Howdy from NOLA

            What a fun month February has been! Classes have slowed down quite a bit, as have the influx of assignments. Presentations are becoming like second nature, and we are approaching our last couple exams in multiple classes. I really enjoyed the Neurology module and am currently pleased with the Psychiatry module as well, as material in both feels familiar. Between all the parades, king cake, and all-around celebratory nature of the city, this month has been an immersion into the spirit of Mardi Gras. I am thankful for having roommates and friends who are New Orleans natives! We continued volunteering at Anna’s Place and KIPP this month, both of which were enjoyable. At Anna’s Place, we helped students with homework and facilitated dinner as always. I also got the opportunity to help the program coordinator find activities for the kids to engage in for Black History Month. One week, we found coloring pages of Martin Luther King Jr., Harriett Tub...

            After a much-needed winter break and a quick visit home to Texas, we are back in session! I can’t believe a whole semester has already flown by, and that there are only 3 months left in this program. Registering for graduation felt like déjà vu, since I only did that a year ago for undergrad. The Endocrine/Reproductive module we just had was an intriguing one, and I feel like I have a better understanding of hormones and their essential role in multiple areas. These next two modules, Neurology and Psychopharmacology, highly interest me as a Psychology major and I am very excited to learn the material in both. In addition to classwork, we have presentations in Neuropharmacology, Endocrine Pharmacology, and Environmental Signaling, which are definitely adding to the workload. I am also acutely aware of the approaching NBME in March, and hope to start reviewing for it in February.              This m...

November Volunteer Hours: 7 Total Volunteer Hours: 23              This was my last month in my current sublease in Mid-City, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I had some friends visit throughout the month, and I got to explore New Orleans even further. The CV and Renal/Pulmonary units were dense with learning material, but I feel like I now have my study schedule in order and am able to prepare for exams efficiently. Thanksgiving break came as a much-needed blessing, and I enjoyed the week and its good weather.               As our weekly tasks at KIPP became more focused on structural and manual assignments (passing out materials, hanging up flyers, organizing closets), my fellow classmates and I realized we wanted to engage with students more. This lead us to Anna’s Place, which is an after-school organization at a local church for students from the Seventh Ward/Treme neighbo...

Another month in New Orleans has passed, and I’ve come to love my time at Tulane and in Mid-City. As fall approaches, the weather has cooled down and I’ve gotten more opportunities to explore the city and its different neighborhoods. While the Infectious Diseases unit proved challenging due to the plethora of drugs we had to learn, I enjoyed being able to identify antibiotics I have previously been prescribed and learning more about them. After the ANS and Physiology unit, I learned that I will be needing a more in-depth understanding of anatomy and physiology in the future. This month, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Backyard Barbecue fundraiser for the Crescent City Farmer’s Market at Central City BBQ. I spent most of my Sunday morning helping set-up tents, tables, and general organization for the event. As volunteers were invited to attend the actual event that afternoon, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and check it out on my own. While I got to t...