Playing doctor

Being a pre-medicine student is really difficult, people who are pre-med know that, people who aren’t pre-med know that. Before I came abroad I really felt the burn out hitting me, which was my own fault because I took a full semester of exclusively really difficult science classes. I will never forget the time I failed my genetics test so hard that I had to drop the class because it was my 5th exam of the week after physics II, organic chem II, biochem I and multivariable calculus exams. Yeah, I really didn’t think that one through.

It was humiliating and humbling, and it also made me realize how jaded I was becoming towards science and how burnt out I was at only the half way point to my undergraduate career. Studying the theory before applying it is a necessary evil, but that is a long time coming for those of us that want to be doctors.

I try my very best to find doctors to shadow in the States because it helps me remind myself what I’m working towards and how much I enjoy medicine. I also do my best to try to get to as many clinical skills sessions at OU-Tulsa community medicine so that I can do something more hands on.

One of the best parts about being abroad and doing MPP at DIS has been how hands on I’ve gotten to be with my learning and with our clinical skills. We’ve done a number of workshops and sessions that have allowed us to flex our clinical muscles and it’s widely accepted by my peers that it’s refreshing to be able to play doctor, and to remind ourselves why were slogging through all the theory based, tear inducing learning.

Here’s a look into what I’ve (informally) learned to do at DIS by playing doctor.

Lumbar Puncture

Lumbar puncture

Beware the bent needle

Lumbar puncture was taught by one of the professor of my MPP course. Having talked about meningitis so much, it was awesome to get to actually try it. Of course, the doctors make it seem so easy, but most of us were cringing the entire time thinking of having this super long needle inserted into our backs. There’s also a lot of uncertainty: is the resistance you’re hitting just enough to be the ligament or is it bone? Case in point, Julia bent the needle several times because we told her that the “hard” thing she was hitting was just ligament but it was definitely bone. Sorry, fake volunteer.

Sutures

Limbs & Things is quite possibly the cutest name

I really love suturing. I want to do surgery, and being able to use my hands is something that I really treasure. It’s probably why I like to write and practice my calligraphy. Suturing is a great thing to practice, and we’ve done it a couple times this semester. In Vienna we even got to do it on pigs feet!

Catheter Insertion

IV Insertion

I was brave and I let Margo try to insert one on the back of my hand

Along with suturing, and the catheter insertion, we did IV insertion as part of our clinical skills session. The fake arm we did it on is the cover photo for this blog post, but he allowed us to try it on each other. Margo and I were supposed to try it on each other but I never got a chance to. These are real life skills y’all.

Emergency Medicine

My team!!

Alex performing CPR

In another one of our sessions, we did an emergency medicine simulation. We did the ABCDE method on a patient that is alive, in the sense that their heart is beating. It’s used in the acute setting in the hospital, and we managed to get Judy who was puking blood out of a life threatening blood pressure drop.

We also had one simulation in which our patient had chest pain and suddenly went into cardiac arrest. In what was not the best of moments, there was at least 30 seconds of complete panicked doing nothing, but once we got going into the CPR and defibrillating, things got going, this time without all the Office references.

OB-GYN Procedures

Cutest anatomical uterus ever

Assisting with birth

Success!

During our OB-GYN lecture we were able to simulate a pelvic exam, assisting birth, and the insertion of an IUD. It was a unique experience, because it was so different. Most of the time when you do medical simulations it is something like suturing or needles, which is fun, don’t get me wrong, but part of the experience is learning to see medicine from many angles.

Where do we go from here?

These are just the things I’ve seen in my core course. I have another class that has a heavy clinical aspect to it: Complexity of Cancer, where we will be visiting the department of radiology at a local hospital soon.

As a pre-medicine student, it’s important to seek out experiences that remind you of why you’re doing what you’re doing, as well as giving you the opportunity to reflect on if this is really what you want to do. Medicine is a huge, life long commitment, and this class has made me eager to continue to take it on, but it’s also made me realize that I need to take breaks in between.

Not having all of my science classes is weird but a welcome change of pace. Last semester reminded me that I really need to learn how to slow down, and that it’s O K A Y to slow down. Being abroad has allowed me to be more confident and independent, which has in turn given me the boost I needed to make a really big decision: taking a gap year.

