Sorry about the delay in my posts. My excuses lay as such, fatigued by Sunday and don't want to look at another computer screen, tired and just want to relax and lacking motivation. I find myself putting all of my effort into studying, research and maintaining a 'sane-like' schedule.
Google Calendar has been a tremendous help for said schedule. I post all of my group meetings, classes, and random plans on there and I have it open to my wife, so she can coordinate her schedule with mine easier.
Google Calendar has been a tremendous help for said schedule. I post all of my group meetings, classes, and random plans on there and I have it open to my wife, so she can coordinate her schedule with mine easier.
Group projects consume my time, well besides studying, but for the most part researching. Now, don't get me wrong I love researching different diseases. However, after looking at a computer screen for 10 - 12 hours a day (that's including all of my studies), my eyes just feel tired.
This a picture of DSA, digital subtraction angiography that can be done with CT. Awesome!
We presented one of our group projects today. This one was for our Biostats class. We had to research (I have I stated this already? our research consumed our lives for the last couple of weeks!!!) three particular diseases: Peripheral artery disease (PAD), Abdominal Aorta Aneurism (AAA), and Carotid Artery Stenosis (CAS). We then had to look into all the risk factors, prevalence (pre-test probability), and do some calculations to determine the likelihoods. With the positive and negative likelihoods we were able to determine our post-test probability. In other words, are the provided screening tests for this three diseases valid and accurate to use. The three tests we looked at were: duplex ultrasound (DUS) for AAA, ankle brachial index (ABI) and again duplex ultrasound (DUS) for CAS. Our patient index included asymptomatic and >65 years old (y/o).
Anyways, we presented our case to our class and afterwards our professor, who is an M.D rips our information apart! (just part of the routine of presenting) I am reminded of my old art classes where we would get up and explain our piece and then be critiqued with a whip, ok not that bad, but seriously we were sweating it.
We pulled it off and did great!
Last week, a group of us headed to the retirement home to perform our physical exams on elderly volunteers. I wasn't nervous about the patient contact (previous x-ray skills helps), but slightly anxious to perform a physical exam on someone other than a fellow student. I walked into the patient room, kindly introduced myself and explained what was occurring. I got through all of the verbalized portion when her friend showed up and asked me to leave them. I was only there for about 10 mins! Anyways, I now have to go again that way my professor has something to grade me on...a bit frustrated, but what do ya do?
Chad you are doing such a great job. Just remember this will all be worth it in the end. Keep up the good work--proud of you.