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