The phrase gap year makes the hair on a lot of pre-medical students neck stand up, but here I have yet to speak to a doctor who didn’t take at least a couple. Obviously the financial security in Denmark is a huge contributing factor, but I’ve begun planning how I will make it work and how I can take some much needed time to myself before I try to make the plunge into medicine.

To all the pre-meds reading this: please make sure to make time for yourself. You don’t have to take a gap year, but don’t forget to learn and grow outside of academia, as well as in other realms within it. Also make an effort to engage yourself within the world of medicine if you know it’s what you really want. It’ll help keep you from burning out.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

 

How to: actually study {while} abroad

Study abroad is a whirlwind of emotions, happenings, and adventures. It can really be overwhelming at times, especially when you have study tour coming up and midterms at the same time.

It may come as a surprise: but sometimes you actually have to study while you’re abroad. I know, crazy, such a concept. But really, this is something that we have a tendency to blow off, but in reality, the classes abroad while challenging, are a little bit easier than at university. Maybe I’m just crazy, but I’m really grateful to not be in physical chemistry right now like most of my cohorts back home (sorry guys.)

So here’s a short guide to actually studying while studying abroad.

FIND YOUR SPOT.

One of the most important things about studying is finding somewhere where you feel comfortable, but not so comfortable you’ll fall asleep while reading.

This spot can be different depending on the work you’re doing: is it math or language homework where you are going to be a little bit more active? This type of work I can do at my desk in my room with music playing.

Is it reading? This can require a more quiet, dedicated study space than maybe the desk in your room or your bed. Personally when I know I’ll be reading for a while, I have to physically be away from my bed or anywhere else that’s super comfortable, and where I’ll be distracted or tempted to do something else.

Your spot is unique to YOU and your studying needs obviously. I have friends who like to study predominantly in their beds, which is cool but I would take a fat nap before finishing my readings. Some people need complete silence to work, but I like white noise, music, or even the hum of people chatting in a cafe with the music playing overhead.

Find a spot that works for you and what you’re setting out to do. Identify them as yours and as a place to work and study and you’ll find yourself having a much easier time actually being productive.

A few of my favorite spots to study in Copenhagen are:

• Our LLC kitchen: this one only works for me when everyone else is studying or if I’m alone, but it’s nice to have a welcome break when a new face pops in to chat for a little bit. Studying can sometimes feel really isolating, especially if you start to get FOMO because you’re studying abroad.
• Cafe Nutid: I wanted to keep this place a secret, buried in my mind but the fact that it is completely not-for-profit, with all of it’s profits being donated and is run entirely by volunteers, it’s hard to not want people to go spend their money there. Their pastries and drinks are really affordable, and although they don’t have a student discount, their prices are on par if not cheaper than most places that do. Please go support them if you’re in the city! They always have the right songs on their playlist, and the cinnamon rolls (or cinnamon snails as they call them here in Denmark) are always fresh in the oven and they make the whole place smell like freaking Christmas.

Cinnamon snails at Cafe Nutid!

Honorary mentions: most of these aren’t places I’ve actually studied at, just had friends who go often and highly recommend!

• The Black Diamond library: super close by bike, kind of a trek by foot, but an amazing building that reflects the Danish welfare mindset. Here’s this beautiful public building that’s built and funded by and for the public. It’s not only a library but a mesh of old and new in it’s facade, and reflects the Danes want to revitalize the harbor area and to continually be serving the public.
• DIS library: really close and very open and bright.

I’d like to update this list as I go along so maybe check back if you’re looking for more! I don’t go to coffee shops often because the price of a latte here is a crime but I’ll keep you updated.

TAKE BREAKS.

I swear by the pomodoro method of studying. It’s the method where you work continuously for ~25 minutes and then take a short 5 minute break. It’s imperative that you do something different from what you’re doing: if you’re reading, don’t use your break to scroll and read your phone. Get up, move, do something. After a few chunks of repeating that, you can take a longer break ~15 minutes. It increases productivity and helps you stay focused for longer actually.

