We're Halfway There!

I can't believe the semester is coming to an end in just a couple of days. It's amazing how I went from a scatterbrain, newly grad student to actually being able to say that I'm halfway done with this program! Time has really flown by and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I'm surrounded with wonderful peers, great professors, and an interesting program!

Volunteering this semester has also been very enjoyable. I'm so thrilled I decided to volunteer at the Children's Hospital here in New Orleans. I wanted to choose a community service organization that I could consistently volunteer with, an organization in which I could build my experiences week after week, and I really have found that through volunteering at the Emergency Department of the Children's Hospital. I'm excited to be able to continue volunteering next semester, who knows I may even switch departments and try something new! The possibilities are endless!

I volunteer at the Children's Hospital every Sunday from 10 am - 1 pm, starting from Sept 14. My hours are as follows for the semester:

8/31: 4 hours
9/7: 3 hours
9/14: 3 hours
9/21: 3 hours
9/28: 3 hours
10/5: 3 hours
10/12: 3hours
10/19: 3 hours
10/26: 3 hours
11/2: 3 hours
11/9: 3 hours
11/16: 3 hours
12/7: 3 hours
Total: 40 hours

Time really does fly! It's crazy how quickly the semester has gone by. Feels like it's only July, but we have our last block exam in two weeks! While Thanksgiving break was a much needed break from me, it's good to be back in New Orleans, and I'm excited to finish out the semester strong with the rest of my classmates.

While this semester of Pharmacology may be coming to an end, my business is never ending as my winter break will be filled with major studying for the MCAT I plan to take in January. However, even after a semester's worth of courses, I feel like I'm already more prepared for the MCAT than I was at the beginning of the program. The program has really enhanced my understanding specifically in Biology, and I know that I'll be able to use everything I've learned thus far come January.

Other than the program, I've been trying to spend more time with my fellow peers. Even though the program keeps us busy, we always try to find some time every week to explore a little bit of New Orleans, whether it's going to another concert or show, trying a new restaurant, or just finding a new coffeeshop to study at!

Volunteering has also been going great! I'm learning even more every week when I go into volunteer at the Children's Hospital, and I'll definitely miss it when I go home in December for winter break!

Total Hours: 27

Wow...another month has gone by! It really is unbelievable how the time passes. It feel like just yesterday that we were beginning the Pharmacology program at Tulane, and now we are down to the last two blocks of the semester. I've already learned so much from the program (aside from the actual material we cover in class) like how to not pull my hair out with a CV block that runs for nearly a month, and how to control my blood pressure while attempting to learn about the long list of antihypertensive drugs available.

I've especially enjoyed my time on the weekends volunteering at the Children's Hospital here in New Orleans. Since I've been volunteering now for almost two months, I've gotten much closer with the ER staff which has allowed me to do more as a volunteer. My interactions with patients has increased tremendously, and my nervousness for speaking with patients in the (often) hectic ER environment is now confidence and eagerness. I look forward to ending my week at the hospital and interacting with the children is the best part.

Aside from classes and volunteering, I've been using my time to explore New Orleans more (much more than I did as an undergraduate student). Honestly, I think it mostly has to do with the fact that everyone else in the program hail from all over the country, so their excitement to be in New Orleans has rekindled my love for this city. I've been rediscovering all the fantastic places to eat (just tried Ralph's on the Park today...a lovely restaurant near City Park) and I've even found the time to start going to different shows and concerts again (slowly becoming a regular at Tipitina's).

Until next time!

Total Hours: 21

Abi

After attending Tulane as an undergraduate, the thought of leaving New Orleans made me distraught and unhappy. While I missed my home of San Francisco, CA, I couldn't have imagined living anywhere else besides New Orleans. Along came the Masters in Pharmacology program at Tulane and I couldn't have been happier when I made the decision to stay in New Orleans for another year! 

The past few months have been a whirlwind, filled with overwhelming emotions on my first day of graduate school (where did the time go?), stress in anticipation of many block exams, but more importantly excitement when I got the opportunity to meet the rest of my peers in the program! It's been quite a hectic three months already, but I'm having a great time and excited to see where this program takes me throughout the next year!

One fun aspect of the program is the community service component. This year, I've decided as part of my service portion, to volunteer in the Emergency Department of Children's Hospital New Orleans. I've just begun volunteering every Sunday morning, but already it's been a rewarding experience! 

Through volunteering, I've been fortunate enough to interact with nurses, EMTs, social workers, and even physicians, which has allowed me to learn more about the cohesiveness of an ER team. There's never a dull moment in the ED, which makes for an exciting volunteer shift for myself! Moreover, as a volunteer I am able to interact with patients as well. 

It's truly amazing thus far to see how great the Children's Hospital is, mostly because the doctors at Children's are able to help those who may not otherwise have access to medical care. I cannot wait to experience more over the coming months!

Total Hours: 6