Dis-Orientation

Warning: LONG POST!!!

Day 0  - MPH Orientation

So day one was really day zero because I only had my MPH (Masters in Public Health) Orientation at the Public Health building. I met with the other MD/MPH students as well as DVM (Veterinary)/MPH students. I had a great day, but by the end of it I was beat. We learned a lot about the program and how awesome it's going to be, but also learned that we have three extra classes on top of the med courseload, and that we miss out on some stuff throughout the four years in order to fit the extra degree in. I also learned that this summer, rather than taking the summer off, I get to do a field research project. Downside: not a true summer vacay. Upside: STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES!!! Goal: Africa or India!!!! So hopefully I will get to go somewhere cool this summer. Yay! After lunch, we had our first class. Four hours of class. I was not ready for that and in a class of 20 people I almost fell asleep twice. Luckily the teacher, who goes by Tony, is awesome, super liberal, and an amazing educator. I managed to make it through and even learned a thing or five. I also got my first homework assignment, a four page paper. Not to bad for Day 0.

After class ended, I went home and tried to unwind, but had chores to do and places to be, and ended up walking through sideways windy rain for 45 minutes to get to Whiskey Priest, a bar where the M15s and M14s were meeting up. I met a bajillion classmates and was totally overwhelmed with names and faces. Everyone was really cool, and I think I've found some people I really click with here, but I was cold, exhausted, had a pounding laundry door headache, and was ready for the day to be over.

Day 1 - I'm a Med Student Now

So I woke up, got ready, and walked with my roommate to the first day of medical school. I walked into Sackler, AKA the only medical school building, and got my ID (see photo)!!! It was official... I was a medical student! 

I also got a packet that included an iclicker, a bunch of information, and the emails of my peer mentor and faculty advisor. 

I immediately started chatting with classmates and administrators and tried to meet as many people as possible (we have 200 people in our class, so this was quite a task). I guess I was kind of late, because most people were already in the room and seated, so I was forced to the front of the giant lecture hall. I was in the fifth row, but I was the in the first row occupied by people, so it was a little scary, but probably for the best. I sat down, ate, and chatted until the Dean of Admissions started talking. Then I basically sat and listened to the Tufts president, the Dean of the med school, various other Deans, and a Tufts cop who told us how to stay safe in one of the most dangerous areas of the city - AKA my lovely neighborhood! It was a lot of sitting and listening, but I was highly entertained by the fact that someone had written "Poopies!" on the board and had drawn a small cartoon BM (doc speak for bowel movement) with steam rising off of it below their exclamation. Now I am pretty sure that the row I was in (the semi-front row) was the only row that could see this very small and lightly drawn chalk cartoon, so I am very glad I sat in the front because I was in on the best joke of the first day of class. I have no idea who drew it on there, but all of the speakers must have missed it because it was behind them while they spoke. Highly entertaining.

Next we broke into our "Learning Communities." These four groups that separated our class were named Curie, Harvey, Galen, and Maimonides (famous old dead doctors). Guess which one I was placed in? Thats right, I'm in the Maimonides Community. And there is a "Jumbo Cup" that the four groups compete for throughout the year and we have "Learning Community Lounges." Basically its a really awesome parallel to Harry Potter. There was no sorting hat, but I am pretty sure I was sorted into the right house, and my common room is awesome. The good news is that everyone has access to all common rooms, unlike in Harry Potter, so really its just a way for Tufts to separate us into manageable groups.

The rest of the Maimonides crew and I rotated through a bunch of sessions - we were fitted for our white coats, took pictures for a composite that they make of our class, registered for classes, learned about the online databases that we will be using, met the administrators we need to know, and had free lunch. By three I was super tired and ready for a nap, which was convenient because we had a session about staying stress free in medical school. The facilitator was the sweetest woman who at the end of her discussion of being healthy, had us lie down on the floor and do a meditation to release our tension. It was great, and much needed after a day of constant interaction with dozens of strangers that I am supposed to be friends with for the next two to four years. 

After class, the MD/MPH students in the year above us took us to Sweetwater Tavern for happy hour. We chatted and had discussed the MPH program a little bit more, and I eventually left for a much needed nap. 

After the nap, I went to the social event (like UCF's Welcome Week, there is tons to do this week after class, but unlike UCF's Welcome Week, you are actually expected to be at EVERY SINGLE EVENT). We met at King's in the Back Bay, a bowling alley / bar for pizza, trivia, and bowling. I was late, so I joined with a crew of semi-familiar faces and had an awesome time! We had pretty stiff competition (a room full of other med students) and lost, but it was fun and I met some more cool people! It seems really easy to categories people into cliques already, and I am hoping that I have an opportunity to meet more people and find a crew before that solidifies. There are people from alllllll walks of life in my class, and everyone is so super interesting. I have met people from all over the place, including two girls from Alaska (and yes, one HAD met Sarah Palin!) and a guy with a British accent. A lot of people have done really incredible things with their lives and I honestly am flattered to be in a group of such amazing people.

The rest of the week should be equally long and crazy, but it is super exciting the finally be here and I am having a blast. Real class starts next Monday, and the rest of the week looks pretty fun and easy. I will post at the end of the week, but to give you a teaser you can look forward to my discussions of the Basic Life Skills course / test (CPR), a field day, and a trip to the Tufts veterinary school!