White Coat Afterthoughts

Last night expanded my motivation to succeed. Somewhere between reading the *heavily modified* Hippocratic Oath and listening to the upperclassmen speeches, I was once again overcome with a sense of realization – I’m finally here. The same institution where medical legends like Dr. DeBakey once stood. The only medical school I ever wanted to go to. Seeing the “BCM” patch on my white coat, well, it just reminds me that my education has come full circle. The ambitious pursuits of a 5th grader have finally been realized. 🙂

After the ceremony, a few of us went out to RA Sushi on Westheimer for some late night grubbin’ (definitely check it out if you’ve never been there). The more I converse with my classmates, the more I begin to realize how incredibly lucky I am to be here at the present time. These people are brilliant. Motivated but humble, independent but enjoy collaboration, and overall, reflections of the same principles I have tried to instill in myself. I couldn’t have asked for more. On top of that, with Baylor’s new grading system, the possibility of merging with Rice, healthcare “reform” (whatever that means), and a whole plethora of other possibilities… it’s an exciting time to be at BCM.

Gazing across my bedroom, I see my white coat hanging on the doorknob. A few loose fibers helplessly cling to it as they were exposed after washing the coat this morning. Hmmm, kind of brings to mind a cheesy analogy – removing those “weak strands” from my coat is symbolic of me “washing away” my pathetic approach to school over the last two weeks. 😛 Together, we’ll be seeing a lot over the next four years. Here’s hoping we both stay in one piece. 🙂