At the end of block 6, I had set two goals for the break:

• Go through First Aid and review the “high yield” material we covered in the first year.
• Three-a-days at the gym to try to get back into before-medical-school-shape. Keep in mind that before this summer break, I hadn’t been to the gym since November 2009 (when my membership expired).

When it comes to classes, I’m probably a little too laid back. I distinctly remember one week in block 5 where I skipped most of the lectures (even “mandatory” case conferences ) and didn’t even go back to video stream them. That particular week, I spent more time playing computer games and basketball than sitting in a lecture/watching a recorded lecture/studying anything medical. Not too proud of it, but oh well… it’s in the past.

However, when it comes to preparing for the USMLE Step I, I’m a self-proclaimed gunner and proud of it. Judge me, label me, whatever… doesn’t make a bit of difference. In the end, that three digit score says a LOT about what kind of residency one is “competitive” for. The time I’ve spent reading First Aid has helped me remember a lot of the tiny details, provided useful mnemonics, and showed me what I can expect to learn as an MS2. Upperclassmen from other schools have also been generous enough to provide me with their insight on how to properly study for this monstrous exam.

I’ve also stayed honest with my workout routine having gone to the gym every single day multiple times and reclaimed much of the cardiovascular endurance and strength I had going into medical school. I really need to establish a proper workout routine during the next six months, so the regression I had as an MS1 doesn’t happen again.

Now I’m three days away from beginning my journey as an MS2. Speaking of which, I have a cheesy smile on my face as I write this, because it’s my first entry filed under the category “MS2.” If things like this excite me, you realize how boring my summer was.

Roughly twenty-five of my classmates rented out two beach houses for the week and thoroughly enjoyed our brief time away from school. We went to an outlet mall and walked out with lighter wallets. We realized just how many groceries it takes to feed a household of hungry medical students. We grilled, cooked, and baked. We swam, kayaked, fished, and biked. We hunted for fire wood. We violated traffic laws. We sunburned. We watched movies, House, and Glee. We played card games. We played drinking games. We played card games which involve drinking.

Yeah, we did a lot of stuff together, and it was great! I feel like I finally got to know my classmates better outside of the medical school environment.

So with my batteries recharged, it’s time to get focused for block 6!

On the way back, the tour took us to an orchid nursery which housed a 2 foot plant valued at $20,000 for its “perfect symmetry.” I spent five minutes trying to figure out how such a crooked plant displayed perfect symmetry, but oh well, still worth taking a picture of. Speaking of pictures, you’ll be able to see them later this week in the photos section of the site.

Finally, we visited a black sand beach created by lava dumping into the Pacific Ocean and then took a flight back to Oahu. All in all, it was a great, informative trip!

Oh, and another thing about Hawaii. I’ve been here just under 24 hours, but it seems like every word I read is a random juxtaposition of vowels. Seriously, I don’t can’t read consonants anymore. Everything is “Kaluauioiua’a” this or “Kalioahua” that. (Yes, I made those words up, but I’m sure if I look hard enough on this island, I can find them on a building.) I walked downstairs earlier this morning and saw the word “Registration” over the concierge’s desk, and a weird smile came to my face – I guess it’s the type of satisfaction you experience when you can actually pronounce a word.

We’re booked for a tour of Hilo (on the “Big Island”) this Friday, so till then, aloha!

So we left Houston to meet up with my dad in Detroit on Thursday. From Detroit, we crossed the border into Windsor, Canada and then had a four hour drive to the Embassy Suites at Niagara Falls. The next day, we toured the falls on the Maid of the Mist and explored several other features of the area, namely the hydroelectric power plant, the whirlpool, and some historical sites. Truth be told, I was rather skeptical about even going on this trip. Afterall, what’s so special about a bunch of water falling off the edge of a cliff? But once I saw it for myself, the sight was truly something majestic.

I put together a brief video with some clips I gathered on my soaked digital camera. They were taken on the Maid of the Mist tour.