The Chopping Block

Since when is Burping at the Library Kosher?

2007-11-05T21:29:01Z

So, you go to the library to study and for peace and quite right? WRONGOOOO! There are a slew of middle aged men bent on being totally crude while at the library often burping as loud as they can and emitting other bodily gasses (a.k.a they got the winds). One of my personally favorite characters is a guy who always reads books on nazi germany and Hitler. He snickers to himself nodding approvingly at the book while saying "that was a good one!". I can only imagine that he is figuring out how to construct his own gas chamber in his back yard. So, ok, freedom to read and snicker at whatever you want or whatever but do it in the main room, and not the quiet study room where you are supposed to be quiet! Not only that but then the guy disappears and comes back with a family sized bag of crunchy cheetos and then starts burping and passing gas! And its not just any gas either...this is a putrid green cloud of evil that he emits. He is trying to snuff us out....or at least trying to get the study room for his own evil purposes....well, I'm not giving in and little does he know that I'm completely immune to farts. So bring it on!!!!!!

nine interviews

2007-10-29T15:05:15Z

well, I am up to nine interview invites which is really good. I went to my first interview and although I think I could have done a whole lot better am glad that if I was going to stick my foot in my mouth it be in the beginning. In general it was a cool interview, but the size of the on call rooms was a little sad. One was so small that it must have been a feat of engineering and I credit the house staff for getting the little twin size bed inside. The procedure to get in is to open the door and throw yourself on the bed then laying down reach out grab the door knob and close the door. ON the upside the cafeteria food was not so bad. We had vegetarian wraps made from fried eggplant...mmmm yummy. So now I am writing thank you notes and hope they keep me in mind. Have a happy Halloween everyone.

I have INTERVIEEEEEEWS!!

2007-10-08T16:25:28Z

Looks like God has intervened and I now have interviews!! Only two days after submitting my application I got 2 offers in one day, both from NJ. I got an additional offer last night. I can't believe that someone is working on Sunday of a Holiday weekend. But in any case, the one I got yesterday was from Michigan. It is my hopes that I will get more invites next week. The average is about 10% of what you apply to. So if I sent out applications to 55 programs I should get in theory at least 5 interviews. So I am well over the halfway mark. I'm so excited!! This Thursday I leave for Texas where I need to take my Clinical exam on Saturday. My first interview is on Oct. 23rd so wish me luck.

mixed signals

2007-10-04T22:28:07Z

So, its understandable when a guy gives you mixed signals...but when a residency program gives you mixed signals what is that supposed to mean? I got a delightful email from a program who shall remain anonymous saying that they were delighted to get my application....but not to take their silence over the next month or two as lack of interest but rather thorough investigation of the applications at hand. So....what the heck? I think this is a don't call us we will call you but its freaky when they all say the same thing. Another not so delightful program in the big apple sent an email saying "DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL!!" later they went on to say that they have not started looking at applications yet and not to call or check on the status of an application. I think these people although they must be overwhelmed do not understand the level of stress we are under. Having to wait from September till March of the following year to figure out what is going on or if we got a job. And if you didn't then comes the dreaded scramble after the match. A free for all reminiscent of cage fighting where at the second the clock strikes noon on unmatch day you have to start dialing like mad in the hopes of finding a program that has open slots and willing to hash out a contract by phone. Sigh, will this ever end?!! So, right now I am fighting the urge to call the remaining 50 programs or so that have not gotten in touch but fear that this may hurt my app...so for now....I'm just stressing. Please Posty Posty, I would like to hear something of the world.

must revive LJ

2007-10-02T23:51:58Z

I'm seriously bummed (sp? that either meant sad or....attacked by a bum) that my LJ friends page has so few posts. I talked to Marc about this the other day and suggested a revival!! the slogan we came up with is "Posty Posty" so please keep posting so those of us who won't have a life for years can live vicariously through other people enjoying the world. As for me today is the day.....my application is complete and in a few short hours with a single click of the mouse my application will be propagated to over 50 programs on the eastern seaboard and Puerto Rico. Yes, I'm applying to Puerto Rico, and no, you can't laugh. It is a perfectly delightful tropical destination and home of the very popular spanish raggae or REGETON! Plus it has the added bonus that when I am having a particularly bad day I can just go pass out on the beach or stand in the wake of an oncoming hurracane. Very exciting, I think that they should do a Gray's style show but based in Puerto Rico. Mc. Dreamy would be Mc. tito puente and merideth would actually be Juanita played by the chick who does ugly betty a.k.a Betty la Fea. So yes, exciting times these are!! I just hope I get an interview so I can finally you know, start working like normal folk. So remember, Posty Posty!

