Back From Break and Just a Few Big Things Left To Do

It's already been one week since we've been back in classes and things are moving very quickly. Even our Thanksgiving Break moved quickly! It was a well needed time to just relax before the last dash to the finish line. I’m disappointed I didn’t get as much done as I thought that I would. I had hoped I would study the lecture material in preparation for finals but the only thing that I got done was a microbiology report.

Our extra credit microbiology report was open-ended so I found it to be quite interesting.  We just had to write a report on how the field of microbiology affects the field of pathology. The most obvious choice would be to write a report on all of the different microorganisms that cause disease in humans, but I like killing things much better, so I wrote about all the different ways to kill bacteria in the surgical pathology laboratory. Basically I covered antiseptics, disinfectants and sterilants. I went in to the pathology laboratory at Ruby Hospital and looked at all of the chemicals they use in the laboratory to clean and to protect us from catching the bugs that our patients have. It turns out the active ingredient in the majority of disinfectants used there is n-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. It sounds dangerous, but it’s only dangerous for the bugs. I can only imagine what it’s like to be a happy bacteria hanging out on a contaminated bench and then to see a flood of toxic liquid coming at you like a tsunami. The molecules insert into the bacterial membrane and disrupt it, so it’s equivalent to being… liquefied. Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark style.

In other big news this week, we’ve finally found out our rotation schedule for next year! My classmates and I have been waiting for this moment because the hardest thing to do has been finding a good place to live. Our housing in Charleston, West Virginia is provided for by the kind pathologists who work there, but that still left the monster of Pittsburgh to deal with. Here’s what my schedule is for next year.

1/3 - 1/27 University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Tissue Bank (Shadyside Hospital), Pittsburgh, PA

1/30 - 2/17 UPMC Magee-Womens’ Hospital Surgical Pathology, Pittsburgh, PA

2/20 - 4/6 West Virginia Deputy Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, Morgantown, WV

4/9 - 5/4 Allegheny General Hospital Surgical Pathology, Pittsburgh, PA

5/7 - 5/25 Ruby Memorial / West Virginia University Healthcare Surgical Pathology, Morgantown, WV

5/28 - 6/15 UPMC Presbyterian Autopsy Pathology, Pittsburgh, PA

6/18 - 7/13 UPMC Childrens’ Hospital Surgical Pathology, Pittsburgh, PA

7/16 - 8/31 Thomas Memorial Hospital, South Charleston, WV

9/3 - 10/19 UPMC Presbyterian Hospital Surgical Pathology, Pittsburgh, PA

10/22 - 12/14 UPMC Shadyside Hospital Surgical Pathology, Pittsburgh, PA

You may have noticed something from the schedule above. There are no more breaks! We’re going to be kept as busy as bees, but it’s a good thing because this is the actual hands on experience that we need to be prepared for the working world. I’m very excited to be starting rotations and can’t wait.

Before that though we’ve got to survive finals. Next week we have one final and a practical, then the next week after that we have three more finals. It’s going to be a lot of cramming, but all I can think about is not having to take another traditional lecture course for the rest of my life. Hopefully. That reminds me, I need to stock up on some caffeinated green tea for these next two weeks.

Green tea is my anti-drug.

Today’s going to be a busy day as well. After all of our efforts, my classmate Prashant and I have decided on an apartment in Pittsburgh, so we’re heading there today to hand in our paperwork. All should go smoothly. The new place we’ll be at is located outside of downtown Pittsburgh, which will make the commute a drag, but the price was reasonable. The costs should come out to be $695 for a one bedroom apartment, with everything except for electricity, internet and TV included. There’s a bus stop right outside the apartment area that goes to Pittsburgh, but I’ll be carpooling with Prashant as much as possible. My challenge is to prove that going through the WVU PA Program without a car is possible. Of course, I'll be paying gas money. So far so good.