Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Why Med School WILL NOT BE a Vacation

I think it is obvious that I am being sarcastic by the titling of my blog.  While my med school is likely to be on an island and I will be separated from the lives of those 'back home', it will not be a real Vacation.  Here are some reasons why I think that Med School in Dominica will not be a real vacation.

  1. Culture shock.  Coming from surburbia in the states to a third world island country will be a shock to the system
  2. Lack of US cell phone service
  3. Hurricanes
  4. Earthquakes/ Volcanoes (unlikely, but possible as in I could win the lottery possible)
  5. BUGS!!!
  6. Propane stoves instead of electric
  7. Buying electricity from a grocery store and then putting it on a meter for credits
  8. Becoming aware of the unique culture and customs of the   island
  9. Meeting and bonding with a group of people who are strangers to me today
  10. Cows
  11. Going from a living situation of private home ownership to renting an island appartment
  12. Clean but sometimes questionable water from the tap
  13. Dealing with negative stereotypes regarding getting my education from a Caribbean Med School when it is time for me to return to the states and compete for a residency.
  14. Lack of some types of funding options (such as the Navy)
In many ways, attending a Caribbean med school is more difficult than attending one in the states.  These are just based on my research so far, which has included the Ross website, YouTube, and other blogs of Ross students.  I'm sure that as I learn more, there will be more potential drawbacks.
Posted by BLASTULA at 8:11 AM

2 comments:

  1. Doctor PsychobabbleMarch 30, 2011 at 2:52 PM

    earthquakes are not unlikely! i experienced one while in dominica. ;) (volcanoes are actually possible but not as likely)

    oh, and don't forget to add "goats" to your list!

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  2. BLASTULAMarch 30, 2011 at 6:31 PM

    Goats! I'll make a note...

    After the recent events in Japan and recalling the past events in Haiti, I Googled to see what kinds of plate tectonics were happening around that area. It turns out that (geologically speaking) the area around Dominica is past due for a big quake and likely tsunami. However, I think I should be more worried about some of the harder coursework than pending natural disasters...

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