Tidbits of News

1. Block 2 is over!!

2. I've seen something I thought I'd never see again: gas for $1.99 (no, not a pint or a quart, but a whole gallon... really, it's true!)

3. Baylor College of Medicine + Rice University??
Full story: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6083117.html

To Members of the BCM Family:

Many of you read or heard about news reports this morning concerning discussions between Baylor College of Medicine and Rice University. It is important to understand that these types of discussions are ongoing and seek to enhance already strong collaborative programs that we have established.

Preliminary talks between the two institutions are under way. There are no further details to provide at this time.

Rice and Baylor already have a long history of valuable collaborations. They include numerous research projects, joint M.D./Ph.D. and M.D./M.B.A. programs, and an undergraduate medical scholars option in which selected undergraduates are admitted simultaneously to Rice and to the Baylor M.D. program. Rice is also working with Baylor to establish a jointly taught medical humanities program and exploring the possibility of a joint research and education program in medical informatics.

I will keep you informed of any developments that can be shared.
Peter G. Traber, M.D.

Dear Rebecca,

As you may know, today's Houston Chronicle includes an article on a potentially closer affiliation between Rice and Baylor College of Medicine. (You can read the article here: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6083117.html.) This possibility has been discussed for many years, and the two institutions already have collaborations that we are always seeking to build upon. I am writing to let you know that such a discussion is in fact under way, but is very preliminary, tentative and exploratory. Yesterday afternoon Rice and BCM issued the following joint statement:

"Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have a long history of valuable collaborations and are exploring the possibility of a closer affiliation. Preliminary talks between the two institutions are under way. No further details are available at this time."

I can assure you that the Rice leadership team and Board of Trustees will not undertake a decision like this without the utmost care and due diligence. I had the opportunity to update the Association of Rice Alumni board of directors at their recent meeting, and will keep you apprised of the situation as conversations between Rice and BCM may continue in the months to come.

Sincerely yours,
David W. Leebron
President

4. On to Block 3: GIMNER!

My Soapbox

When I opened up the Sunday paper and was pleasantly surprised to see the Houston Chronicle’s endorsement of Barack Obama. When I went online to read about my hometown news in Coeur d’Alene, I was disappointed to see that the Coeur d’Alene Press did not endorse a candidate. Perhaps it’s futile: Idaho will always vote Republican, just like Texas will always vote for a Bush. But, wouldn’t it be something if Idaho’s four electoral votes were cast in favor of a candidate who supported education, universal access to health care, and the protection of Idaho’s beautiful environment? For these reasons and many others, Barack Obama is the candidate for me.

McCain possesses an indisputable love for America; his unwavering patriotism and military background indicates that he would put ‘Country First.’ I have a sister and brother-in-law in the military, and I want to make sure we support our troops. I cannot be convinced, however, that McCain’s VP pick was not a purely political move, one to round out his ticket in the eyes of the electorate rather than serve the best interests of the country. Sure, she is a very smart-looking woman with ties to Idaho. I even am tickled to think that she and I both have taken classes at North Idaho College. While I would love to have her as a neighbor, I’d hate to have her as the Chief Executive in charge of judicial appointments, legislative vetoes, and international representation of the US. But I digress…

Our country is in desperate need of a strong and thoughtful voice. We need a leader with creativity and stamina. We need of a fresh face that will strengthen our international partnerships. We need someone on whom to pin our hopes and expect real outcomes.

Barack Obama is the galvanizing force this county needs. His electrifying vision for America’s future will get us through this tough economic time. It’s time to rally. It’s time to come together as Idahoans and Americans. It’s time to stand behind a candidate who will bring positive change. I invite you to join me (and the rest of the world) in jumping on the Barack bandwagon. When Inauguration Day arrives, I really believe President Obama will be sworn in, and won’t that be wonderful?

The Show Goes On

Last Saturday I participated in Matthew Carter Service Day (a day of volunteering in memory of a first-year Baylor med student who was murdered in a carjacking in 2003). I spent the morning at the Houston Food Bank sorting nonperishable items into disaster relief boxes. As many clusters of volunteers rapidly filled their boxes on wooden pallets, we soon ran low on canned vegetables and then bottled water. I was reminded of the mad dash for nonperishables pre-Hurricane Ike. The difference was, instead of groups' fighting over supplies to fill their boxes first, they shared supplies and helped each other out. This might seem like a trivial or expected observation, but it was really refreshing to see people working together toward a common goal without competition, selfishness, or pride.

Last week was the final full week of classes before the Block 2 test. YIKES!

Yesterday, I went to the season opener for the Houston Grand Opera with my friend Risa and her boyfriend Jon. It was a double-header: Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. The former had an especially fabulous set. Though it got off to a slow start, the play boasted a particularly affecting vignette of a mournful Santuzza praying while the orchestra played a moving song and the lighting expertly illuminated her supplicating form. I also got a kick out of the large chorus numbers; how did they fit so many people on stage!? The second feature presentation was very memorable: impeccable casting, singing, acting, and overall theatrics. The highlight for me was Canio's heartbreaking soliloquy... so well done! Though I can't recapture the exact performance (which was very powerful), I can direct you to a couple performances on youtube:
(best part 1:13-1:20) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn_eS2XFZ5g
(best part 2:06-2:14) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky271W94VHA

Finally, today was a series of ups and downs:
UP - I let myself sleep in; 8 hours of blissful slumber for the first time in weeks!
DOWN - Wentworth got into the Halloween candy. He'll live, but he's had some nasty visits to the litter box.
UP - My new stove arrived!
DOWN - The dishwasher broke. Yes, really.
UP (hopefully) - SNL with Sarah Palin

Why I Love Thursdays

1. Only two hours of lecture!
2. Anatomy lab rocks my world!
___a. Dissecting is so fascinating
___b. I have amazing tank-mates
_____(a long-overdue shout out to Harman, Andrew, Orlando, and Ita)
___c. This is the one subject I seem to "get"
___d. I don't have to worry about coordinating my wardrobe: scrubs
3. Yoga at the Baylor gym!
4. The Office! (obviously)
5. Tomorrow is Friday, which means the weekend has nearly arrived!

Other daily highlights (non-specific to Thursday):
- reading the paper over breakfast
- checking the mail
- cuddling with Wentworth
- riding along the Bayou (exercise, scenery, and adventures: Yesterday, a man under a bridge exposed himself in broad daylight and peed right in front of me as I rode by... always an adventure!)

Cancer, Libra, and Pisces?

Running in memory of my Aunt Jane Rasmussen, I participated in Houston's Race for the Cure this morning. It was a beautiful morning, and thousands hit the streets for the cause.

Over the past week, I've continued to study the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Though it's nice to feel 'free' of the burden of block one, block two is already in full force. The next test is creeping up- just a few weeks away, before the end of the month. I can NOT believe October has arrived...

On a separate note, I don't think I ever mentioned that on the day of the written exam, I saw a very ominous display of dozens of dead fish littering the bayou's banks. I counted over 60 bloated corpses on my short bike ride. Needless to say, I was pretty unnerved and sure that this was a sign of my doomed test-taking abilities. Later, I read an article in the paper about how the post-Ike sewage backup contaminated some of the waterways, leading to the eerie ichthyological phenomenon. Well, my classmates and I received our grades on Wednesday, and I was thrilled to discover that (foreboding fish aside) I just might make it through med school (i.e. I was not in the bottom 5!).