Finally

2007-09-20T22:59:56Z

Finally took my USMLE Step 1 exam and I got my score back.....

I passed (86)

Thank God!!!

Now I can go back to my cave and start studying for the two I have next month..... YAY!

Being Employed is cool

2006-09-19T02:19:25Z

I'm already starting to spend my future earnings. Or at least making great plans for my pay checks. I am thinking about buying a new car....not sure if I should buy a new used car or a new new car. I have never owned a new new car. I have owned cars that were new to me...but in general were very much used cars. I am actually trying to decide whether to save my money for a used VW Beetle probably 2000-2002 with average 50-80k miles for 7-8k. Or wait a few more months and buy a brand spanking new 2007 Toyota Yaris for about 11-12k. I really dig the Yaris. I like the sedan but the hatchback is totally cute and I'm sure you can park it just about anywhere. Plus its a toyota so parts and maintenance can almost be done at your local supermarket if they did that kind of thing there, but you guys know what I mean. So, let me know what you guys think. On another note I am now about half way through chapter 11 of my kaplan biochem text and with good look hope to be very close to finishing it by this Sunday. Another perk of being employed.......401k, stock, health insurance, death insurance, dismemberment insurance. Although I doubt I will get dismembered while working for blue cross blue shield, its always good to know its there in case you loose a finger in the line of duty of something.

Colins book experiment

2006-09-15T01:57:25Z

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your LJ along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.

When comparing two enzynes the one with the higher Km has a lower affinity for its substrate. The Km value is an intrinsic property of the enzyme-substrate system and cannot be altered by changing [S] or [E]. When the relationship between [S] and V is determined in the presence of contant enzyme, many enzymes yield the graph shown in figure I-8-5, a hyperbola.

Kaplan Medical Step 1 Biochemistry text

Gosh that is scaryyyy!!

Back in Cleveland and ... its oficial

2006-09-15T01:36:53Z

Well, sorry I have not written in a while. All is finally settling down. I have an apartment near shaker square a little one bedroom but its cozy. Hishy started his english classes and today informed of the wonderful carcteristics of the past perfect and future perfect progressive tenses....I have no idea what he is talking about. right now we are both having delicious sandwiches made with arabic bread, white cheddar imported from lebanon, and lovely Halal bologna that has little green olives in it. This is the best cheddar I have ever had....ever....and I have had a lot! We called the house of blues thinking stupidly that there would be tickets available for Alice n chains later this month...I was promptly informed that it sold out the first day the tickets went on sale. Its just as well....we don't have the money for it. I was offered a job with Blue Cross Blue Shield but I don't want to count my chickens before I get the welcome package in the mail. They sent it out by mail on wednesday evening so I should recieve it within the next couple of days. They may send me out to California for some field training. My job is representing the company as their senior outreach specialist. I am pretty exited about it. We finally found some cool places we can buy Halal meats and chicken. We also buy a lot of Hummus (chick peas) and Hisham makes some fantastic hummus dip, with tons and tons of garlic...mmmmm yummy. Tomorrow is cooking day around here and I will make chicken and beef enchiladas. On another note I graduated from Medical School last saturday...a good time was had by all and I gave a huge sigh of relief as the plane took off and I realized I don't have to go back for a really, really, really long time if I ever decide to do so.

Colin donde estas?

2006-08-10T20:21:01Z

Soooo, I just got a call from Edgepark and they want me to go in for a second interview next week....I'm not sure what that means considering I've never had to go on a second interview. So, if anyone has any ideas please let me know. I feel rediculously dumb not knowing what all these things mean. Its with a completely different person, I don't think he was one of the ones that interviewed me on the first day. The thing is I also signed up with a temp agency that may get me something within the next couple of days. So, should I call them back and tell them I am no longer available to start that soon since I now have to go on another interview? Is it worth it to go to the second interview? Want to cry. Going to go see another apartment tonight at 6:30pm out on West 80th I'm not sure if that is a safe part of town so if any of you know anything let me know. Thanks again to you all for putting up with my boring posts, I just feel really lost.

