3rd Project for Simulated Patient: The OSCE!

God, what a long day!

I just returned from my job as a simulated patient. I was participating in the OSCE exam, which today tested first year medical students.

We did four runs, and each run had ten students, and some resting time. I arrived by 7:30 am then left at 6:45 pm, but the great thing about this, is that it wasn't a hard job, it's actually really fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At first I was really nervous, because I had to have the questions I'm asking the students memorized, not my forte! I was afraid I would forget or mislead them in their responses. But, I got better and it's so interesting seeing the different faces and answers to my questions.

The food was great, so many veggie options and lots of snacks!!

 I really learned so much. I mean, I feel that I nailed how to answer the questions I asked, that's one. But, I think I learned how to answer questions too, I feel I learned how to give feedback from watching the examiners (and medical professionals) give constructive criticism and positive reviews to the students. I'm working on my own body language, seeing that my feet don't touch the floor because I'm vertically challenged, I tend to cross my legs, which is closed body language. So, I'm trying to lean forward while I sit so that I would avoid this.

Moreso, I networked a lot. chatting with the examiners and other fellow simulated patients really helped me pick my thoughts. For once, one person told me to look into optometry and orthoptics. While I knew optometry, I never knew orthoptics exists. Another person told me to check with Downtown's business commission because some events will be held and he recommended I ask that I face paint at those upcoming events. This could actually be great for the fundraiser I'm doing for the homeless shelter this year. I think I will do one event for myself and the other for donation. I mean, I am trying to make some money to pay off for the MCAT course I've taken.

When a 76 year old doctor talks to you about medicine and you almost cry... that was me as I was waiting for the bus indoors. It's pretty unfortunate that I'm caught between committing to medicine..and learning when to let go.

I think I'm very tenacious...so, it's quite difficult to balance the two.

Hopefully, all goes well, because if you're Korean you may understand this, I'm stuck in still water. I'm stuck in a lake...and the water just isn't flowing.

Peace,
M.D.

Quote of the Day: Herpes

MCAT Bio Instructor: So, the virus can be inactivated for even ten years sometimes.
                                    But a stressor, like the MCAT, can activate it sooner.



MCAT: Activating all the herpes!

6000 BC

Mom told me she missed me today. It makes me feel all fluttery because she rarely ever says these things, but she's doing so more often. Even dad called this year; he never calls. He also picked up the phone twice since new years.

Man, the conversation at the end with my mom was rather dull, but it felt so nice listening to her ramble about the presidents of the united states, then proceed in listing the rulers of Egypt since 6000 BC. It was kind of cute, actually, how silly this whole conversation was.

I then went to work for two hours, helping adjust the character I was to portray as a simulated patient. The first name I could come up with was "Farah Ahmed", so I figured I might as well make her Egyptian with that name!

I cooked some pasta at home, broke a glass on the counter, then the broken piece rolled and shattered on the floor. Fun.

Now, it's rather late, but I'll still try to fit some studying in.

Overall, today was a good day.

Peace,
M.D.

Two Cop Cars Came Over

I brought the cops yesterday midnight to my sister's workplace. The building is shared by more than one organization and I opened the wrong door from the inside while looking for a book/game closet. The door had a lock on it, but it wasn't even closed, so when I opened it, it set an alarm.

We were on our way out too, I just wanted to grab a game for Math Club (a program I volunteer in). I didn't know what to do other than close the door again, and i hesitantly told my sister so, we basically rushed out. By the time we left, two cop cars pulled over with one of the men who work at that company and I felt SO bad for waking him and wasting their time. So, I told the cop that if he's here because of the beeping, it was because of me. It was so awkward, but he actually thanked me after asking why we were there in the first place.

It was pretty scary how the two cops cars swerved over in front of our parked car. Don't wanna do that again!

I laughed all the way home in disbelief while my sis was scolding me. Can scratch that off the bucket list! Though, I don't believe it was ever on it.

Peace,M.D.

Jane Elliot

Augh....New obsession: Jane Elliot

Every once in a while, I become fixated on a topic, absolutely engrossed in it, perhaps due to my tenacious nature.

Topics vary from the Sansons: the executioner family of pre-revolution France; The Palestinian "situation"; The Saga of Darren Shan, etc...

This time I can't help but be involved with Jane Elliot's many similar videos and experiments on racism and subconscious discrimination.

