My First Post

I suppose I should start by introducing myself and explaining what I'm trying to do with this blog. My name is Byron and I graduated from medical school 12 months ago. For the past year, I have been slaving away as a first year resident (aka intern) at a local community hospital. I have 4 more years of training until I achieve my chosen specialty, radiology.

I loved medical school. Most doctors hate it because of the shear amount of memorization and long hours. It is truly mind boggling when I think back, but despite all that, I loved it. I loved the science behind it. I loved finally learning why our body behaves the way it does, why medicines do what they do, and why doctors are the way that they are. I didn't mind the work because I was so engaged.

And let's face it. America loves medicine too. Just turn on the TV and it's ER, House, or Doctor 90210. Open up Newsweek and every other story has to do with a drug company, health care in America, or how to ward off Alzheimer's. There is an obsession with medicine in popular media.

My girlfriend during medical school (now my fiancee) had to put up with a lot--it's not easy being a doctor's wife. But she got to hear all my little stories. She heard about the time I had my arm inside a 400 pound woman's abdomen (past my elbow!) and the time one of my classmates got pooped on by a woman in labor. She also got to hear my explanations of why knuckles crack, why she should stop biting her fingernails, why most cardiologists think Lipitor should be in the drinking water, and why nurses, not doctors, are the ones who run hospitals.

I want to share my experiences and knowledge with others. Each post, I thought I'd tell a story about an interesting patient, comment about how healthcare is delivered, or give a brief lesson in medicine. That way, you can have a taste of what it is like to become a doctor. Pretend you're a medical student.