job interview

2006-08-10T01:47:09Z

Well, in general I think it went well at Edgepark today. after I interviewed with two of the managers they sent me back to sit with another rep and listen to some calls. Apparantly it was good because the last two managers that interviewed me were impressed that I had been sent back to calls on the first interview. They asked me a bunch of questions and at the end said to go home and think about what my days would be like there and that they were going to talk about me after I left and to give them a call back tomorrow.....so, I'm not sure if that is good or bad. But I will call tomorrow. ON the apartment side I went and filled out the application and hope that it gets approved. Hisham is all packed up and will be here tomorrow night right around 11:30pm and I'm going to go meet him at the airport. Wish me luck tomorrow, hopefully I'll know something about the apartment and about the job.

Cleveland

2006-08-08T03:51:32Z

Well, I got here well thank God. Despite being stopped at customs for 2 hours because my mom hid an apple in my baggage somewhere that got smushed and someone smelled it and they thought I was trying to sneak in illegal produce ;( Hisham is all packed or so he says. TOmorrow I start the super mad dash to obtain an apartment so that I can be moved in by the weekend. I'm pretty tired so I will end here for today. Goodnight!

Last Post Till Cleveland

2006-08-05T22:05:37Z

Hey all, well, my last final came and went and I slept. Today I spent most of the day fighting with the horrendous fotografer who I hate and hope he gets Leprosy or something equally icky. I´m at an internet cafe in a farmacy where we are getting some last minute medicine for the trip like my Thyroxin and a finger splint for my mom who fractured her thumb. Thanks again to all for your interviewing tips, keep them coming. I hope to write you all soon when I get back to Cleveland on monday. Well, I´m out of here!! See you all in a few days.

its almost 4 am

2006-08-04T08:58:40Z

Well, its been a while since I pulled an all nighter but looks like today is going to do it. I set up this great little program that plays the Athan at prayer times on my PC calculated to the second according to my current latitude. Unfortunately the predawn (Fajr) prayer Athan is going to start playing in less than 45 min. which makes me kinda depressed to know that I heard the Isha call to prayer around 9 hours ago, and I'm still here. Oh, well back to studying. Oh, and thanks to all for the interview tips I shall begin studying those as soon as my brain has some free space. Keep them coming I can use all the help I can get.

Need Interviewing Tips!!!

2006-08-03T20:10:16Z

Great News!! I got an interview lined up with a Medical Equipment sales company in twinsburg ohio called Edgewater surgical. I am interviewing for an inside sales rep position. Aparantly I have to be on the phone all day trying to convince companies to carry the products. The thing is that on the initial phone interview I got asked a lot of questions that kinda threw me for a loop. Like, what I was looking for in a company, and what my definition of integrity is. I was like UHM.......? I guess I am used to someone asking how many assays I know how to run or if I can do PCR or immuno staining, no one cares about my definition of integrity usually. SHe asked what my salary requirements were....I didn´t want to be greedy so, I said 10/hr and I can only hope that she didn´t take it too literally. So, the thing is I aparantly answered to her satisfaccion because I have an interview with the sales manager next wednesday, but if he continues asking me stuff like this I am not sure how I will do. I am really afraid that they are going to make me give them some kind of sales pitch. Having absolutely no sales experience of any kind, I really need some help, so that I at least have a heads up as to what to expect. Soooo, Please!! Interview tips requested!! Especially for sales type of jobs. Back to the grind.

ARRRGHHH

2006-07-29T19:21:53Z

Well, I am oficially stressed now. But happy in general its been a good week. Hishy got his VISA approved on Friday and bought his ticket today...problem is he bought it for 3 days after I leave so I get to Cleveland on Monday and he gets there on Thursday.....hence I have no time to find a job basically. So, I'm really desperate now, and am sending you all this plea for help. If you know of anyone that is hiring, even if its for secretarial or temporary work doing shoe shinning of dog walking it does not matter please, please, if you have any contacts let me know. I also have a question for you all, does anyone know of any apartment complexes or landlords that will rent to college students without a job. So, my plan B is if I can't find a job is just to rent a place if I can and move in there while I look for a job. The alternative is that Hishy goes to stay in Kent for a while while I find work. But, I'm not really big on the idea. Aside from the fact that he would have to commute from Kent to Tri-C everyday its just too expensive and not practical for anyone. So, if anybody has any ideas, please, let me know.

