Week 47/48: Wait?!....is it really over?

First, so sorry for the massive delay and non-existence of the Santorini post yet. Let me explain, the last week of my internship, I moved out of my apartment to the largest extend....all by myself. 

You'd be surprised how much fits into such a small apartment. I've been sorting trough and getting rid of things for weeks now but yet, there was still so much. 

So, moving took up all my free time. I also finished up my internship year. It was rather non-ceremonial. 

Monday was spent in the pneumology department as usual. 

I did meet up with the chief of thoracic surgery in the afternoon so that he could show me pictures from his recent vacation. I was supposed to reciprocate but had forgotten my iPad so we pushed that to Wednesday. 

Tuesday, my exam group and I went to introduce ourselves to the neurology professor partaking in our exam. He was nice. He tried to tell us what to focus on while studying and at some point realised that neurology is a rather wide discipline in terms of topics.......uh......yea. Glad you realised this now.

Wednesday, the day was spent running around the hospital taking care of business. And with business I mean distributing cookies I had baked the night before to all the surgical and internal departments. I still had a few signatures I needed and I had to return keys. On my second round (some people weren't present on the first round), I got stopped by the chief of surgery's secretary. The chief more or less demanded that I write down the recipe for the cookies. While I did this at her desk, the chief walked in and says, "Ms. Hasselhof, you have made the most delicious cookies in this world. I insist that you give me the recipe!" Way ahead of you, sir. 

In the surgical department doctors office, two more surgeons couldn't stop gushing over the deliciousness of the cookies and I had to write down the recipe for them as well. They were certain that they wouldn't get the recipe from the chief if they asked.

I'm not complementing myself here because I didn't come up with the recipe. I just baked them. So I feel that all those compliments really go to the recipe creator...not me. 

I stopped by the chief of thoracic surgery's office again. He had coffee ready for me and I showed him a selection of pictures from my Santorini trip. Some doctors stopped by to wish me well. 

Before I left, I tracked down the chief of children's surgery to say thank you and good bye. I stopped by my favourite residents and hugged them good bye. 

On my way out, I ran across some of the attendings. One was completely in awe of the cookies. He wished me all the best and said he had full confidence in my ability to be a great doctor.

It felt bittersweet leaving. I have the tendency to turn any work environment I am in into a family more than just coworkers. I'm the intern that will chat with the chiefs, talk to the attendings about their kids and travel plans, hang out with the residents. I care about the people I work with and see on a daily basis. I'm not just there to do my internship and leave. It makes going to work a lot more fun every day but also makes leaving tougher.

I am very thankful for all the doctors that took the time to teach me over the last year. Every single one of them. In some cases they were obliged to do so but some went beyond what was absolutely necessary and let me learn more, do more, see more and in some cases, teach others. 

Thank you to all the patients for their patience with me, their interest in my life, their well wishes and their confidence in me. The patients are the reason we go to work. They are in terrible life situations sometimes and I am a part of their hope, of their healing process and the fact that so many allowed me to be that for them, is amazing and heart warming. 

Packed and ready for this last train ride from Hildesheim

I've come out of this year with many new friends, great experiences, funny stories, tragic stories, new work connections, and have grown as a medical student and as a person. 

Just last week, I received an email from Patient X. He is doing great, loving and living life and thinks of me often. We plan on meeting for coffee and I really hope it happens before I leave Germany.

As a medical student/intern/doctor, you have many patients and some find a special spot in your life. As a patient, you have a few doctors (at least most) and look to them to help you out of a life situation you'd rather not be in and thus, they acquire an important part in your life. That connection, between doctor and patient, is a sacred and very unique one.

I now spend my days studying day in and day out for my practical exam on November 16./17.

After spending 6 years of my life dedicated to medical school, I just want to perform great in this exam. 

I'll post about Santorini in the mean time if I have the energy to do so in a study break. I will for sure post once I have the exam done and over with and am hopefully a German physician! 

Thank you to each and everyone of YOU that followed along on this past year. It flew by. Your comments and compliments to continue up with it have been a great support. I love hearing that you enjoy reading what I have to write! I hope I could give you a little bit of insight into my life as a German medical student.

Stay healthy!

V