A Beautiful Experience

       Looking back on these past nine months bring tears to my eyes. This was a great, challenging, and required experience. I’ve learned so much in this Pharmacology program and I’m not just referring to lecture content, but also how to effectively study, how to effectively read and present research papers, how to manage time, and how to offer my services to the community. Looking back, if I have to pick, my favorite block was the GI and Neoplasia block. I really enjoyed learning about the digestive system, the difference between IBD and IBS, the different drugs involved, the various herbal supplements, and the cancer complication treatments. The Environmental Signaling course allowed me to look at the environment from a different standpoint, and though the lead samples I collected were at appropriate levels, I learned a valuable lesson that can help me in my future as a Pediatrician. Many of my classmates had high lead levels and lead can cause developmental delays in children, and I can use this as a learning tool for my future by appropriately testing children for metals in the environment, which can potentially harm them.

       What I enjoyed learning the most was the various drugs and how to apply them to different clinical cases. I don’t think I will ever go into a drugstore again without walking down the drug aisle looking at the back of bottles and reading the ingredients, dosage directions, and side effects. My favorite class tools were the Pharmwiki resources and MedPharm reviews. I especially enjoyed seminars and learning various research techniques and where future research is headed.

       Even though the COVID-19 pandemic cut our face-to-face time together short, I will not allow it to ruin any of these positive experiences for me. Volunteering almost weekly to offer my community service was my new found norm, and Second Harvest Food Bank was where I spent most of my volunteer hours; however, with the stay-at-home mandate, I have been actively calling seniors around the New Orleans area with United Way HandsOn Meal Delivery to make sure seniors are receiving meals twice a week. The seniors are able to express to me any concerns about their food delivery or COVID-19, and I am able to actively help them by providing answers and just being a listening ear. This has been a rewarding experience since I am able to virtually serve the community. 

       I was looking forward to the crawfish boils; however, keeping everyone safe is more important. Our Endocrine Pharmacology course has taught me how to manage stress, and I have personally enjoyed the Zoom sessions since the stay-at-home order has been mandated. I never would have imagined graduating virtually, but at least we can still receive our recognition and celebrate virtually with classmates, faculty, and family. This program has really allowed self-growth and has prepared me more for my future as a physician, and I am grateful for all of the Tulane staff, my professors, seminar speakers, and classmates for these experiences. Hopefully, this is not a goodbye to Tulane, but a see you soon! Attached are a few pictures from our programs’ Christmas gatherings.  

2020 Volunteer Hours Completed: 5.0 (not including Phone-a-Senior hours)

Cumulative Hours (Fall 2019 Hours Included): 19.5 (not including Phone-a-Senior hours)

The Unexpected March 2020

Well, this is not how I expected my March to turn out. Just two weeks ago, we were all together and sticking to our normal class routine, and now due to COVID-19, it is best to stay home and practice social distancing. I miss my classmates, my professors, the Pharmacology office, in-class lectures, and even Friday seminars. However, the constant depressing news alerts and COVID-19 death rates make the “Stay at Home” mandate make sense. Thanks to YuJa, listening to lectures online is not foreign to us. Zoom is up and running, and I honestly look forward to it every time we have a session.  I am also looking forward to our first upcoming online Zoom exam review. 

I am remaining positive and still hoping that we can all return before May, but whatever it takes for this deadly virus to disappear and people return to their normal lives is what we should all focus on. I enjoyed our first Zoom lecture for Environmental Signaling because the speaker informed us on current COVID-19 information, which was very helpful because there were still facts about the Coronavirus I was unaware of and any clarity about this virus helps at this point in time. I appreciate Dr. Clarkson and Miss Linda for keeping us updated as much as possible about the program, and I realize there are still things that are being sorted out. It really hurt that we were unable to have the BMS and the Masters of Pharmacology crawfish boils. I was really looking forward to spending time with my classmates and enjoying crawfish (my favorite during this time of the year). However, I was able to enjoy my birthday before the virus took over our lives and am grateful for the three celebrations in honor of a new year with family and friends.

I expected to have returned to Second Harvest Food Bank this month to prepare more meals, but at this point it is mandated for us to stay home and try to avoid any additional spread of this deadly virus. I plan on helping in the near future when we are allowed to go out and not risk the lives of others because I really feel as if I am helping my community when I go serve. I have recently signed up on the United Way HandsOn New Orleans Volunteer Center as a virtual volunteer to serve as a phone representative to check in on seniors in the community during this COVID-19 outbreak. I also took the volunteer opportunity provided through my Tulane's email to provide my virtual service, and I hope I actually get the chance to uplift at least one person's spirits during this difficult time. I hope by the next post, I have better news and we have “flattened the curve” in regards to COVID-19. Attached is a picture of a few of my fellow classmates and I at the beginning of the semester just to brighten up this rough time.