My graduation pics

2006-07-26T00:59:00Z

I got the proofs back today......In some I came out ok...but, my cap and gown pics are all wrong. The photographer put on the "bib" thingy that goes over the gown inside out so instead of being silver in the pictures its black....Sooo, I have to go back on Friday before my Urology final to get them fixed. Boooo!!! Bad evil photographer!! He was funny though. Hishy's pictures came out nice. He didn't smile in a single one but, that is to be expected I guess. I am looking into doctors without borders. I am beginning to think that I will never find a job and will have to join the peace corps or something :( sigh! I wore my "Trust me I'm a Doctor" T-shirt today, my classmates were all crazy jealous!!! JEJEJE!!! Anywho, back to the books! Oh, did you guys know that you can get tuberculosis in your prostate and well, uhm, other things in that general area...Cool eh? Apparently its one of the major causes of radical prostatectomy in India!

TOF BABY

2006-07-26T00:50:26Z

Today I got a note from a Mom of a baby with Fallots Tetrology. She found my June 1 entry I think after I had attended a TOF correction with Dr. Maghdi. Every time I am at the hospital seeing parents watching over their children I am amazed by their strength and resilience. Be assured that any caring Dr. takes you home with them as well. In my mind I carry a picture of all the patients that have touched my life. To all of you who are ill or have a loved one who is ill I hope it helps to know that we care about you not just as patients, but as the wonderful people we grow to know as well. I hope with all my heart that all of you have no need of a doctor. Even if it meant spending endless hours with nothing to do, I would rather meet you all for coffee than in my office. Wishing you all the best in life, love and health.....

Cris

Last Day of Class EVER!!

2006-07-22T04:52:42Z

Its oficially over. Now I only have to take semester finals. Tomorrow is the day we all get to go down to the Fotografer and get out senior pics taken. Since I don't have many nice things to wear I had to go and obtain something presentable in a super rush this evening after my Forensic Medicine Final. We were asked a lot about mumification. An interesting process it is. If anyone is down in Mexico for vacation any time soon I suggest visiting the Guanajuato Mummmies for some extra cool mummy action. I like saying mummy, its fun. MUMMY!! Another fun word is Adipoceria which is the process by which the fat in your body turns into wax preserving it. Now I oficially know more or less how long some one has been dead by how stiff or not stiff they are. Here is a fun factoid. Did you guys know that the higher the drop when people hang themselves the fewer signs of strangulation there are like petechial hemorrhaging? Interesting eh? So, now you know, if you want to hang your self and dont want them to have to cake on too much makeup on ya, just make sure you dive off of something really high. Another fun forensic term anthropophagia, that is when little animals nibble away at ya, which could include fish. I am so glad that exam is over, its sick just studying for it, have not had an appetite in days. mmmm, hungry, want burger. I'm out!! Mummy!

Talent Show 2006

2006-07-20T01:20:04Z

The main event which I hope tons of people will show up for is a group of high school senior girls in really short dresses doing some kind of coriografy. Hishy's band is ready with 6 songs and may have a few more done for tomorrow. One guy is going to sing and play guitar and we have a guy doing techno dance with the glow sticks on strings thing. I am producer, DJ, bake sale organizer, etc. I'm so tired that my hair hurts. TOmorrow is an excrutiatingly long day. Again hopefully I will get some cool pics out of it. Again, if anyone knows of any jobs let me know.

Still no Job Prospects

2006-07-19T00:31:58Z

thanks to all for the help. I appreciate it. last day of school = Friday. Finals start on Monday. NO internet at home or cable T.V. Have not seen House M.D in over a week and going through serious withdrawl. Failing Familiy Medicine and my prof is an imbecil. Talent Show on thursday all my classmates bailed and I am now the sole organizer/producer of the event for which there are no judges nor prizes...but I'm not worried. If any good pictures come out of it I will post them somewhere. Thanks Lisa for the advise!! I think I have applied to every lab at CASE and still...no responses. BLARGH. going home, long day.

No more Jobs in Cleveland

2006-07-10T01:19:53Z

I think I have applied to every single job related to science in cleveland. So how long should I wait to hear back from people before going paranoid nuts that I will not find a job? GAHHHHHHH this is frustrating.

