Busy Questing

Jennifer Reinovsky

Busy lately. Went to dinner with a dear friend last night. She says I look like I’m doing wonderfully :). Easter last Sunday. Able to lunch with family for hour and a half before returning to Neuroscience. Do I study all the time? Some days. Other days, I sit for hours reading lightly and making notes. Does that count as studying? Possibly not. But it’s work that has to be done before real study can begin sometimes…so possibly. Does everyone study that much? I don’t know. It’s difficult to tell. Does everyone do what it takes to master the material? Yes. If interested in staying and moving forward, people figure out what they need to do for themselves to understand and remember course content.

Last week: suturing workshop with Surgery Interest Group (see photos of fun).

Evening Surgery Interest Group (SIG) event: tons of fun for students and residents (instructing in knot tying and helping practice suturing pig’s feet). L-R: Madison Merritt, Alexis Cannon and Christina Shelley

Thanks to all of the SIG planners and coordinators who made this training/education possible! Thomas Cochran

Peacefully focusing on the task in front of them. These little piggies are in good hands :)!!” Shea Bielby and Shelly Caskey

Also last week: first public speaking occasion at small ceremony. Went well, good (free) catering afterwards :). Why so many emoticons? I don’t know. Why so many word choices, but so few emoticons choices? I enjoy words, but find myself frustrated by fresh awareness concerning their constraint. Might as well stick to emoticons. Maybe one day, better words will roll around in my brain and fall out of my mouth. Recent reliance on actions to communicate intentions, ideas, values, and feelings has spoiled me. It may be some time before this word bounty. We will see.

Week before last: first Emergency Medicine Interest Group meeting. Helped planning this one. Very exciting, but no pictures. Too busy ensuring things ran smoothly. Still busy making sure things run smoothly as they can. Do I glorify busyness? That’s not my aim. I couldn’t sustain this amount and intensity of productivity were I not profoundly joyful going about this work. Constant smiling would be required to communicate this joy. Is that possible? Probably. Is that advisable? Uncertain. Face may get stuck that way. Really? Uncertain. Pathology is next year. Have to get back to you on that.

Too busy for reflection? No. Never. That’s my “thing.” Find a day when I haven’t thought about growth occurring this year in medical school. I trend towards reflection and pastoralism. Too busy to reflect and edit for public consumption online? Yes. I am internet shy. This is healthy. Daily, I learn more about physicians being admired and emulated as exemplars. Know that I strive to a set good example with my behavior and public interactions. Know that I am busy lately learning to balance health and happiness. I hope you appreciate and respect these attempts. I celebrate your moving forward, your learning, and your pursuit of your own sustainable happiness. Best wishes to all of us questing together :).