The Beginning of the Transformation Process

The dean of medicine spoke to us today about the journey we're embarking on...a transformation process to become a physician. I just began medical school TODAY, and so I tried to keep my cool this morning as we incoming students hovered around the coffee and pastries table. It was funny--about 9:15am I saw all these intense walkers going the same direction I am, and so finally when walking side by side with one, I pipe up, "I'm guessing you must be a first year too." That broke a little ice, and soon the chatter of new students was flowing easily. I met a lot of interesting people today, and there was plenty of time for that as we stood in glacier-speed lines to get pictures taken with white coats to put in the student directory (apparently these pictures will stay with us for a good while) and then in the id badge line (which I ended up not getting through). I was so excited to meet people because I'm used to community and friends and living with a family of 6+ in the summer time and it's a little too quiet up here. But that will all change I'm guessing soon when studies actually begin. So far it's mostly paper/web work, but tomorrow we get "bone boxes". That's a whole half human skeleton loaned out for the gross anatomy unit.

The dean talked about how "if you're a lone-ranger you will not become physcian. sure you might pass the tests, but the transfer of knowledge is not all there is to medical school." That's a good thing to know!
Another thing the dean told us about was how professionalism is one of their top priorities. The scary thing is that you could let that mean that you always have to be serious. Maybe, but I sure don't want medical school to erase my personality with all its intensity and I'm sure they don't really want to either.