Back by popular demand

2006-07-07T03:21:29Z

thanks for worrying about me Colin...I'm hanging in there trying to roll with the punches. I have been applying for jobs almost every day. Its exhausting. TOday I spent 4 hours applying for jobs. I barely have time for school. To boot my class is organizing fund raising activities to cover the costs of our graduation ball. There is a talent show on the 20th of this month. Hishy is playing in a band. I think they are doing some creed and incubus plus a few spanish rock songs. I have ten million proyects due. Last weekend we had to take a cpr and AED certification course. I passed thank God. It is actually a graduation requirement if you can believe it. My internet is getting cut off on the 15th so if you want to get in touch with me after that it will have to be by email and I'll probably only be able to answer sporadically from school. I have my plane ticket though. I will arrive in Cleveland on the 7th which I think is a monday and come back for graduation on the 7th of september for the weekend. So, if anyone knows of any opennings anywhere...doing anything even secretary stuff, please let me know so I can apply. If anyone talks to Marc let him know I've been trying to call but I think the machine at his house died or something and I can't get ahold of him so if he could drop me email it would be great. Thanks all....sorry this post sounds half asleep, but I kinda am.

My cover letter sucks please HELP!!

2006-06-04T19:53:03Z

So, in my search for jobs I have included Fellowships as a possibility although I am quite aware that I may end up having to do secretarial work for a while which is ok. Anyway, I have not written a resume in a long time and did not think it would be this hard. I finally came up with a semi-cover letter. I think it needs help desperately. If any of you guys have any suggestions or corrections of grammar etc. I would really love to hear your opinions. So....here it is...my sucky cover letter.

COVER LETTER

As a medical student I am confronted every day by the clinical manifestations of illnesses, and am often baffled by the limits of modern medicine. Through a better understanding of the molecular basis of disease it is that every day advances are made, improving the lives of many people, suffering from a gamma of illnesses. With this in mind I feel that I am particularly qualified to contribute in this effort by using my skills as a researcher and my love of medicine to further its advancement. I am looking for a post doctoral position that will allow me to use my experience in protein biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology to better understand the molecular pathophysiology of disease

As a research assistant in protein biochemistry I conducted varied experiments from vector construction for protein expression in both bacterial and insect systems, through protein purification and characterization. I am very familiar with SDS-page and western blots, ELISA’s and Liquid Chromatography. Though I have never used a mass spectrometer I am familiar with the theory of MALDI-TOF and Edmund sequencing, and have done some protein sample preparation for n-terminal sequencing. I am a quick study and very excited at the prospect of learning new skills. I have always had a special interest in proteins and protein sequencing believing that this technology is at the heart of most medical research. I find the prospect of doing research that could have such a wide impact in the lives of so many patients very exciting and hope to put my skills to work toward that end.

Open Heart Surgery

2006-06-02T04:14:09Z

I had a fantastic 6 hours on my feet this morning. I got to see a complete correction of Fallot's Tetrology. Fallots tetrology consists of 4 distinct abnormalities. 1) Hypertrophy of the right ventricle due to double out let and pulmonary artery stenosis. 2) Pulmonary artery stenosis. 3) Aortic origin that invades the right ventricle outflow tract. 4) Intraventricular septal defect. Fallots tetrology is the most common cionotic cardiac malformation. Depending on the grade of stenosis it can be mortal. Treatment is a surgical correction of the intraventricular defect with Gortex along with carving of the pulmonary artery at the site of stenosis. WHen the defect is sealed the heart is filled and intraventricular catheters measure internal chamber pressures. A pressure gradient of about 20 mmhg must exist between left and right ventricles. Our particular patient persisted with elevated right ventricular pressure post septal correction. It was decided that the outflow tract was not large enough and the gortex patch was removed and replaced by a bovine jugular vein segment that acted as both a monovalve and as the intraventricular septum. It was fairly awesome. I really love the extra corporeal circulation. Blood is really beautiful. Its the most perfect shade of brilliant red which is easily appreciated in the machine. Tomorrow I get to see another correction which should also be fairly fantastic. When I checked on the babies this afternoon they were both doing very well and were a very nice shade of pink. Its kinda weird....knowing that you have seen every drop of someones blood and cool to know that it all got put back all nice and clean. I love medicine.