Sunday, October 28, 2012

Rock Climbing, Maybe?

Rock Climbing was not a hobby that I expected to get into.  In fact, my interest in climbing stony, spiky walls only sprung after a friend forced me to give it a try at the Earth Trek Climbing Center in Rockville.

I first decided to start out small, at the junior level, with no harness/rope. The walls and courses were short yet still complex ranging from big grip stones to small ones that were further apart.  Mats also provided an extra support in case of fall.  The center does a great job at suiting to your level and interests, with Rock Climbing Instructors helping you along the way.

The point is, a self-paced sport is something I have been looking for forever.  This way, withing a few points I can progress to being in spotted rock climbing settings, and start my way up to higher heights.  I'd also love to extend my interest to outdoors climbing expeditions.  Some possible settings include Sugarloaf Mountain or perhaps Garrett County in Western Maryland.  We'll see! An adventure of possibilities awaits.

A fun place to start and learn!
Where I hope to be (A boulder near Deep Creek Lake)





Sunday, October 21, 2012

Career Thoughts: Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine

Dr. Karev of Grey's Anatomy carefully
monitoring an incubated neonatal
My recent obsession with the show Grey's Anatomy has sparked an interest in me for a possible future in Medicine. However lofty this seems, an episode I saw just yesterday really made me curious about the medicine of Neonatals (Newborns), particularly in Intensive Care Units. The delicate care that Newborns undergo (especially when at risk) was fascinating, especially for pre-mature ones. In the episodes "Dark was the Night" and "Suddenly," Doctors Karev and Grey care for a premature neonatal who experiences and ambulance crash on the a journey to the hospital. The emergency care and sacrifice that goes into saving babies was not only heroic but also scientifically and emotionally stimulating.  From incubating the infant, to providing ventilation, fluids, and all core life supports seemed like an inspiring task.
            My research in this field was further driven after watching the episode. I found out that Neonatologists require three years of pediatric residency and additional three years of fellowship. And yes, I am aware that Grey's Anatomy is a dramatized account of medicine, but it still gave me some exposure to a career I think would be interesting.

For a REAL LIFE account of Neonatology, here is an informative video that I found:



Some things I learned from the video:

  1. Caring for Neonatal patients is a team effort of nurses, physicians, and parents
  2. Emergency situations are common and often times, newborns at high-risk are transported my helicopter
  3. A Pediatric Residency must precede Neonatology Training
  4. Newborns can have a range of problems as a result of the pregnancy, or in the delivery.  While congenital abnormalities, lung problems, and infections are common, one disorder that interests me the most is hypoglycemia (low-blood sugar) in infants.