Where Did The Summer Go?

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I can hardly believe that it is October tomorrow. This summer and indeed this entire year has really flown by fast. I am already half way through my anesthesia program. The most busy part of the program is complete, but the learning is far from over. The basis of studies from this point on seems to be to build on and get into the details of what we have already learned. The problem is that we went through the material so quickly that it seems like we are learning alot of this stuff for the first time. It is easier now though.

My time in Michigan was a lot of fun. There is a lot of independence associated with the "off-site" clinical rotations. I find that I like that alot. You seem to learn more when you have to make decisions rather that have them made for you. I don't mean that you don't make decisions when you have a preceptor sitting in the corner, you just second guess yourself. Instead of doing what you want to do, you frequently do what you think that the preceptor would want you to do. Either that, or they don't want you to do what you wanted to, not because it is wrong, but because of their own biases and experiences. I like being more independent.

My petition for "in state" tuition was finally approved. The process is not as easy as they made it sound during interviews for school. The key to being approved seems to be accepting a position for employment following graduation. Most of the students in my class who have been granted "in state" status have signed on with UPMC Medical Center http://upmc.com/. It is the flagship of the university health system here in Pittsburgh. They have a great up front signing bonus, and aren't a bad place to work. The downside is that the pay is not so great. I am going to finish school with a substantial amount of debt, and I would like to get it paid off as quickly as possible.