I use an app on my phone to remind me when time is up and when it should start, but some people just do this method because it comes naturally to them.

It’s also important to remember that taking a break from long bouts of studying is really important too. Sometimes you just have to leave it ALLLLL behind and go out and do something you enjoy. Don’t forget to be mindful!

Check out that beach sunset.

 

Part of the walk to and from Bispebjerg hospital, a view I already miss.

LLC fam goes to Amager beach, to “read” for class. A great mental break and destress.

Grabbed gelato before class, since it’s a 40 minute commute. No regrets.

PICK YOUR CLASSES WISELY AND ENGAGE.

I chose DIS because the Medical Practice & Policy program is something that really appealed to me as a pre-medicine student. The opportunity to learn in a hospital and from actual doctors was not something I would ever pass up, and I supplemented my core course with things that interested me and built on the things I’m currently involved in back home or plan on being involved in later in my career.

Here’s a list of my classes:

• Human Health and Disease: A Clinical Approach
• Complexity of Cancer
• Medical Ethics
• Healthcare Strategies for At-Risk Populations

I decided against taking Danish because I knew it was a difficult language with phonetics that I would never get because I learned to pronounce things very differently, but also because I wanted to focus my energy into Public Health and Medicine. I’m also very lucky to have a Visiting Host Family, some friends, and an SRA that help teach me a little bit.

I chose my classes to fit me and to have some intersectionality. I knew Medical Ethics was a good idea to take as a pre-medical student but also because in order to really have a base in healthcare you should have a basic understanding of Medical Ethics. It also ties into my Complexity of Cancer class, which focuses on the clinical aspects of cancer treatment, it’s taught by two oncologists. Oncologists have an oddly philosophical and ethical stance in medicine because their treatments are not always for a cure, and a lot lies in their hands, which causes them to have to consider the ethics of their decisions with more weight than say, a GP. Medical Ethics also ties into Healthcare Strategies for At-Risk Populations, where we talk about healthcare for populations such as: intravenous drug users, homeless people, undocumented migrants, prisoners, sex workers, etc. People tend to weigh their opinions on this very heavily, but what are the ethics behind the healthcare of the world’s most vulnerable populations?

It’s amazing how easy studying becomes when you’re engaged in what you’re learning. I often find myself trying to not speak so much in class, in part because it’s probably at least a little obnoxious (sorry guys, again) but also because I want to hear what everyone else has to say. That’s another thing about studying abroad: you get to meet so many people with such diverse backgrounds and different experiences who challenge you and engage you in discussions you wouldn’t have had with your peers back home. I know being a Biochemistry major that finished all of her general electives before college started, I really miss the discussion based classroom model that I got as an IB student. Pick classes that interest you and engage you and you’ll find integrating “study” and time “abroad” will be a breeze.

 

Here’s me playing pretend doctor. (I don’t quite deserve the white coat yet.)

I shadowed a cardiologist! Here’s one of the many cute little hearts on the ground in the cardio ward.

Please bear in mind that my advice is all very personal. Everyone and their goals are different, but really the most universal advice to give you is to remember what’s important to you! Pick classes you’ll care about because otherwise they will be a chore to check off your list before you jet off to your next destination. Pick a location you’ll actually want to live in, otherwise you’ll always be wishing for something else. Engage in things you actually care about otherwise you’ll find yourself always waiting for the next thing, and then all of a sudden you’re home and wondering what went awry. I hope this gave you some insight on what it’s like to actually be a student abroad. I’d love to hear what you’re thinking about studying or different things you’re considering.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

Living and Loving in Copenhagen – LLC

In the words of Leslie Knope: “We need to remember what’s important in life: friends, waffles, work. Or waffles, friends, work. Doesn’t matter, but work is third.”

Study abroad is a huge mesh of things you have to juggle all at once. DIS gives us tons of time to travel and to be out and about in Europe, but their slogan is “Scandinavia {COPENHAGEN!!!} as your home, Europe as your classroom.” I live in fear of never really making Copenhagen my home, especially considering how much time we actually spend out of the country. However, I’m lucky because I get the added bonus of living in an LLC, or a Living and Learning Community. If you read my blog post “She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll fall on her face” you can get a little more introduction about what my LLC is about in it’s focus (Public Health), but I wanted to tell you more about the living and community aspect in this blog post.