2020 Volunteer Hours Completed: 5.0 

Cumulative Hours (Fall 2019 Hours Included): 19.5

Flying Through February

       February has been a busy month. Two more presentations down and a few more to go. I have been enjoying the new Endocrine Pharmacology course because we have been reading Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky, and not only are the readings interesting, but they tie in to what we’ve been learning thus far and we get to understand stress on the various body systems and what stressors do to us. I also am enjoying the blog post assignments that coincide with the readings because we get to apply the readings to our lives and get to see what our classmates have taken from the readings and reply to their responses as well. The blog post replies allow us to get to know our classmates that we may not get to interact with as often as others, and I overall love the stress presentations that we will all get a chance to present with fellow classmates. 

       I am enjoying Neuropharmacology and getting to learn the different mental illnesses. Right before spring break we learned the different drug laws, which I found really interesting, and hope I can apply it to the next test and excel. As far learning opportunities, I should focus more on mechanisms, especially the proposed mechanisms and pathophysiology of the different mental illnesses that we are studying. We have the NBME coming up, and as I look back, I realize we have learned so many body systems and drugs, and I know that this review is necessary and I hope to pass and show that I have been studying hard and soaking up all the knowledge this program has offered me. 

       My spring break has been great so far. Studying is still at the top of my list because we have to finish strong. Parading with friends and other classmates has been fun. I have enjoyed showing one of my classmates, now a lifetime friend, New Orleans and Mardi Gras. I am glad we were able to remain safe and still enjoy Mardi Gras. 

       Now, it is time to get back into study mode and back to volunteering for the month of March. I plan on returning to Second Harvest Food Bank unless my service is needed somewhere else for March. I really enjoy volunteering and the exposure to different experiences, such as feeding the hungry and heart walks, which really make me feel as if I am giving back to my community.

2020 Volunteer Hours Completed: 5.0 

Cumulative Hours (Fall 2019 Hours Included): 19.5

Happy New Year 2020!

       What a beautiful new year! I am happy to be back at school and soaking up more material to help with my future goals. I volunteered early in the month (Saturday, January 11, 2020) at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for The College Football National Championship that was held in New Orleans this year. I had the pleasure of volunteering at one of the First Aid stations. My particular location was the First Aid table outside in the lobby, where I had the pleasure of seeing and greeting the LSU and Clemson fans walking in and leaving to go to other sites around New Orleans to enjoy their fan experiences, which took place all over the city that weekend. I was allowed to hand out band-aids and hand sanitizers to any and everyone who were willing to accept these gifts. Most of the fans were grateful to be getting the hand sanitizer since it is flu season. I had a blast watching the children experience the football activities set up inside the actual fan experience, where they were able to play football and win prizes. I’m happy I chose this volunteering experience because it was not only rewarding to be giving back to the community, but it was an overall fun experience just being around happy fans.

       As far as school work, we just finished the Endocrine and Reproduction module, and we are now on the Neurology and Cellular Control modules, learning Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers (the stress response and how the body is affected), and preparing for more presentations this semester, which I can always benefit from because I am so shy and need to come out of my shy shell. I am enjoying learning about stress especially because it applies directly to our daily lives. I have even taken up exercising with two of my classmates as a way to not only keep up with physical activity but to bond with my colleagues (it’s also a great stress relief). I am looking forward to the remainder of this semester and learning more drugs and how they act in and for the body. Attached is a video of the inside of the fan experience before the doors were opened to the public, and I have also attached a picture of my classmates and I at a boxing workout.

January 2020 Volunteer Hours Completed: 5.0

Cumulative Hours (Fall 2019 Included): 19.5

Feeling Thankful (November Service Projects)

Total Semester Volunteer Hours: 14.5

        Things just keep getting better...The month of November has brought more opportunities not only in this masters program, but in being able to offer my service. I'm learning more about the different body systems and more drugs. This last module was extremely interesting to me because we learned about hypertension, the kidneys, and lab techniques, which I needed a refresher on. Normally I volunteer at Second Harvest Food Bank, but this month brought about two different volunteering opportunities. 
       First, I volunteered at the heart walk, where I was able to meet up with a classmate and we worked with a photographer taking group company photos. Being paired with my classmate and the photographer surprisingly brought us a study review and much laughter. Once the photographer found out we were pharmacology students, he immediately asked, “do y’all know what losartan is?” and we actually could respond with confidence since that drug was recently studied in our last block. From there, our booth-mate ran down his whole medical history to us including an emergency helicopter ride that kept us very interested. He also told us about the statin he was taking that his provider told him not to skip more than four days or else he would die, in which he told us he skipped eight days and lived to tell the story, which is not something we recommend per his doctor’s orders. Not only did we get a drug review, but our booth-mate even gave us tips on the photography profession and how to work around the outside lighting. The heart walk participants even allowed us to take their separate pictures on their personal cameras so they could have their own pictures, which I really enjoyed. The heart walk was an overall pleasant experience since we were able to witness heart surgery survivors ranging from young children to adults who had the honor of wearing red capes for the day. I plan on volunteering at this event again if the opportunity arises. 

