Weekly Report (1/31-2/6)

This week in ISM we finalized my Parkland application, which is incredibly exciting for me. I am really looking forward to observing and shadowing in the operating room because I feel like it will add another dimension to my studies in ISM thus far. I think that actually seeing the operations and procedures that I have read about, researched, and watched online in person is definitely going to teach me a lot: about not only surgical oncology, but also whether or not I am truly cut out to be a surgeon. Discussing operations with Dr. Mansour, or watching laparoscopies on my laptop are all very real, but they lack the tangibility one finds when they are in the operating room: experiencing the sights, smells, and sounds in person. I am worried that I will either get light headed or pass out, but I have been reassured that passing out is a fairly normal experience for the first time in the operating room. Either way, I am both exceptionally grateful and exceptionally excited for this opportunity. I plan to finish the training modules required by Parkland by the end of this week in hopes that I can get into the operating room Monday the 20th because we have school off that day, which would be a prime opportunity to visit the OR without having to miss school.