This weekend we were supposed to go camping in the Western Zealand but the temperature dropped beyond a level that our wonderful coordinator Camilla was comfortable with, especially with a lot of us having caught a cold. Probably due to the fact that we all share just about everything. We instead came up with a different game plan.

SOCIAL EVENTS

We have non-mandatory social events that our SRA sets up for us with our social budget. This Friday we went to Tivoli. Before we went to Tivoli, we had dinner at the glass garden. Literally anything for dinner will cost you about the price of your arm, so I had food at home, and got an Irish coffee while out instead! Here it is with Kacey’s vegan gelato. That’s right. VEGAN GELATO. Look at the joy on her face! I originally was worried we’d have trouble finding things that Kacey can eat but she never has a difficult time finding something vegan and I frequently find myself in amazement at how easy she makes it. If you wanna know more about vegan food you can check out her blog, where she does “What I ate Wednesdays”.

 

If you’ve ever considered coming to Copenhagen or ever read any kind of guidebook about it, you know about the Tivoli Gardens. We got an admission ticket and paid for our own tickets to get on rides. Definitely worth just the price of admission is the walk around the gardens and the views.

 

Tivoli

We went before sunset so got to experience it during daylight hours and after. I would recommend allotting enough time to make a full day ride pass worth it if you’re interested in the rides. We went on the swing ride and got to see an amazing view of the city, if not absolutely terrifying. We didn’t stay very long, but the rest of the LLC stayed for the Nik & Jay concert.

As an LLC we’re going to a candy factory on Wednesday, and these events help make me feel a part of a community despite the fact that I don’t have classes with hardly anyone in the LLC, so I only really see them at home. It’s really nice to have a group of people to come home to.

“REQUIRED” LLC EVENTS

In addition to LLC events that are social in nature, we have required ones every week that are educational – “learning” events. This one is a little special because every LLC has a “retreat”. Our original plans were cancelled because we’re weenies to the cold, and while I’m disappointed, I’m not complaining because I’m definitely a weenie to the cold. Instead we went to Klampenborg, and walked around Dyrhaven, which used to be hunting grounds for the royals, and we saw, as you guessed it – DEER.

 

Dyrehaven

Quite the sight, and although my feet were killing me and I was oddly sweaty, I was satisfied with the sights and sounds. After walking around in the park, we went to the beach and had a good ol’ bonfire.

We really struggled to keep our fire going but Annabelle was our hero and fanned the flames to keep them going. Here she is hiding in a random hole on a hill with our Bio-Ethanol.

We made snobrod with home made dough. The concept is to roll out the dough thinly, and wrap it around a stick with a diameter wide enough so that you can put jams or hotdogs in. I learned how to whittle a stick, and that I’m terrible at being outdoorsy.

 

 

I definitely made mine too thick at the top, but it didn’t have eggs in it and I didn’t cook it for the recommended 18 minutes (according to Balkiss.) I enjoyed my suspicious “cooked” hotdogs cold because I was also done fighting the fire and crying because of smoke in my eyes, but hey, it was delicious and I had more hot cocoa than everyone else. We then wandered over to the water which was surprisingly tepid. Not warm, but not freezing. There were children swimming and plenty of dogs to swoon over.

 

Bellevue Park

I was overjoyed to see the beach and listen to the sounds of water crashing onto shore (one of my favorite noises).

We finished off the trip by trying to light a fire that said “PH” on the beach but were fairly unsuccessful, here’s a timelapse of our very sad attempt.

 

Living in an LLC is not always rosy. Sometimes I feel pressured to always be hanging out, but at the same time I’m always greeted by someone in the common areas and am never alone. You can’t lie and say that after too much time with your family you don’t contemplate murder, but at the end of the day you still (hopefully) love them. If you’re looking to make yourself a part of a community of likeminded but diverse people, consider living in an LLC, or if you’re not studying at DIS or anything, join a club that interests you and be a part of a community. It’s an amazing feeling.

