Limping to the Finish

I'm very tired. In fact, I can honestly say that today, Friday December 16th, I am the most academically burnt out I have ever been in my life. I can only compare how I feel to junior year of college, right at the end of the collegiate swimming season. I was mentally and physically exhausted, and I needed a break (in fact, I tried to quit the sport - but no quitting here!). As I limp to the finish line, aka Christmas break, I am ill. My mental exhaustion has turned into a terrific cold, and I had to miss my first clinic ever yesterday (NB: Moms don't want you coughing all over their kids, and I don't want their kids coughing over me). It is time to relax, do nothing, and forget about medicine for a whole two weeks.

This year has been a long year, and I don't really think I ever got a real break. Beginning in January, the race to learn all the things that I should've learned over the first 18 months began, and I worked my way through spring break. The six weeks that we had off between second and third year were filled with Boards studying and a not-so-relaxing vacation across North Africa. Between losing our bags, night time train rides, and driving back to Chapel Hill from Charlotte at 4am (after 18 hours of flying) for Orientation the next morning, I didn't get much sleep. Then after a week of acclimating to the new time zone, I jumped into Surgery full-throttle, followed by Obstetrics and Gynecology, which was full of night floating and vagina. Finding a place to live in Asheville was a mess (damn you, Craigslist). The transition into continuity clinics was hectic as always, and I threw in the GRE just for shits and giggles. Then there were applications to Masters in Public Policy programs due December 1st, and Inpatient Medicine weeks through the weekend. General surgery research here, Athletes in Medicine speech there. So this will be the first real break I've had this year. And I need it so badly.

I look forward to a New Year that is a little less stressful. Having applications in is a big weight off my shoulders, and I plan to do much more continuity and less scheduled added clinics on the side. That should free up more time, and allow me to feel like I'm really spending time with patients inside of rushing from place to place. Fellowship applications (i.e. dollar dollar bill money for grad school) are due at the beginning of the January, so hopefully I will finish those over Christmas break (yes, I will probably have to do something productive over the next two weeks). I just can't wait to cut out some of the additional things I do, as I am a habitual over-committer. In the beginning of the New Year I will focus on school and relaxation, or maybe getting into better shape and learning new dishes (but I'll save those resolutions for my New Year's post!).

Ultimately, I just want to be home. I've only been back to DC once in the past year, and yes, that makes me a bad son, since my sister lives only a few blocks away from Mom and Dad. Palm Sunday was the only weekend I made back to Kensington, and I think my parents are starting to miss me (but believe me, by the end of Christmas they'll want me out again). Seriously though, it's time to sit on the couch, eat Continental pizza, watch Carolina games on my rents' new big screen, and pig out.

I'm pooped. In fact, I'm too pooped to poop. So I'm definitely too tired to write. This break will do wonders; I know it will. So look for a peppier, more thoughtful writer next week!