ALASKA!

So a lot has changed since I last posted, with the biggest change being that I'm currently in Juneau, Alaska!

I ended my rotation in Coshocton last Thursday. I think overall it was a good way to start my clinical year because I saw a lot of different things and I was able to observe the way the MD manages each case. Wish I could've done more, but I think I'll be making it up during this rotation.

Saturday morning I woke up around 3 AM, got ready, loaded up the car, and headed to the airport. My flight to Detroit was scheduled for 6:30 AM. I then had a layover in Detroit, followed by Seattle, and then I arrived in Juneau at about 2:30 PM Alaska time. That evening I got to meet some of the staff, including my preceptor, who was working weekend clinic hours, and got settled in my room, which is located directly above the clinic (which is sooo nice).

On Sunday I pretty much just worked on hw most of the day. Then that evening once the clinic closed, I went boating with some of the other people in the building. It was a lot of fun! My first time boating, I think. I got to see several whales surface and got to go fishing, although I didn't catch anything. And I was just able to relax and get to know some of my housemates, so to speak. Oh, and the view was absolutely gorgeous! Mountains all around, clear skies, awesome weather, beautiful sunset. It was just great.

Today was my first day at the clinic, and what a day it was.  Working hours here are 8 AM - 7 PM. Totally opposite environment from what I was doing in Coshocton. It was time to put all my skills into practice. I saw handfuls of patients on my own today and got to present to the preceptor and come up with an assessment and plan. I was able to suture for the first time, assist in the removal of a fish hook from someone's hand, debride wounds and dress them, pack an animal bite wound with gauze, administer local anesthesia, and do lots of charting. I made several mistakes, but they are mistakes that I'll learn from. And looking back now, I'm glad for all of the observation I was able to do at my previous rotation because I didn't always go into the room with the doc. So I'm glad I have that experience.

So all in all, it was a great day. Busy, but great, and I learned a lot. Hoping the rest of the rotation is just as good. Only bad news I received today was that I apparently missed a spectacular display of the northern lights last night, because I had fallen asleep while writing my remediations. Ugh.

That's pretty much all there is to say right now, so I'll post some pictures instead! Juneau is beautiful! Love it here.

 View from one side of the clinic, and below is the clinic I'm living/working at.

 Holding a rockfish that I didn't catch, but wish I had.

check out more pictures on my facebook!