So in all, as a few of us get ready to take advantage of a sunny, unusually warm day in Copenhagen to go to the beach again, I’m grateful to be surrounded by the people I am, and to make meaningful and genuine connections.

Wish you were here,

Rigel

Finding a work-play balance: CORE COURSE WEEK!

Hello all! I’ve found myself on the top bunk in Arhus, Denmark, a little over half way done with core course week. We traveled with one other Medical Practice & Policy section. It’s really been a crazy packed week, and DIS has done a great job at showing us the culture and the cities we’re visiting, but also sending us to meaningful visits than enhance our understanding of our core course – which again in my case is MPP.

A really big challenge in a college students life is a work play balance, especially when they go abroad. Part of the reason I picked DIS was because I think they really allow their students to do both, in a way that is interesting and unique. And so – the first big example of this: core course week.

WHAT IS CORE COURSE WEEK? 

Each core course has a core course week and a long study tour. Both are like field trips on steroids and although I’m over the moon about the fact that our regular class takes place in a hospital anyway, it’s a really great opportunity to see new places and to see what you’re learning about in the classroom in practice.

Core course week is a shorter study tour, with three days in Western Denmark and the last two days back in Copenhagen. My particular section spent our first day in Skanderborg and the last two days in Arhus. We have one more core course lecture in Copenhagen on Friday.

Our trip focused on healthcare delivery in Denmark, with our first visit being to a general practitioner in Skanderborg, the second being to an oncologist in Arhus, and finishing off with the University of Arhus’ hospital and OB-GYN, with a whole lot of things in between.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ON CORE COURSE WEEK? 

An animal research lab in the Arhus University hospital

We visited a general practitioner running a private practice in Skandeborg, and an oncologist and OB-GYN in Arhus at the University Hospital. As you know, the Danes operate on a social welfare system and have healthcare paid for from “cradle to death”, with a few minor exceptions that aren’t completely paid for but are still subsidized, such as prescriptions, eye glasses, etc.

It goes without saying that the Danish and American healthcare systems are really different. This translates into the way that Danes and Americans think about health and their wellbeing, which has been a common subject of debate in discussions about health.

Here there is no monetary exchange that occurs between doctors and patients. The GP told us that he bills the government based on a negotiated price for the practices, and the oncologist even admitted to not really knowing what most things cost outside of a general guess. A single tax payer system really brings a unique dynamic to the patient-doctor relationship. The patients do not have to stress about paying for the services that they need or receive, and the doctors can focus on treating their patients to the best of their knowledge. A harrowing experience I had while shadowing in a hospital with prisoners has reminded me that not even doctors are immune to the effects that getting paid and who will be able to pay them or not will have. I think having the monetary gain be separate from the patient provides both the doctor and the patient to have a sense of security in their relationship.

I think I will further talk about healthcare delivery after long study tour so that I feel a little more well versed in it, and have more than two comparisons to make. We will be visiting Budapest and Vienna, and I cannot wait to write to you about it.

DID YOU HAVE FUN DURING CORE COURSE WEEK?

Again, DIS spoils us so much with our non-academic visits and activities.

In Skanderborg, we did the “Funky Monkey” ropes course, where I really overcame my fear of heights, realized my lack of core strength, AND that I am significantly shorter than the average Dane. I definitely couldn’t reach the platform several times and found myself hanging helplessly mid zip line. It was rainy and muddy, but I felt like I was on American Ninja Warrior so the clean up of my white sneakers was definitely worth it.

Arhus definitely was the star of the show, (sorry Skanderborg, I heard you have really great nature). Our first visit was to the ARoS museum of art, and lemme tell you, it blew me away. It was very accessible in that the art didn’t feel too abstract to understand. The collection “No Man is an Island” was profound and really hit home to me on more than one occasion, Fucked (Couple) was one that gave me goosebumps, although The Boy is a really popular one. (The Boy is the cover photo to this blog.)

