April

It is funny how almost every time I sit down to write my post I can’t help but think about how fast time has gone by. It may be cliche to say it but time really does fly when you’re having a good time. While in this program, I have learnt so much that I am sure has better prepared me for my future. Though things got stressful at times, it was all part of the challenge and we all did just fine in the end. Thanks to our supportive, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable professors we were able to get through it. During my time in this program I have also made incredible friends who I am sure I will never let go of. Being in this program as part of "Pharm-Family 2015" has really been a great experience. While working through our challenging curriculum and making great friends we have also been able to dedicate some time to the jazzy city of New Orleans which I  have quickly fallen in love with. While volunteering at KIPP and doing various tasks, I hope that we have been able to make the teachers’ jobs at a least a tiny bit easier. I am proud to have volunteered my time to a school so dedicated to their students’ personal and academic growth and I wish them all the best of luck. This post is really starting to sound like a “goodbye” and I am not the biggest fan of goodbyes so...Hello! :)

February: 5 hrs

March: 10 hrs

April: 15 hrs  

Total: 30 hrs  

 

March

With the shelf exam finishing up, I was finally able to dedicate more time to volunteering at the KIPP primary school. One KIPP volunteer project I participated in was to clean some art supplies for the art teacher. While waiting for the art teacher, Miss. U, to direct me in the right direction, I was invited to sit in on one of her art classes, an opportunity I was more than excited for. The mini artists in this class who may have been 5-6 years old had just finished making personalized name plates and were getting ready for their “art museum time” where they gathered around to talk about what they had created. As I joined the huddle of kids around the brightly colored carpet, I enjoyed the side glances and shy smiles they threw my way as they wondered about this random stranger who definitely looked too old for kindergarten. While we progressed around the “museum” circle, I noticed that one of these young students was blind. When his turn came to share, he sat with the biggest grin on his face and had the most to say as he explained that he loved the square and circle 3-D shapes he had put on his name tag. It was so endearing to see this bright student express how proud he was of the work he had done. This student was teaching his classmates that art was beyond what you see or feel, its about making something on your own and feeling proud of what you have created because you made it. I later learned that this was one of the first couple days this student had been back at school since the traumatic accident that had caused his condition. Tragically, he had been caught in the crossfire of a drive by shooting that was targeted at one of his family members. It was truly saddening to see how the violence in our world had taken such an extensive toll on one of our most innocent. Despite this trying event and the challenging circumstances he has had to experience at such a young age, his positive outlook and thirst for knowledge was ever intact. I learned that he even loves art so much that he likes to accompany the art teacher to her other art classes as well where he participates as much as he can. I wish for that student to continue on to a bright future and that he keeps moving through life with that sweet grin on his face.

February

As usual, February went by super fast and with it came Mardi Gras. Though it was a ton of fun, the weeks leading up to our break were packed, hectic, and swamped, making our much needed break even sweeter. Those busy weeks were full of back to back exams in Cell Control, Med Pharm, Principles, and a challenging Cardiobiology presentation for my group. Despite all this, in the end I enjoyed learning about neuropharmacology this block and about new research through the paper we presented. With the first part of the months busy nature, I did not have very much time for volunteering until later in the month. This month, I was finally able to visit the KIPP primary school again and realized how much I missed it. For me, the wholesome experience of going to KIPP begins with the bus ride there. Though I take the city bus, the other passengers and their conversations make me feel like I’m riding the yellow school bus the way I did back in grade school. It takes me back in time and getting off at the bus stop by the school completes the illusion of being a kid again. This time at KIPP, our adventures consisted of sorting the lost and found, finding coats for students who needed them, organizing forms for parents, battling the copy machine, and more. It was a great way to dedicate my free time to such a great school and I look forward to going back soon.

January

Happy New Year! This year has already started with a bang. Our schedule has been busy with continuously full days of classes. Though it can get tiring at times, it is still great because we are learning a ton.

I was especially excited to start off with the endocrine/reproductive block because I have always found endocrinology so fascinating. It is a section of medicine and pharmacology that has become increasingly prevalent with our changing lifestyles. It was especially interesting to learn how minuscule changes in hormone levels can have such large scale effects causing various disease states and disorders. I was intrigued to learn about the pharmacological aspects of using hormones (agonists and antagonists) as therapies where adverse effects can sometimes be unpredictable.

Our elective classes such as Cardiobiology, Environmental Pharmacology, and Cell Control Mechanisms have also introduced us to a spectrum of interesting topics. I enjoy the feedback and discussions that follow our Cardiobiology presentations. Environmental Pharmacology has also raised my awareness towards the potential toxicological dangers of everyday activities we go about nonchalantly. Next time I see a child chewing on Mardi Gras beads, I will be sure to freak out about the imminent dangers of lead poisoning.

Starting with such interesting blocks, keeping me busy, productive, motivated, and healthy, this year is looking pretty good so far.

December

Volunteer Hours Summary:

September: 5

October: 7

November: 6

December: 12

Total: 30 hours

I can't seem to understand how this semester went by so fast. I have enjoyed every moment while learning about various disease states, the diagnostic process, drug indications and mechanisms, and more from highly experienced professors. I have learned so much, volunteered at such a great school, and made wonderful friends all in such a short time. I look forward to next semester, see you in 2015!

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving! With such a short month, I didn't have much time to volunteer at the KIPP Leadership Academy. Nonetheless, we were productive and I hope I helped in some way. This month, our focus was to complete a project that has been ongoing for a while. As volunteers, we spent our time organizing and sorting the books in the library by reading level. This was a nice and relaxing project. It was fun to see the various titles of children's books and reminisce about our childhoods and the books we used to read. I also helped the front office with delivering fliers to the classrooms. As I ran these errands, I got a glimpse into the various conversations and situations that were going on in the school. I walked by a young lady being scolded by a teacher for not controlling her anger, another child was being lectured for saying something inappropriate that she apparently didn't know was bad, two little boys were laughing at their teacher who was being goofy, and more. I was reminded of the demanding job the teachers had and of how innocent these children really are at their age. As someone with interest in pediatrics, I enjoy volunteering at KIPP and learning how to communicate and interact with the kids from experienced teachers. Oh no, it's December, okay bye!:)

Organizing Like a Squirrel

Happy Halloween! Bringing cool breezy weather and pumpkin pie lattes, October has been a much awaited month that has lived up to its expectations. The pharm-life has been great with renal block flying by quickly and not to sound cheesy but I’m learning so much. The teachers at KIPP this month were busy setting up for their fall fest celebrations where they planned to dress up in costumes and play carnival games with the kids. Though some volunteers were put on the job of setting up for the fest, I was put on the duty of organizing the character lesson books. Every month each class is taught a different character lesson such as self control or forgiveness through a book with a moral. It was great to see that the KIPP curriculum not only focuses on academic subjects but also real world issues that will help these kids become better people. When we sat in the library/media center organizing the character lesson books we saw how dedicated and caring the teachers at KIPP were as they enthusiastically participated in their weekly meeting. As they addressed various issues and worked through possible scenarios it was visible how much they cared to be a lasting positive influence for their students. I hope to learn such dedication and more from these inspiring educators.

Volunteer Hours:

10/27/14--4

10/30/14--3