Clincal Update

I am now only a couple of weeks away from the end of my clinical affiliation at Fletcher Allen Health Care, and then I'll be returning back to Boston for my last 2 and a half months of classes. I've started to like being at the hospital now that I'm picking up patients with more complex medical issues. I really like working as part of the medical team and I now feel comfortable talking with the nurses, doctors and social workers to help decide what is best for our patients. However, when patients have more complex diagnoses, it can be more emotionally draining. I have a patient in the ICU who slips into an irregular heart rhythm every time I get her sitting up, and another patient who has to have both legs amputated or he will most likely become septic and die. I find that I am exhausted at the end of the day, and I worry that in the morning I may find out that one of them didn't make it through the night. Although it seems rather bleak, but I really like what I am doing.

The next step will be interesting, and I wonder where it might take me. I have decided to stay in Boston for my year long and only put places on my list that I can get to via public transportation. I just really want one more year close to my friends before people start going their separate ways. I know Anna plans to possibly move to Seattle, and Nelly and Rob are moving there this summer. Matt is also thinking that he might not stick around much longer than a year, so I guess it would be fun to stick around another year and spent time with the people who mean a lot to me. So here is the list I submitted:

Spaulding Rehab Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Shaughnessey Kaplan, MGH, Newton-Wellesley , New England Rehab, and Brigham and Women's.

Hopefully everything will go well with the application and interview process. They should tell me what places I can apply to by early May, and then the interviews will happen in May and June. I'm excited to have a year where I will be working a regular schedule and be able to have time to spend with friends... and maybe I can even get a dog. :)