Afterward we had an academic visit and then we went beer tasting! I’m not a huge fan of beer but I had a great experience and learned more about how to hopefully pick a beer that I will enjoy. My favorite of the night was a beer that had gooseberry in it, because it seemed like the epitome of craft beer and it was light and fruity. I enjoyed the IPAs as well though, which is unusual. I got to know some of my classmates in my core course better, because who doesn’t bond over beer and chips?!

So although my hotel room was a closet, and I didn’t get much sleep, I enjoyed both the academic side and the fun side of core course week. I aspire to achieve a balance of these things in my personal life and through my personal planning, but that’s not exactly how it goes when you’re a fledgling adult.

I’m super excited to go on long study tour, especially now that I’ve gotten to know all the people in my core course class much better. I’m really lucky to be in a group that is supportive and interesting, and although we’re all very different I think we bring something unique to the table.

While I’m excited to go on long study tour, I’m looking forward to settling into a routine again in Copenhagen and exploring more of the city. Talk to you soon!

Wish you were here,

Rigel

She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll fall on her face.

I am extraordinarily lucky to be living in a Living and Learning Community, or for short an LLC. Specifically, I live in the Public Health one, in a very central area of Copenhagen, and I am enamored with my space. What you get out of study abroad is what you make of it, so choosing to live in an LLC just seemed really right to me.

It would give me a community of people with like minded interests, which really makes the “ice breakers!!!” part of orientations and the first part of becoming acclimated to a new place so much easier. It would give me an opportunity to explore Copenhagen and Denmark from a different lens, and with one that I have a particular interest in. Looking at things from a Public Health perspective is not something that you can achieve without copious amounts of research, but each LLC comes with both an SRA and a Coordinator who are knowledgable in the area of “learning” that the LLC focuses on.

Balkiss, our SRA is doing his Master’s on Public Health, and Camilla, our coordinator is an anthropologist and a nutritionist who has worked all over the world, from Asia to Europe. Our group in and of itself is diverse in backgrounds and interests, with some of us doing Medical Practice and Policy, some in Public Health, and a couple in Psychopharmacology. We all hail from different parts of the US and bring something different to the plate. We have events that are geared towards learning more about public health in Denmark that we go to every Thursday, and today was our first one.

What did we do you ask? Well…we did parkour. I think parkour definitely has a weird stigma around it in the US, with many thinking it’s obnoxious or geeky, but here it’s an outlet for not only people who want to get a good workout in, it’s quickly becoming an outlet for young adults and teens who come from troubled homes and backgrounds, to release their tensions. Considering there is no sign up fee, or no particular place you have to go to do it, it seems like the perfect challenge, both mentally and physically to find how you can get from one spot to another.

In all honesty, I was really dreading it. I’m not in the best shape, the rain has been making my knees hurt, and I’m afraid of heights. But I think I can speak for the whole of our LLC when I say we all really enjoyed ourselves. Our instructor took it slow but also gave us just the right amount of push to challenge us. I somehow ended up on a wall, and I’m still amazed by this feat. We don’t have to talk about how I got down.

I can see how the use of the spaces around the city make this such an accessible sport, especially to those who may not be able to afford a gym membership or maybe even basketballs and footballs. It’s an ode to the holistic mindset that the Danes take towards their health and well being. Our instructor taught us not only the physical challenges that come with parkour, he also taught us about how much it also challenges your mind. You must always be thinking of where your feet and your hands will go. How will slight shifts and mere inches change your course of action? It provides an outlet for creativity too, as one person doesn’t have to get from point A to point B in the same manner.

In that spirit, my friend Kacey and I took a different route on our way home from the Osterbro stadium and somehow wandered into a quaint alleyway that allowed us to slow down and reflect on the day. It was illuminated by the dusk and softened the colors of the bright houses. On our way out we found a bus that would take us back to our flat and somehow hopped on the same one that our flatmates had gotten on. It was a tight fit and I definitely got sandwiched in between the doors a couple times, but we made it on and got home.

Today I’m grateful for my health and for my ability to even be able to do parkour. I’m grateful for the community of people I live with and am so excited to see how we all grow together in the next couple months. I don’t know if I’ll be feeling as elated when I wake up and feel all of the muscles I exerted today, but I am grateful for this experience.

Wish you were here,

Rigel