BTHObama

No, my goal isn't to beat the hell out of Obama, if that's what you think the title implied. At Texas A&M, one of the yells (note: not cheers) is one where we yell "BEAT THE HELL OUTTA _____". Fill in the blank with the appropriate opponent.

Last weekend was the biggest hype game of our season: Texas A&M vs Alabama. After defeating Alabama in Tuscaloosa last year, we were ready to bring them home to Kyle Field. While we didn't end up victorious (we lost by a touchdown and made Nick Saban give up the most points in a game in many years) it was one of the most fun games I have been to. There is nothing like the 12th Man on a Saturday.

It was blazing hot, but we took a few pictures before we got too nasty!

Dreaming

I had my first medical school interview of the season yesterday.

I loved it.

Had you have talked to me merely 16 hours before, you would have heard doubts floating in my mind of "do I really want to be a doctor?" or "do I really want to go through with this?" But I am about 119% sure that this is where I am supposed to be after yesterday.

I interviewed at an osteopathic medical school (read: I would be Jillian Anderson, DO rather than Jillian Anderson, MD) in Fort Worth, unsure of what to expect. For one, I came out adoring the town of Fort Worth, including areas like 7th Street and the Arts District and so much else. Fort Worth seems like an incredible town to live in, within close proximity to Dallas without feeling like a huge city. I would really love living there!

Secondly, I was pleasantly surprised at how well I liked TCOM. I was unsure about osteopathic medicine entering application season, but the more I researched and especially after touring, the more I understood the atmosphere of the campus and what TCOM was all about. I don't think I expected [wanting] to go to an osteopathic school for medical school after interviewing. But now, I am confident to say that I would be overjoyed to be accepted into this program. The medical students had a genuine community, there was a sense of positivity throughout the school, the faculty genuinely cared for the students, it was catered to the type of physician I want to become.

I think the biggest piece of information I learned yesterday was to choose a medical school that aligns with your goals as a physician. Personally, I care about the patient interaction. I want to be in the trenches with my patients and to focus my energy on that aspect of my job. While I might pick up research along the way, going into medical school, that is not my priority. So maybe a school like UT Southwestern churning out research physicians wouldn't be the best fit for me. A place like Harvard equipping public health physicians to become policy makers isn't the niche I belong to. But a place like TCOM, interested in primary care and patient interaction--- that is a place I can see myself. Of course, each school is not defined by these ideas, nor am I uninterested in these different schools because of what has been their trend in their graduates. (Send my an interview invite, SW!) But I know wherever I end up I will thrive. Thinking these goals through when it comes to choosing a medical school, this is something I will chew on.

So all that being said, I am being a dreamer tonight. Looking up residencies in Texas (as well as Nashville... hello, Vanderbilt!) and dreaming of the time when that might become reality. I am excited to keep you posted on things happening in the medical school world and beyond. I have my next interview September 26 at Texas A&M. This is an allopathic school, so I am excited to dip my toes into this arena next! Pray for more interview invitations to come my way-- actually getting an interview is the biggest obstacle in getting accepted!

 [Of course, I couldn't help stopping by the Aggie Barn on my way home from DFW last night!]

Back in Action

Hello, friends!

It's been quite some time since I have visited this spot on the interwebs... but I am glad to be back! I hope to become a little more steady with my posting (as I have said every blog post for about a year...) but I truly believe that my schedule this year will allow it.

I am excited to use this blog again to detail the stories and events that are going on in my life. I feel like my life is on the brink of change (in such a great way) right now, so I feel like there is no better way to chronicle these things than on my blog. I am currently in the high season of medical school interviews, I will graduate in three months, and I will be a real adult (ha!) in just a short time. Isn't that crazy to think about?

The past few months have been a time when I no longer see myself as a baby. My entire life I have viewed the people even just a year older than me as so wise, mature, and just, well, older. When I would get to that age in my life, I would still feel so little. Even my junior year of college I still saw myself as a 16 year old girl. However, my time at Pine Cove this summer really opened my eyes to the different season of life that I am in now in comparison with two to three years ago (and where others who are younger than me currently are). What I value, what I worry about, what occupies my thoughts--- these things are different now than they were before, and I think it's a sign that I truly am walking into my "early-twenties". And all I have to say to that is let's go!

I'll leave you with a few pictures as of recent, look forward to a new post soon! I am hoping to use this space for a little bit of goal planning for myself.