Orientation Week

Bright and goggly eyed I woke up Monday morning with the pent up excitement and realization that the weeks which seemed to be never ending was finally over and it was time to start my journey, officially. As expected I got there fairly early and having the benefit of getting a mini tour by one of my closest friends who’s in a year above me, I knew exactly where to go. No stress right? Au contraire, the stress came when I walked into the seemingly massive amphitheater and had no idea where to sit. 

Drawing from advice I got I was immediately bombarded with “Sit in the middle, sit in the front” whilst also trying to scan the room for familiar faces, the simple question of where do I sit seemed to be my first stumbling block. I made a strategic decision and sat on the end of the fifth row from the front, at downstage left (theatre arts wasn’t useless after all in this instance). This accommodated a clear line of vision to the lecturer, the PowerPoint and an easy get away as the exit was merely two rows behind me. At least I was comfortable for what laid ahead...

Getting back to the juicy stuff. Overall the orientation week was well planned and I would say necessary. This initiative was the first year the orientation was an entire week and the Administration seemed to meticulously arrange the proceedings to give us all the tools we need to not only ‘survive’ but to ‘thrive’. 

Sessions included overviews to courses we would be doing, aspects of learning styles, stress management, the importance of ethics and professionalism as a doctor, a history on the university, tours of the facility including the library and so much more.

These sessions facilitated the exchange of ideas and opinions of the upper year groups whether on tours or the breaks between sessions. I felt like a lab rat. Everyone was hospitable and seem genuine in giving us advice but the pervasive sentiment of ‘enjoy it while it lasts’ or ‘you’ll see how it is in time’ continued to be a silent creeper. It was as if they were just waiting for our excitement to get a reality check.  

Nonetheless, I feel motivated to put my best foot forward and try to become that doctor that expresses empathy, patience, care and love towards each of their patients, clearly communicating and equipping them with knowledge to make informed decisions about their health. After all that is the end goal and all aspects of a ‘good doctor’ was emphasized during this week and the importance of living a balanced life to accomplish this goal.

Teaching starts on this Monday and I am awaiting it in high anticipation. I have an idea in what to expect, how to prepare and how to maneuver but you learn from experience and I’ll let you guys know what worked and what didn’t.   



Comments

  1. A💯September 15, 2019 at 11:26 AM

    Always a good read🤗 a good way to keep updated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dr. HedleySeptember 15, 2019 at 5:27 PM

      Thank you, I am making a conscious effort to post weekly.

      Delete

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