MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'The Girl with the Blue Steth' source. Sun, 26 Oct 2008 11:34:33 +0100 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/10/there-goes-neighbourhood.html It has been a wet and rainy day, and much like our cats, the local bogans clearly need to let off some steam. It is 5:50pm, and I can hear them screeching their cars already. I think it will be a good night to stay in and revise haematology. The pretty patterns will distract me from the language lessons and sound effects that make their way up and down our road at night.Hopefully before we have children who are learning to talk, we will move to a neighbourhood where we don't get woken up early on the weekend by the neighbour working on his car in is driveway and using words that begin with "f" and "c" in place of every verb, noun, pronoun, adverb and conjunction that his gifted but wasted imagination can come up with. (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1865458 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:50:00 +0100 1865458 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/10/stress.html I can tell that I am extremely stressed right now. I just spent a couple of minutes trying to piece together a sentence in an order that made sense. If only they had told us that most of the stress would come from medical school, and not necessarily from the study or the exams! (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1859486 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:28:00 +0100 1859486 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/10/stop-torturing-me-mr-sandman.html The exam nightmares have begun!I usually dream that I am going into the exam right now, and am woefully underprepared.In the dream, I can argue that the exams don't start for another month or so, but then they tell me that these are extra exams that I should have known about, and they count as well.I open the paper, and the questions are ridiculous. I can't argue with this in my dreams, as it happens so often in real life, too.Usually when I wake up the next day, I go and read a little about the scary topic from my dreams. That is, if it is slightly relevant. If it is about purple elephants, anti-gravity time machines, or the krebs cycle, I just ignore it and go on with my usual work. (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1853573 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:04:00 +0100 1853573 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/10/oh-hello-you-long-time-no-see.html Now, what is your name? Can I remember ANYTHING about you? I know I spent a lot of time talking and reading about you, and have seen what you get up to, if only I could remember!! Yes, I am talking about study topics in medicine - although it could apply to casual acquaintances in real life, too, couldn't it? The other thing that happens is that you hear a name and just can't put a face/image to it - this happens in medicine, too. I have recently started scaling up my revision in preparation for exams (yaddayadda) and I have the above mental conversation with any number of topics semi-regularly. In this age of teach-yourself-medicine, it is quite easy to drop the ball a little without realising it. Back in the (real) working world, you have a number of set tasks that you have to manage... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1852538 Sun, 05 Oct 2008 05:47:00 +0100 1852538 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/10/friday-winewhine.html Hello, Friday!I used to look forward to you. I love my weekends.Now, the coming of each Friday is as the bells of doom.Exams are approaching very quickly, and each Friday means seven less days to study.Okay, that is enough drama and enough negative thinking. ;)On the bright side, each Friday means seven less days of the PAIN of second year. I am confident that I will pass. Therefore, there is very little to stress about.Our poor year are starting to fret, both about exams and the location of their second-year placements. I am mildly concerned, but am mostly resigned to the fates. Wish us all luck. (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1847916 Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:25:00 +0100 1847916 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/10/dear-blog.html Today I went to the dentist and got a filling. It wasn't a big one, just a small amount of tooth-rot (aka "decay") in the groove on the side of one of my molar teeth, and it was more of a preemptive strike at preventing more rot in an area not easily accessed by my toothbrush. I didn't even need anaesthetic as it didn't go in deep enough. Boy, do I feel tough! Blog, why are medical students and doctors so bad at looking after our own health, even with all that we know?I haven't been to the dentist in two years, and was surprised to find out that I have damage from tooth grinding and no longer brush my teeth very well. I didn't even realise that I have issues with tooth grinding. I just bite my cheek a lot, and the grinding happens then. Now I am going to be a good little girl and brush m... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1844654 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:55:00 +0100 1844654 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/10/am-i-bothered.html In the spirit of the continued survival of this blog, I thought I would write about something that I have noticed over the past year that really bugs me.When I go to the hospitals on clinical placements, I am dressed in my clinical gear and my stethoscope and am introduced to people as a “medical student.” We get a LOT of respect from patients and staff. It may not be direct respect (but mostly is), and is occasionally some nurse or doctor rolling their eyes at the medical students, but this is also a type of acknowledgement of our role.When I leave the hospital, in the same clothes (sans ID and stethoscope) and go to the shops or somewhere public, I get a LOT less respect. I don’t really care, but it is fascinating to notice. I can tell that people look and either don’t care what ... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1840982 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:12:00 +0100 1840982 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-only-september-post.html Lately I have not blogged at all, and to be frank, it has felt like I really haven’t had anything different to blog about. It is funny how after a while you suddenly become much more critical about your own writing, and start to post only random drivel about pets winning bravery awards and such. This has been dreadfully shithouse and random, but probably says a lot about life lately. So then, if this blog is not going to die, I have to start to write again, and about everyday things that I am not going to worry too much about posting.How is my life going as a medical student? Honestly, I am starting to be a bit concerned that I’m too apathetic about certain aspects of the course. People around me (well, at least those who speak up) seem to know a LOT, and I often sit there with the on... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1840983 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:29:00 +0100 1840983 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/08/another-animal-tale.html Did you know that animals who help humans during conflict are eligible for medals? Here is the story of Simon of the Amethyst, the only cat to have been awarded a Dickin Medal. If you love cats, it is an interesting read, and there are lots of pictures. Great procrastination and good dinner party material, as well as being historically educational. (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1704686 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:37:00 +0100 1704686 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/08/feel-good-story.html I love this story. I grew up as an Air-Force brat, so I have a real soft-spot for forces personnel, and it is nice to hear a happy story about them. I know they do a lot of good work throughout the world (as do our own armed forces) so it is great to see one such story end up in the media.It also happens to be medically-related. So enjoy a happy story about the US navy, a jungle track, a woman doing charity work, and a witch-doctor.  (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1700673 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:33:00 +0100 1700673 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-theory-is.html Introducing TGWTBS Hypotheses!Firstly:The stupidity of a question asked in class (S) is directly proportional to the volume at which the student asks it (V).I.e., S is directly proportional to V.My second hypothesis:My respect for the speaker (R) is directly proportional to their ability to maintain facial neutrality (N) upon hearing the aforementioned question, multiplied by the question's stupidity (S). Further calculations to the total of R can be modified by the BS factor (being able to answer intelligently and amusingly), and subtracted from by the T factor (time - stupid questions should not take up more time than strictly necessary).I would write out the formulae, but . . . well, I think it just isn't worth it.Now to get published . . . (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679345 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:43:00 +0100 1679345 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/08/trials-of-easily-influenced.html Today's tea of the day is Chocolate-vanilla, from the delightful Eumun-tea at the Eumundi markets. It is the cutest tea stall I have been to. (I'm not sponsored by any particular tea store, but am open to offers. . . ;) )One fascinating thing that I have noticed about myself at medical school is how one week I can loathe a subject during a tutorial, and the next week the tutorial can inspire me to go on and read a lot about the subject and (briefly) consider a change in career plans. The difference? A good tutor or lecturer.I often wonder about the level of influence on career choice that results directly from how well the junior doctor or medical student gets along with the consultants/senior doctors that they are working with in an area. From what I hear, it is substantial.If I am so eas... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679346 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:09:00 +0100 1679346 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/08/least-offensive-church-sign-ever.html Just to balance out the earlier post, I thought I would add this sign that I saw today. I really liked this one:The first duty of loveis to listen.Who could argue with that? Of course, what you choose to do AFTER you listen may be entirely a different matter, but I think that life would be a lot brighter if we all actually loved and listened.  (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1676983 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 07:26:00 +0100 1676983 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/08/finer-hot-beverages-in-life.html I must confess to an attraction to the finer things in life. I don't mean expensive shoes or fast cars (at least not at my current level of remuneration), but am talking about doing the simple things well.For instance, I love my coffee, and I love buying the beans freshly roasted from the place where they were roasted and ground specifically for my Bialetti stovetop espresso maker. It isn't an expensive vice, but the taste makes the time involved worthwhile. There is also something calming about the routine of having the little pot bubbling away every morning.Lately I have also been getting into teas. This isn't a particularly new trend for anybody, but it is lovely to have a pot of herbal tea infusing away on the counter for a couple of hours while you study (providing it isn't the kind t... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1676984 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 06:53:00 +0100 1676984 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/08/welcome-to-21st-century.html We respect women enough on paper to allow them to become politicians but still make the most disgusting and misogynistic comments on public television, and part of the audience still thinks it is funny. (However, I like to think that I hear jeering when others work out what he has said.)This is a great demonstration of a narcissistic personality with a God complex trying to cover his own backside on air once he realises that he has crossed the line, and failing miserably. (For those of you not in Australia, this fellow is just back on air after having been recently taken off for "counseling" due to earlier sexist and inappropriate behaviour.)I love the fact that one of the male presenters tries to pull him up on it - watch the narcissist's reaction to him and the other men on the panel a... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671487 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:41:00 +0100 1671487 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/08/you-know-you-are-in-medical-school-when.html . . . you "enjoy" the excitement and unpredictability of databases. For some reason, the IT designed by the school of medicine seems to be less mac-friendly than PC-friendly. I love my mac, and think of it as my fourth child, after my cats.  Anybody who snubs my fourth child makes me a little sad. ;)I am old enough to remember when uni research was done AT the university, manually searching through journals. Thankfully I am young enough that we had internet databases to find what articles to look for in the first place. While being more predictable, I will trade a little of the dependence of hard paper for the luxury of researching while my butt sits on my couch at home, paying the price of the occasional trip to the study to utilise the house PC.You know you are at med school when you ar... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671488 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:54:00 +0100 1671488 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/07/most-offensive-church-sign-ever.html I'm not going to criticise Christianity, just the stupid signs that get put up on their message boards by well-meaning people. There is one that has been put up recently in my local area that I happen to find particularly offensive:"We're too blessedTo be depressed."Lucky you. How unfortunate for those of your congregation who are probably being treated for clinical depression and are quite sensitive about the matter. I guess they will probably be less likely to be brave enough to reveal their diagnoses and personal struggles to you now that they know that they aren't blessed enough to escape their own personal pain.I wish people would think more often before they opened their mouths.  (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1660726 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:45:00 +0100 1660726 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/07/medical-school-is-like.html . . . waxing regularly. Sometimes you get to go to great places and meet wonderful people, but it still hurts like hell and feels like it takes FAR too long. Often the same things go wrong over and over and over again. Sometimes the pain isn't always the bad kind . . . (kidding!).But seriously, I am having fun getting back into writing blog entries, so I thought I would try with a little free association.You know you are in medical school when you spend nearly an hour researching your weekly PBL learning objective on the PBL room computer, and then find that it won't save, print, e-mail, cut or paste your work in ANY way, shape or form, resulting in the loss of all of your work. You know you have been in medical school for more than a year and a half when this does not particularly surpri... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1660727 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:35:00 +0100 1660727 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/07/oh-hello.html Hello again! If anybody is still reading this blog, I must apologise for my recent absence. There just doesn't seem to be a lot to blog about any more, or perhaps the things that I ponder these days wouldn't suit this site. I am going to be writing more as of now. However, I have to rug up and get warm and turn on another fifty heaters. I'll be back soon! (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1658121 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:57:00 +0100 1658121 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/06/tick-tock.html It seems that I blinked and suddenly second-year is half over. Wow. Christmas and third-year will be here soon, and I am very excited about spending all of my time doing clinical work, but not so excited about leaving my jeans and t-shirts at home. I'm a happy dag. This year I have learned a lot, both scholastically and personally. The best thing that I have done so far is get into meditation and learn some perspective. Suddenly, exams aren't the be-all and end-all, they are just another hurdle to get out of the way and a slot to fill in in my diary. It is quite a refreshing change of view, and was quite a challenge to test it out recently!I am getting to the age where I can tell how much time has passed by looking at how much the young children of friends and family have grown since I sa... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522053 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:04:00 +0100 1522053 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/06/for-everything-else.html Climbing into a warm bed at the end of a hard day of study: precious.Doing 20 minutes of guided relaxation to help switch off your brain: valuable.Two minutes of dozing: lovely.The sound of the cat throwing up his entire dinner (and then some) on the hallway carpet just outside the bedroom: inevitable, really.Your half-asleep husband complaining and asking you when you are finally coming to bed and turning the lights off, while you are on your knees in the hallway cleaning cat puke out of the carpet: priceless.  Thank the gods for the ability to laugh at life. :) (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1492041 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:39:00 +0100 1492041 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/06/random-notes-on-revision-and-stuff.html When you revise your notes and study for an exam, you realise which note compilations work, and which don't. Most of mine don't. When I write things down, I tend to be verbose and include lots of little details, which is how I think about things and learn. The down-side of this is that the notes aren't so good for revision, but the up-side is that I generally know the notes well enough to use diagrams and other sets of notes/books instead.Have I mentioned that I am now 99% sure about the specialty that I want to pursue when I graduate? From the links to the right, it should be obvious. Looking back, it should have been clear all along. The nice thing is that the further I get, the more certain I am.  :) (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1488166 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:42:00 +0100 1488166 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/05/dramatic-much.html Okay, so things ARE very difficult financially at the moment. We know, as we are paying off a mortgage and living on one income, and just got a bill (in the thousands) from the tax office for something that our (soon-to-be-former) accountants forgot to include years ago back when I was actually working. That said, we are coping.However, I have a sneaking suspicion that the media is feeding off this situation, whipping up panic just to gain more readers. This has to be the most dramatic headline that I have seen in a long time:"Aussies reeling in financial doom"Seriously, what?? Do headlines like this help or inform people? I think they just make everybody feel a hell of a lot worse. Sometimes I think some journalists should quit their day jobs and go back to writing scripts for bad action ... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1472452 Tue, 27 May 2008 23:14:00 +0100 1472452 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/05/meme.html MissG tagged me with a meme to list seven songs that I am into right now. To be honest, I don't generally do memes and I'm not that into songs, so I'm going to cheat a little and talk about seven kinds of music that I like at the moment. :D1. EUROVISION! Yes, it is shameful, but I can't get that Shady Lady song out of my head. It is just so damn upbeat and catchy.2. Muse, Black Holes and Revelations, the album. I just love the whole thing.3. Tori Amos: her entire catalogue of works. I'm a big fan. Nobody else can say so much with words that barely make sense but sound good together.4. The Presents: Apocalypso, the album. It is the best dance background music for driving or just doing anything, as you can zone out but listen at the same time.5. Sarah Blasko: What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1469635 Tue, 27 May 2008 00:46:00 +0100 1469635 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/05/reason-number-105432-i-wont-be-watching.html This just makes me seethe."DISABLED people can be unsocial, stubborn, controlling, defensive and have a strong sense of inferiority, according to an official Beijing Olympics guide . . ."Nice. Sometimes when I find my own country frustrating and ignorant, I look elsewhere and am relieved that I live where I do. (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1467838 Mon, 26 May 2008 06:12:00 +0100 1467838 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/05/dejavu.html Today marks my first official day of serious preparation for our mid-year exam. I am getting a shocking sense of dejavu. I suppose it is not surprising, considering that I have spent more than seven years of my life in full-time study up to this point in time.This exam is nototious for being ridiculously difficult and has a traditional failure rate of close to 50%. In other words, of all the intelligent and hard-working people in the room, just under half of them will get a mark that it below what the medical school thinks should be a technical pass.(Note for all of the non-medical school attendees out there - medical school marks do not correspond to excellence as a doctor. Some people who get average marks turn out to be excellent doctors, and some students who get extremely high marks o... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1466031 Sat, 24 May 2008 05:10:00 +0100 1466031 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/05/have-you-ever-wondered.html . . . if a shark fought a crocodile, who would win?Well now we know, thanks to the Northern Territory news article, "Croc chomps on shark".There is a life lesson in this somewhere. I'm still trying to work it out. ;) (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1463753 Fri, 23 May 2008 11:41:00 +0100 1463753 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/05/warning-studying-medicine-may-be.html I have some theories that the medical course can do some very, very bad things to your head.If you let it, it can convince you that you are bad at the things that are actually your strengths. Due to a rotten exam and some dodgy assessment items last year (if you have done med, you will know what I am on about) I was convinced that I had been deluding myself for a long time about being good at talking to people, and good at communication.It may not seem it from this blog (in which, to be honest, I let my grammar be a little sloppy and relaxed at times), but verbal communication has always been one of my strongest points. For some reason, over the past year I have developed a distorted view, and come to believe that I am very average at the things at which I do well. Recently I have had a co... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1458511 Tue, 20 May 2008 22:44:00 +0100 1458511 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/05/greetings-from-void.html Many apologies for my absence - I was sucked into a big black vortex of swirling death (there may have been clams, I can't quite remember) and wasn't able to type anything.I'm still here, still in the course and still loving studying medicine. The course has its down-sides and the job will be a bitch at times, but that is okay. I'm getting very good at focusing on the positives. :)I will write more soon. (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1454354 Tue, 20 May 2008 11:11:00 +0100 1454354 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/04/diverging-roads-and-all-that.html I decided to take myself out for coffee today, and do a little reading while I was there. Sometimes I know that being cooped up alone in the house all day is not very good for me, and I need to be around people.I was sitting in the cafe area and doing some people watching when I saw a mother walk past with two small children in tow. They were younger than school-age but old enough to walk.It took me a moment, but I recognised her, and the fact that we were in the same year of highschool. She didn't see me, and I didn't run off after her to chase her (I think we may have spoken 20 words to each other at school), and I just watched her walk off.It seems strange to me that there are people I went to school with who now have school-aged children. I sincerely hope to have my own children before... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1392498 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:48:00 +0100 1392498 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/04/brain-blah.html Thank-you for all of your suggestions on which careers would fit the criteria I listed. Your thoughts are appreciated. Strangely enough, all the specialties listed are high on my "possibilities" list (except for derm). :)I probably won't decide until I get out and start working. Thankfully in Australia we don't have to decide on a specialty until we are already in the workforce. I am incredibly grateful that I am going into a career which offers such a multitude of options. My brain has shut down into Study Mode, so I thought I would write a quick post to say that I am still alive. I also think that antifungals are the coolest things ever. The fact that I think this reflects my current state of mind. Yes, the Girl is lost in the Study Forrest. I feel a story coming on. :) (Source: The Gi... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1377955 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:06:00 +0100 1377955 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/04/career-conundrum.html Many other medical student bloggers (well, probably most of them) have posted on their difficulty deciding on their future career paths.To be honest, I change my mind so often it isn't even worth a thorough analysis of which specialties interest me the most. This variance occurs because I find so very many of them fascinating, rather than feeling like I couldn't do one or the other. A part of me thinks that I should find one that is fairly lifestyle-friendly, but the rest of me knows that when I have gone for lifestyle-friendly careers before, I can end up dissatisfied and miserable - I am the kind of driven person who needs a challenge in order to be happy.I am leaving it until I do practical work in areas to narrow it down a little, and probably won't even make up my mind fully until I... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1358537 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:25:00 +0100 1358537 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/04/why-i-love-studying.html This is my favourite time of year to be studying and revising. Why? Because there is much less pressure and fear than closer to exams. Plus, with the weather being as it is (i.e. the start of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere), I can sit outside on the deck with my books, a coffee or a drink (caffeinated, not alcoholic!) and enjoy the view of the my yard, the trees and the mountains while I ruminate on the joys of the pathophysiology of infectious diseases and other fun things. Yes, it is damn hard to be a medical student at the moment! ;)Sometimes I wonder how I am ever going to cope with returning to full-time work. Then I remember - money! Oh, and contributing to society/paying off my debts and mortgage/new car/saving lives/other stuff, too.  (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1353970 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:08:00 +0100 1353970 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/04/whoah-misogynist-flashback.html I had a Stepford Wives flashback this morning, when this article left me seething mad. Why? Therese Rein may be the wife of the Prime Minister, but she is also a multi-millionaire and a self-made, successful businesswoman who is a confident leader in her own right.These "fashion" experts have reduced her to the level of armpiece eye-candy, saying that she should endeavour to look more "chic," that "everyone can gain confidence from a makeover," and that she should "blow out her trademark curls into a sleeker do," amongst other equally bile-producing comments.I have not read such a load of misogynistic tripe in a very long time. Are we in the 1950's, where the woman had to look perfect to impress the guests, being seen and not heard, and coming straight out of that ultimate woman-mould? ... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1352898 Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:38:00 +0100 1352898 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/04/medical-school-is-tough.html However, I think that you only really learn how brave you are until you find yourself facing an unexpected mountain and then find a way to conquer it.I just loved this post from downunderdocs so much that I had to link to it. I hope they don't mind.It shows great insight and honesty, and is also a warning for those about to embark on medical studies that it isn't all beer and skittles. It might have been a scarring experience, but I have a strong hunch that the author will be a much better doctor because of it. :) (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1349501 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:56:00 +0100 1349501 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/04/papuan-tragedy.html On Tuesday night I watched an excellent Foreign Correspondent report on HIV in Papua New Guinea, called Papua in Peril.According to the program, the HIV infection rate in PNG is the highest in the world after Africa due to a combination of lack of education, cultural promiscuity, and silence about sexual activity.The saddest thing I heard was that there are more housewives with HIV than prostitutes - not that I would wish one group to have a higher rate than the other, it just means that there are a LOT of men bringing this illness home.The whole report was eye-opening and very sad. These people have enough difficulties to live with, without adding HIV/AIDS to the mix. I think that in the next 30 or 40 years, the world will become a very different place. (Source: The Girl with the Blue St... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1347340 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:15:00 +0100 1347340 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/04/happy-to-be-where-i-am.html I'm back into the swing of things again, reading, reading and reading some more! Medicine, that is. Recently we have been covering some legal issues in more depth. A long time ago,  contemplated a career in law, even doing a few subjects and doing well at them. Now, after studying medicine for a little while, law just seems so dry and boring! The part I liked about law was the stories in the cases, and how the law related to them. Medicine just seems so much more . . . real.Sorry, but it had to be said. :)I also have to mention that yet again I have no idea what I want to do when I graduate. I'm not one bit worried about it, either. Well, that isn't true - if I wasn't worried, I wouldn't have written about it. Apologies for this scatty post - it reflects my current state of mind.  (S... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1347341 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:14:00 +0100 1347341 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/free-with-purchase.html We just had the funniest experience of our week this afternoon.We bought a couple of work shirts for my husband at Myer (an Australian department store). Being a man and the shirts being standard fit, he didn't try them on, he just picked them up off the rack and bought them.They were folded and put in the bag and we took them home. I took them out of the shopping bag to hang them up in the cupboard, and didn't notice anything amiss.However, when I was about to close the cupboard door, I noticed the edge of something that looked round and shiny in the breast pocket of one of the shirts.I checked the pocket, and found a pair of mens reading glasses, with prescription lenses (long-sighted, by the look of it)! Somebody must have tried the shirt on, put his reading glasses in the pocket out of... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1335202 Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:33:00 +0100 1335202 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/break-time.html We are pretty much one quarter of the way through the year and I have decided to take a break from study for a few days, to refresh and relax.So far, it has been simply devine! (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1325030 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:10:00 +0100 1325030 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/any-friday-off-is-good-friday.html However, this one is followed by a Monday off, which I suppose makes it better than all of the others! Plus, come Tuesday, the best cheap chocolate-buying time of the year begins. ;)This year, I plan to be eating lots of chocolate bunnies!!! Yes, the picture is much, much longer than the blog post.But look at those bunnies! Don't they just scream, "Take me home and make me yours"?I feel a personal responsibility to give several of them a good home. They will be very loved. >:D (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1317774 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:58:00 +0100 1317774 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/fresh-is-best.html  Stupid busy supermarkets - making me save money and be healthier!! We went to the supermarket today to buy groceries. When we got there, it was PACKED - there were huge queues in every line and it looked like a solid 30-minute wait just to get through the checkout. There were so many people walking around the store that it looked like the lines were only going to get bigger. Seriously, what is it about long weekends that makes people panic as if armageddon were around the corner and they need to stock up on foodstuffs just in case? We decided that this was ridiculous, so we went to the butcher directly outside the store (very friendly, helpful and good quality) and bought a variety of meat for about a week. Then on the way home we picked up just over $50 in fresh vegetables, eggs and mil... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1316640 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:51:00 +0100 1316640 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/aha.html I was wondering why Rang and Dale's Pharmacology was getting so many votes, but today I am using it for some study and have worked out why. It is such a good text for explaining a difficult topic. Drugs scare me a little, but this book helps it all make sense, so I now see why so many people love it. :)(BTW, this isn't a sponsored plug or anything - it is just a good book!)The poll is yielding some interesting results - I am interested to see that Kumar & Clark is getting a LOT more votes than Harrison's, but I suppose that the former is more of a medical student-level text than the latter. I am looking forward to seeing how it all pans out in 30 days time. :) (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1312362 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:34:00 +0100 1312362 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/blech.html Studying is just like every other job. Some days you just don't want to have anything to do with it.Today is one of those days. Often I try to harvest the power of fear in order to motivate myself. It seems that I have built up a resistance to this kind of stimulant, so instead I am trying for a different method: interest!Wow, look at these pathology diagrams - aren't they interesting.Even more interesting are the drug names, classes, side-effects and interactions.Memorising the fiddly parts of anatomy makes them possibly the most interesting parts of the lot. (You know - the interesting parts that only seem to have relevance to future microsurgeons.)But don't forget about EBM and Public Health - they are so interesting they deserve to be in their own course. Yes . . . interest . . . Ho... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1309039 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:06:00 +0100 1309039 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/well-done.html Today, thousands of hopefuls flocked to examination centres throughout Australia and sat through hours of painful questions in the torturous process that is the GAMSAT exam. We were all thinking of you today. Remember, most people walk out of the exam feeling like they have failed. It is MEANT to be hard, in order to separate the candidates from each other. Your marks will be mainly based on where you come in the pack. Many of us who are now in medical school felt like they failed the exam but ended up with solid scores. A lot of people have to sit it more than once, and then got into great universities. It is character-building, really tough, and you should just be proud that you have given it your best shot. If it helps, think of it as a rite of passage. Congratulations. :) (Source: The ... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1304944 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 06:58:00 +0100 1304944 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/me-likes-to-read-good-books-of.html This year I have begun to indulge in one of my oldest and most favourite hobbies - losing myself completely in decent fiction.I had forgotten how much enjoyment I get from ploughing through a good book in a day or so. As I have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to fiction, if I don't get into it quite quickly I become excessively familiar with the characters and they tend to go from the fictional version of my new and exciting friends to those dull and predictable relatives that you just can't get rid of at family gatherings.Okay, that probably sounded quite harsh, but it is true. Generally the more I enjoy a book, the faster I will read it.The other day I started reading "Romulus, My Father" at 10am on a day off, thinking that I would get a couple of chapters in before lunch. I f... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1303245 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:28:00 +0100 1303245 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/joys-of-clinical-signs.html One of the things that has surprised me the most about studying medicine is how much I enjoy examining patients. Using the framework and knowledge that you have gathered from past study (plus the little bit of experience and invaluable advice passed on by teaching doctors), you can look at a patient and get some idea of what is going on with their body. We have been studying this for more than a year, but now that we are wandering around more by ourselves and examining patients, it is great when you find notice something unusual, come to your own conclusion about it, then go to the notes after the examination to find that you were correct! Usually the hospital patients are sick enough to have quite obvious clinical signs, which really helps. Of course, the qualified doctor who initially ex... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1301810 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:38:00 +0100 1301810 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/content.html I love the weather at this time of the year. It is a great season to be sitting at my table, with the view of the yard, reading textbooks, watching recordings of lectures, drinking coffee, switching the coffee to herbal tea when I start to twitch, and generally enjoying being able to read about all of the things that interest me as they come up in the course (and occasionally when I just want to read them).I also have a brilliant view of the front door, so I don't even have to get up and move in order to tell the people who come doorknocking to get lost! I just look up from my book/computer, and say, "Sorry, not interested!" The funny thing is that the path up to my house is rather long, so they take ages to get here before I tell them "No, thanks!" :PYes, I could be happy like this for so... The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1298695 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:11:00 +0100 1298695 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-poll.html Because I am a big giant monster nerd who loves her textbooks, I have added a new poll about those lovely tomes, and which one you love above all others.There were lots that I missed (including anatomy texts - but does anybody seriously prefer their anatomy text over, say, Robbins?) so feel free to comment about which one you would rescue from the fiery inferno.Another answer could have been, "I would save me credit card and buy new texts with the insurance money," but I am not heartless enough to think that you would let your favourite book burn if you had the choice. ;) (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1296049 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:49:00 +0100 1296049 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/and-winner.html in the first poll of the year (before I replace it) is:The phrase, "Hi, I'm a medical student" fills me with: Panic - how the hell did I get here? with 35% of the vote, followed closely by:the feeling of embarrassment (27%) and pride (22%).Dread came last, with 15% of the votes, which is either a reflection of healthy outlooks on life or reveals a certain amount of optimism on the part of the voters.Nice to see our feelings are as diverse as the med cohort. :) (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1296050 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:36:00 +0100 1296050 http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2008/03/chipmunk-face-not-insult.html No. At least, not in a medical sense.It is a sign of thalassaemia major. (This includes bossing of the skull, hypertrophy of the maxillae which tends to expose the upper teeth, prominent malar eminences and depression of the bridge of the nose.)Of course, it could also be taken as an insult. Imagine a group of gormless medical students surrounding a patient's bed, attempting a clinical examination. One of them begins, "I examine the patients face, and note that the patient appears to exhibit chipmunk face."I wonder what would happen next. (Source: The Girl with the Blue Steth) The Girl with the Blue Steth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1294355 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:21:00 +0100 1294355