The semester has come to an end, and the holiday break has started. As a third-year, exams were earlier and less intense than previous semesters. It was so nice to be done on the 14th and to be in Michigan later that evening. It has been hard preparing for Christmas without any snow on the ground. I look forward to a White Christmas with hot cocoa, Sorel boots and snow drifts. The 65 degree weather in Memphis wasn’t putting me in the holiday spirit!
It’s hard to study for exams when we have been so busy in Memphis with other fun events. The St. Jude Marathon was December 1st and brought lots of people to Memphis. The streets were blocked off and runners were everywhere. We had lots of SCO runners in both the half and full marathon. Not to brag, but we have lots of smart and athletic optometry students, including the 2nd place half marathon female finisher and my personal favorite pair of running legs on the island!
I also had my first nursing home experience. Each third-year has a rotation through nursing homes or rehabilitation centers across the area for 4-5 weeks. I was very nervous for mine. I really enjoy the younger crowd, and was anxious about communication issues among other things. It turned out to be very interesting and not scary like I had originally thought. The staff doctor explains the situation when you arrive and has a list of scheduled follow-ups and full exams for the day. They also show you how to use some mobile equipment that we don’t typically use in The Eye Center. It’s definitely challenging to get all the information you want, especially if your patient no longer speaks or hears well. It is part of the challenge to figure out how to get all your exam information without putting too much stress on the patient. Overall, it was a very rewarding experience.
The end of the semester also meant saying goodbye to some of my dear friends that are moving on to their new extern sites outside of Memphis. It’s crazy to think that the people I have spent the last two and a half years with are splitting up in May. This is our last semester as the class of 2014 all living in one place, so besides studying for boards (yeah, those are on the calendar finally), it is necessary to enjoy Memphis with all my friends before we leave. At the end of the year, I look back at so many fabulous memories and raise my coffee mug to the Iguana Club, Team Liechtenstein, Leah-Weens, SVOSH Dream Teams, Team Chalazion, Cheetahdactyls, Big Dog’s B-Blockers, and all my dollies.
Have a wonderful Holiday!