M2

Second year. The last year of basic sciences. The year before clinical rotations start. The year we study what can and will go wrong with the human body. The year we get to spend some time with patients. The year of the most difficult class in medical school: pathology.

Yet, the first class of third term we spent watching "The Doctor?" Prior to drowning in a sea of diseases and disorders, we take a 6 week module of behavioral science, medical law, epidemiology, and biostatistics. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "The Verdict," and "Back from Madness" are additional films we will critique. Apparently, electroshock therapy used to be one of the best treatments for depression until Jack Nicholson et al got zapped in "Cuckoo." I remember watching Jack jump out of the psychiatric facility after his friend wielded a large object to create a getaway. I wonder what new insights I will gain from watching it again with behavioral psych training in tow.

Sometimes, knowing too much about something is a bad thing. After doing infectious disease epidemiology for many years, watching the movie "Outbreak" was downright painful. It takes 6-9 months for a new flu vaccine and Dustin Hoffman comes along and taps into an IV with the life-saving vaccine his friend just "created" in some tent. Doin' a heck of a job there, Dusty.

I am really looking forward to medical law. I had the privilege of sitting in on my friend's law class once. It was truly fascinating and I probably would have gone to law school if I hadn't had this whole medicine-is-my-passion thing going on...

I am just glad first year is done. M2 Mommy it is...