This summer has, beyond a doubt, been absolutely wonderful. Instead of going back to Las Vegas and hanging out at home all day like I did last summer, I decided to stick around in New Orleans. Like many others, I’ve taken up a couple summer jobs on campus  to stay productive. However, I’ve also been volunteering in the Emergency Room at Touro Infirmary, a local hospital.

Summer 2009

Before dedicating another 4 years of my life to medical school and a taking on a hefty chunk of student loans, I thought it would be a good idea to get some experience in the medical field, just to be sure I knew what I was in for. I spent 46 hours of my summer beating the heat while receiving valuable knowledge. Whether it was making beds, talking to patients, or shadowing/assisting doctors and nurses on minor procedures, I was able to help out and learn a lot in the process. It was nice to see what emergency medicine is all about, how hectic it got when all of the beds filled up but the ambulances kept coming, and how surprisingly quiet and empty it could get on an early Friday morning. What was really neat was having the opportunity to apply some of what I learn in class to real life situations. Although I’m still looking forward to fulfilling more hours, I feel as though this opportunity has served me well in planning for my future.

Summer 2010

I really couldn’t have asked for a better summer – nice weather (better than Las Vegas, anyway!), a steady paycheck, clinical experience, and a healthy amount of free time. It’s truly a shame that it has to come to an end!

Oh, and for the record, the medical show that most closely emulates an average work day in a hospital: Scrubs.

Seriously.