WHO
This is easy, me!!!
WHAT
Contrary to what some of you think about me "taking a year off," this is far from rebellious - in fact it is rather smiled upon at UCSF. About 40% of my class is taking time off to pursue a masters, do research, work on health policy, or perhaps get married and have a family (more so the first two). People have many reasons to take this year outside of the hospital wards and if you keep reading I'll tell you about mine.
I will be taking my year off doing a research fellowship with PACCTR which is UCSF based (there are several throughout the country...this is probably just one of the most convenient for UCSF students). Basically their mission is to support students interested in clinical translational research and provide us tools to make us better researchers in the long run. The funny thing I remember from the orientation is that we are locked in with them for life. Literally...they keep tabs on all our career accomplishments for as long as we shall live.
Anyway, I am helping to coordinate a project looking at the sensitivity of an adjusted diagnostic test for Tuberculosis. For those familiar, there are different ways to detect TB and to date the tests are very specific but we are hoping by adjusting the test that it will be more sensitive. The project is a collaboration between UCSF, Stanford, and the Vietnam National Tuberculosis Program in Hanoi, Vietnam. I will be interacting with people from all these places and I am really excited.
WHEN/WHERE
Another easy one...July 2011 to July 2012. My exact dates are not settled but basically I will be spending my first three months in SF taking research classes and prepping for the project. The next 6 months will be in Hanoi, Vietnam. I then come back to attend research conferences, meetings, and analyze the data I collected in VN.
WHY
I have multiple reasons for taking a year off. First and most importantly is because I have developed an interest in research. UCSF has done a great job of making me more and more interested in the "why" behind our clinical thinking and to be interested in the latest evidence behind our medical management decisions. To give someone personal credit...Dr. George Sawaya has completely turned my mind upside down in how I perceive evidence based medicine (EBM). He was my epidemiology teacher during my first year of medical school and was one of the biggest reasons I applied to PACCTR. He made me realize a lot of our decisions are not just based on a complete understanding of physiology (don't worry, we do have a good handle on how things work though!) but on the results of cohort, RCTs, and meta-analyses studies. Now that I have this interest, I need to do what I always have done...PURSUE IT! People who know me, well you know I tend to do things all or nothing. So there we have it.
So besides the career pursuit, my other reasoning is partly selfish. I am sure many students have these same intentions even if we do not put it in our applications/personal statements to the fellowships we apply for. What I am trying to say is that...I am tired. Tired of working tirelessly in the wards and scared of becoming jaded to my patients. I started off third year very bright eyed and willing to stay late in the hospital - not because I wanted to suck up to residents but because I WANTED TO SEE MORE! By the end of the year, I still loved getting to know my patients but I also couldn't wait to leave the hospital and return to being human for at least a little bit. I am hoping this year will be refreshing and hopefully full of experiences that will get me jazzed to work long hours in the hospital again.
Oh and my other reason...VIETNAM!!! I am too too excited, hence why I am updating this blog rather than study for my boards. Oh and my boards are tomorrow...
P.S. What I am most excited for in VN? THE FRUIT! (soursop/na happens to be my favorite)