        My final volunteer hours came from the Thanksgiving day breakfast and lunch hosted by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. This is my third year serving at this event, and I would not have missed it for anything. I was able to serve food to the community in the convention center and was happy to be there to serve people who were so grateful to have a nice hot meal and dessert on this holiday. It brought me great pleasure to have several of the community members request a certain dessert and me go find it for them and bring it back to them and they be filled with joy over something so many of us take for granted. This event also provided clothes, drinks, gift bags, and entertainment. All of my fall volunteering turned out to be fun and rewarding so I am once again grateful to not only be furthering my education at Tulane, but I am also grateful for the volunteering opportunities.

Heart Walk Service: 5 hours

Thanksgiving Service: 2 hours

Falling for Volunteering (October Service Projects)

       Fall is here! Now that I’m looking back, time is flying! The course load is challenging, but I still see how this pharmacology program will help prepare me for my future as a doctor. We have just completed the Physiology and ANS block, and I have added even more drug names to my growing list. Working in an urgent care, I see EKGs all the time, but I never understood what all the lines and bumps meant, but now I feel I should be able to at least look at an EKG and know what is going on. 

       I have now completed three shifts at Second Harvest Food Bank, and it gets more rewarding each time I go. For my second shift, I walked into the kitchen at Second Harvest, and one of the kitchen leaders asked me if I could come every Tuesday on her shift, and that made me not only feel welcomed, but as if my volunteering work is being recognized. My second shift was also special because I ended up doing a project by myself possibly due to the lack of volunteers that day. I sorted and packaged 210 snack packages, which included a portion size of carrots, ranch dressing, crackers, cheese sticks, and napkins for an elementary school. 

       My third shift at the food bank allowed me to make more volunteer friends, and of course the conversation about “oh, you want to be a pharmacist” came up, which is what everyone seems to think when they hear of a masters in pharmacology. Surprisingly, this conversation lead to another conversation about personal stories about doctors, their bedside manners, and doctors taking the time to explain procedures and following-up with detailed explanations. Listening to this conversation and reflecting on my personality, I can only hope to make all patients feel welcomed and important while under my care. While making new volunteer friends, we also worked on three projects together: sorting and packing two different snack packs including juice, crackers, and cheese and also boxing a Taco Tuesday snack with black beans, salsa, and chips (about 670 meals total). If there is a break between finishing a project, we all look for more to do and really want to provide our time to help serve the community while we are there, which is important to me. I am enjoying my volunteering opportunity at Second Harvest, and I always look forward to returning. 

       

Completed Hours: 7.5

Pharming and Volunteering September 2019

       Wow, already five weeks complete! I already see how this program will help me achieve in the future. From basic principles to cell biology modules, and I already know some drug names and classes, how drugs work on and in the body, microbiology, the background of stem cells, and so much more helpful material that gives me the background required for my future as a doctor. I must say since I’ve learned about the drug classes, the several routes to take drugs, and different interactions with other drugs, I find myself randomly going into the pharmacy section of stores like CVS, Target, and Walgreens just to look at the back of the medicine boxes and bottles reading ingredients, dosage information, and side effects. I’ve also suddenly taken up an interest in drug commercials when I find the time to watch television between studying. I already feel I can take the information I have learned so far from this Master of Science in Pharmacology program and can apply it to the real world, and it's only been five weeks. 

       Yesterday I completed my first community service project as a Tulane student at Second Harvest Food Bank and my experience was amazing. Not only did I get to package different food items for senior home cares, homeless shelters, and schools, but I got to volunteer alongside other experienced, welcoming, and hard-working volunteers. First, we packaged school lunches for children, which included sandwiches, salad, diced pineapples, milk, chips, condiment packets, and eating utensils. Next, we packaged lunches for seniors, that included: kale, grilled pork chops, and sweet potatoes. Finally, we packaged bread in bags that would be sent out to different facilities. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been able to volunteer with Second Harvest Food Bank, which to date has served more than 88,093 senior café residents, 895,880 kids café students, and 788,396 summer meals. The fact that we are packaging meals for so many people across South Louisiana makes me feel we are really making a difference. I am looking forward to the remainder of my master’s program and am ready for my next volunteering opportunity.

Total Number of Volunteer Hours: 2.5