So, I urge everyone to watch this snippet of what she says and how she delivers her message:

Now, you may already heard of Jane Elliot, or at least her infamous social experiment on her 3rd grade students: Blue Eyes/ Brown Eyes in which she divided her classroom based on the colour of their eyes and gave superiority to one, inferiority to the other, and watched as they mistreated each other solely for that reason. Grades, behaviour, reasonings, and friendships were ALL affected. Derogatory terms were even based on eye colour "blue eyes" was used as an insult.

I can't stop watching videos about her. She's a remarkable teacher, observer, and human being. God bless her.

Peace,

M.D.

Love me, love me not

So, this valentines, I discover that my friend who often flirts with me and jokes about marrying me for years turned out that he never actually liked me as more than just friends. Which was bittersweet for me, because I felt very uncomfortable and rather awkward thinking he did. At the same time, I appreciated the concept that someone out there thought I'm a suitable match.

I suppose I let it get to my ego. How embarrassing. 

Happy Valentines day,

M.D.

NTD's fundraiser!

I was asked to face paint for NTD's society fundraiser for this year as well. 

It was very interesting! I face painted this one tipsy girl and she said I did so well that she would recommend and pay me for my services for her future events. So, I gave her my number and contact info. Later on, she bought me a drink but I had to decline it because I don't drink. Then she asked who i should give this to, that I should just point at someone and she will say it was from me. I also rejected because that's indirectly giving someone alcohol. But then we sat down and she held my hand and told me that I should be rewarded somehow and I can ask for anything. It was quite funny, uncomfortable and yet a little cute.

Speaking of cute, the dj was fiiine! I walked towards his booth to request a song, but he couldn't hear me and asked me to come from the back. At first I did not see him properally because I took off my glasses, but once he got close he took my vreath away. He was so good looking, with long xlean tight dreads, and the perfect type and amount of cologne that just teases ur nose then disappears.

Man, last year it was a cute white british guy, this year a cute black man. I wonder who I would see next year!

My Childhood Anime 4: Sports!

If you think this list will have Haikyuu or Free! or any of those recent sports animes them this is not the post for you! This is my CHILDHOOD!

So brace yourself for some 80's and 90's unheard of or overly popular animes!

(Though, I shall only name 5 to keep it short!)

الرمية الملتهبة or Honoo no Toukyuuji: Dodge Danpei (1991)

الرمية الملتهبة

The problem here is I can't remember the protagonist's names properly, and even if I do it's the dubbed names given to them in Arabic! So, the main's name in Arabic was Sammy, and he was this child, perhaps ten who was in LOVE with dodgeball! Although, in Arabic it's referred to as handball.

Sammy's dad was a legacy in this game and he looked up to his father and grew a passion for the same sport. He and his bald friend begin practicing with older teens in school competitions and it is filled with comedy and drama like most sports animes.

Sammy and his friend 

I would honestly not watch this again unless it's some clips for nostalgic purposes. The opening song in Arabic is gold like most Arabic openings, oddly enough, my mom actually knows the lyrics.

The art is not all that great either.

                                              الكابتن ماجد or Captain Tsubasa (1981)

Captain Tsubasa's Team.
 Image retrieved from theo2442 http://www.zerochan.net/1105883

This is a widely known and famous anime, also known for it's 3 episodes of a single kick and ten episodes of a single match. It can get pretty hefty. I actually only ever watched it when I was bored and there was nothing better on t.v., but all the boys loved it.

Captain Tsubasa is an anime about football/ soccer and it just keeps going on and on for ages. I don't personally recommend it, and just since we're on the topic of soccer anime. There's was also الكابتن رابح Moero! Top Striker (1991) which more or less had the same plot in my opinion. What's beautiful about Captain Tsubasa is that you do see them advance and grow from children to adults in the series, that's how wildly popular it was.

                                 سلام دانك or Slam Dunk (1990)

This insanely popular manga and anime is the OG of basketball animes! Hands down, one of the best sports animes in general. It has comedy, drama, even a black character (and we all know how rare a minority is in anime).

It's about this redheaded and hot headed trouble maker in high schooler who wants to join the basketball team and is unable to due to him..sucking.. Later on, he does get on the team and competes as well. However, it is mangled with comedy, and good characters and some character development that it is overall enjoyable to watch. 

The art is well drawn, it is not always this serious, like I said, it is also a comedy.

I would actually rewatch this, even though I absolutely dislike the whole genre of sports in anything. The author of this manga is actually so good that I've fallen in love with another basketball manga of his making called Real! which is about wheelchair basketball. A LOT of drama in that one!

