An Orthopedic Surgeon

The Year Level 5: ICC Year blog posts - stories and anecdotes, patient encounters and hospital drama, and the many colors of UP med school from the perspective of a third year. Here's the eleventh entry, under our two-week combined rotation in the Section of Rheumatology, Department of Orthopedics, and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.

The warning was that ROR, which stands for Rheuma-Ortho-Rehab, was going to be a toxic rotation. That's how we learned to be wary of people who are simply querulous - mareklamo. The rheumatology preceptorials were only toxic because a couple of the consultants required written outputs immediately following the session, but they really made learning fun and our brains tired-happy. The orthopedics preceptorials were the best - concise, straight to the point, except for Dr. C, whose droopy eyes and snail-paced speech could make anyone who looked at him sleepy. 

Typhoon Yolanda struck on the last day of our first week in ROR. This was us at the student lounge, waiting for word. How we got it - well, that's a tale in itself. 

Last Tuesday, we had the musculoskeletal system radiology Powerpoint exam. Studying for it was a piece of cake, because we were given all the materials (and the answers - just kidding or am I), because this was only 5% of our total grade. Below, our examiner testing out his new iPad Air. 

There was a lecture, but it was so forgettable, I can't remember what the topic was. Some people took the opportunity to show off their skills at camouflage-sleeping.

We also had a public health lecture - the indefatigable public health lecture, or the lay forum, as the classier consultants would have it. It was on back pain, and our blockmate Ivana demonstrated the Mackenzie exercises (look them up, but don't try them unless you're absolutely sure you have the best back in the world; go see a doctor).

On Thursday, we had our third session with the kids at M. Roxas High School. This time, we talked about communicable diseases - Dengue, leptospirosis, respiratory tract infections, food-borne diseases. Scenes from the high school, of congregations under thinking trees and floor-waxed verandas. 

The week ended with our faculty preceptor treating us to donuts and milk tea because that's what you call a healthy diet.

I think I wanna be an orthopedic surgeon. There, I've said it. But I've known since we dissected the arms and legs, the muscles and bones, during our first anatomy sessions two years ago, that that's a possible future. Future future tick tock tick tock.