) woman #3: the police have been after me for 12 years. They park a van outside my house every day (her neighbor drives a van)
8) woman #4: paranoid: takes pics of her neighbors b/c she thinks they are spying on them. her yard flooded so she built a canal type thing to diver the water into her neighbor's yard. tried to convince us that a picture she took of her neighbor's cat climbing over her fence (it's the cat's ass) is actualy her next door neighbor's face with a ski mask as he is spying on her; when police came, she hit the officer smack in the face. refuses treatment and we can' tforce it on her or keep her forcibly in hospital.

and the list goes on and on...

Interesting fact...

Did you know, a Subway tuna sub (6") has 31 grams of fat!!!! What the fuck do they put in there? A stick of butter? Holy crap!

Update

So it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. Not that my life is terribly exciting, but I thought I'd post an update.

Since my last post, I've turned 27, I finalized my appartment in Hamilton, I think I've figured out what car I want and what I can actually afford, I've spent more time online window shopping for new furniture and accessories with money I don't have, I've called the National Loan Service and found how much money I owe the government, I've gone to the bank to find out how much money I can get from them, I've had to decide about disability insurance (and make assumptions about my future salary...quite interesting)...hmmmm...decided to wear a sari to my formal (I'm too broke to buy a dress plus I don't like wearing dresses). Oh and I went to my financial advisor adn found out how much income tax will come off my paycheck next year (bloody $8700!!!! I'm like in 6 figure debt and the gov't is gonna take almost $9000 of my hard earned money...bloody hell). Then I realized I won't owe any taxes next year b/c of all the tuition I've paid in the last 8 years and I made a budget with my financial advisor. (scary stuff...never did that before). The worse part was that I barely break even (maybe even go negative) at the end of my first working year. And ppl say docs make a lot of money.

I also found out, I will pay $2500 in malpractice insurance up front (I get back 80% eventually)...it's not so bad except it comes out of my line of credit and I pay interest on that (which I do not get back). I will pay over $1000 in disability insurance coverage. Haven't calculated the car insurance yet...

Some (maybe) good news: the OMA ratified a new agreement whereby caps on doctor's salaries are gone...maybe now docs will work longer hours/see more patients b/c they will actually be paid for their work. Also, medical students (starting in our year) will get $6000 for working in the hospital in their last year. The OMA gives the schools the money supposedly by June. Not sure when we will actually see it or even see it (we only get this stipend IF it doesn't increase the OMA budget which it probably will).

I also found out it will cost me $550 to move my stuff from Kingston to Hamilton (times like this I wish I had a man who had access to a pick up truck/van and who could load shit and unload shit).

I had to decide what rotations I wanted to do next year and at which hospital (obviously I know a whole lot about the hospitals in Hamilton...having only worked there for 3 weeks on one floor of one hospitals. They must think we have like supernatural powers or something to figure out what goes on in each hospital)

Yesterday some of us had a day trip to an institute that is a home for 400+ severely mentally challenged people that the gov't is shutting down in 4 years and all this people who have lived there for 35+ years will have to be placed out in teh community (some of their parents are nowt over 80 years old). I'd like to see a politician spend a day with them and try to meet their daily care needs. Bloody idiots.

I went and got a pedicure today. I figure after finding out what the real world is about, I deserved a $50 pedicure with red toe polish. (my feet now look quite hot :P)

Anyhow, I'm back in TO in May...after my first licencing exam. Trying not to panic :P