                                                           النمر المقنع or Tiger Mask (1969)

Yes, I'm going back as far as the 60's here...which is honestly odd but not that odd, to be honest.

This is an anime about masked wrestling in which our protagonist chooses the mask of the tiger, brave and strong. From what I remember of the opening Arabic song, this man actually fights real bad guys but in the ring and outside of it too. He had this whole tiger-mobile thing going on too, somewhat like batman, his car would change and his identity was anonymous! I always looked forward to the day he unmasked himself to the world and I did truly look forward to watching this anime when I was a child, but hey, what did I know? I was four when I watched this! And I still remember it!

image retrieved from https://myanimelist.net/anime/3009/Tiger_Mask

So, I just googled the summary, and shall simply copy paste it from wikipedia:

"In the manga and anime, Tiger Mask (whose real name was Naoto Date) was a feared heel wrestler in America who was extremely vicious in the ring. However, he became a face after returning to Japan when a young boy said that he wanted to be a villain like Tiger Mask when he grew up. The boy resided in an orphanage, the same one that Tiger Mask grew up in during his childhood. Feeling that he did not want the boy to idolize a villain, Tiger was inspired to be a heroic wrestler.

"The main antagonist in the manga and anime was the Tiger's Den, a mysterious organization that trained young people to be villainous wrestlers on the condition that they gave half of their earnings to the organization. Tiger Mask was once a member of the Tiger's Den under the name "Yellow Devil", but no longer wanted anything to do with them, instead donating his money to the orphanage. This infuriated the leader of the organization and he sent numerous assassins, including other professional wrestlers, to punish him." 

So, this explains a lot for me and why he would fight "bad guys" in and out of the ring! Wow, my childhood explained at last!

  مدرسة الكنغ فو (Kung Fu School) or  Ironfist Chinmi (1988)

Chinmi is a pure hearted child who seeks to learn Kung Fu and so he heads to a temple that teaches it through alternative and "creative" ways. He then makes friends and aids the locals by providing them with safety. It's a comedy and adventure as well and was one of my favorite animes as I loved martial arts and apparently still hold an interest in it to this day. I would rewatch this today, but when I tried it was a little boring because it is really designed for a younger audience. 

Chinmi is the one in red.

There was another sports anime I wanted to write about, one about a girl actually. This isn't very often a female is the main heroin, especially in a sports anime. So, it was about running, and I know it was at least from the 80s, maybe even prior to that. I can't find it but I do know the Arabic title was called "Lubna al sareah" Fast Lubna!

Oh well, I hope you guys were able to see an interesting perspective on what anime used to be like before the 00's and let me know what sports animes did you guys watch!

Peace,

M.D.

What Didn't Happen in Karate Today?

As I bowed in respect to the dojo, I noticed that my fellow member had bowed in the direction of the door, which was absolutely hysterical.

But that was about as much fun as it got. Midway through karate, the new member started bleeding from the toe and I took him to the walk-in closet that has the first aid kit in it. I gave him a cotton pad with alcohol on it and a bandaid. Then he thanked me for my kindness on my way out, which I thought was odd.

After that incident, I partnered with him because we were both out for a while. My nose started running so I excused myself. When I came back, I got partnered with this other new guy who was kinda cute.

He ended up punching me in the eye.

That wasn't the bad part.

The bad part was that he farted while we were sparring. I tried my best to be professional, but I took a step back. I really didn't want to attack him anymore..... and he stopped being cute...

I do feel sorry for him, I mean I hope something like that never ever happens to me..or around me..ever again!

Augh! gross.


On other news, the dishwasher is finally fixed and working, and so is the fridge. And I believe my sister's mac arrived in the mail, but I haven't gotten the chance to tell her. I don't know how without it sounding like: hey, can you stop using my laptop now? k thnx bye.

I sorta hate how I'm extremely possessive, and I don't understand why, but it just feels like I have nothing to call my own. Very dramatic I suppose. Plus it is an inconvenience, specially that my sister will need it throughout this full year even during summer time.

Egg Snatching

I went with the bird prof on Monday and Wednesday to collect eggs at three different locations. We're checking for flame retardant materials in the eggs. It's quite awful. Now I know what starling eggs should look like. The more colourful the healthier the eggs.

I also know what a squirrel and wasps nest looks like as well!

I need to go sleep now as I will be going to an event tomorrow to fund raise for Feed Nova Scotia. Hopefully, all will end well!  I'm really anxious.