October 6 2014

Well, today has been an okay day. Early morning classes mixed with lack of sleep catches up to you throughout the day. I am thankful I had time to take a few hours nap in between. Classes in the afternoon were consistent and boring. Felt like the topics were being dragged out to infinity!

I am at least up to date with my readings and note taking, which is a good thing. I am hoping to get a head of the game, due to Recruitment week up and coming for Phi delta Epsilon. That is going to require a lot of energy and time. It should be a fun week, and hopefully we get some energetic people interested in joining. It is a great opportunity.

Nothing interested has happened either than classes. A little disappointed that not all our classes are on the same campus now. The Microbiology lab was about a half hour walk from the dorms. At least it was a nice day outside. Might be taking a taxi in the winter weather, we'll have to see.

I promised to update with what my summer consisted of and never got around to it. Within the 7 weeks home (short summer break, I know) on top of the usual work, I managed to do a lot of things. First, the day after I landed back home I traveled to Ottawa with my girlfriend for Canada's Day. I stayed there for two nights, did some sight seeing and touristic stuff at Parliament Hill. I have been to Ottawa before, but usually just fraternity related.

The next outing was about two weeks later, where I spent a weekend up in Collingwood for Warrior Dash 2014! There was about 9 of us staying in a Villa for the weekend, and what a weekend was had! Managed to get in some Treetop Trekking the day after the run, and then relaxed and just had a good time with friends.

I went up to Algonquin with the same rowdy bunch as always. Enjoyed a weekend of hiking, swimming, eating, and relaxing. Just getting to hang out with the old high school bunch was a great time. Finally met some significant others.

After that, I spent a four days up at my Uncle's new cottage. Nicole came as well, and we had a friendly neighbourhood bear around. It was also a very peaceful and relaxing time. Just spending some time on a lake and with Nicole was great. Seeing how we will not see each other until December now (ugh!).

Above that, spent some time with family, and with my nephew, who is growing way too fast. Also somehow became a best buddy for my sister's boyfriend's kid. I started this thing where he calls me Frank! Kid adores it now.

Anyways, gotta get back to some more studying. Definitely more work in second year either because there is more work, or I'm just being a better student and actually working (probably the last one).

Cheers!

First day of 2nd Year!!

Hello all,

Welcome back to my blog. Today marked the first day ack to school. It was a short day with just one lecture in the morning, and a Polish class in the evening. I have been back since August 25, completing my internship which was wonderful! I look forward to completing my internship at home next year, as then I could be home with family for another month! It was boring being here alone, as most friends were not back to school yet. Some friends had a resit exam on September 1, so they were in town but busy studying.

Internship: I completed my internship into departments, cardio surgery and neonatology. I enjoyed both equally, but neonatology had a lot more practicality to the days. With cardio surgery, I was standing in the operating room for close to 10 hours a day. Not being able to touch anything or really adjust my stance. Once the surgery was underway that was how I stood for most of the surgery. I am thankful I only completed three days of cardio surgery, which turns to 30 hours of internship.

Neonatology was a lot of fun, dealing with babies could never be exhausting. For most of my shift I worked in the neonatal intensive care unit, but also on the ward with newborn babies that were not premature. I have the opportunity to bathe, feed, and deliver medications to all the babies on the floor. For some babies, who is delivering their food through a nasogastric tube. For some others it was just through a bottle. I have the opportunity of delivering medications mostly through intravenous, but also sometimes via intramuscular delivery.

Freshers week: I was around the freshers week this year, which is a week dedicated towards the first year students. It is an unofficial orientation week that is hosted by upper years, and not the University. Most of the events were focused around a meet and greet and getting to know the area as well as the popular areas in town. The week also featured a sit-down dinner at a fancy venue, and the Saturday night party in a nightclub rented specifically for the English division students. All in all, a fun was had.

That is all I have for an update today, tomorrow I will update with more what my summer was like and what I have been doing for a month in Gdańsk.

Ciao for now,

T

After a long Hiatus

Hey All!

It has been sometime since I've been on blogging about being in Poland and the adventures over here in Med School. I have since gone through many rounds of exams, and to say the least, SURVIVED! The system of having your mark 100% dependent on your exam mark, is a little stressful at times, but continuous studying pulls through!

There is only about 12 weeks left of first year! All that lies in my way of successfully passing is an Anatomy mid term (Neuroscience), Histology midterm (rest of course), History of Medicine Final (online, done at anytime, and all material posted for us? How much easier can this get?), and then the Finals for Anatomy and Histology.

Because it is cumulative on the entire year, I believe I will be spending my Easter break (April 17 - 24) studying and reviewing the first part of the Anatomy course. As I do not think I will have time later before the exam to revise the information.Same goes with histology (what is cell membrane?).

I decided to take a quick jaunt over to Paris, France next weekend. I will be meeting up with one of my friends, and touring around for 4 days (Sat - Tues) before heading back for more school! This should be a relaxing vacation. Hopefully get to do some good sightseeing and relaxing in the sun! (It's warmer over there than here).

The weather has been great! 10 degrees and sunny most days. My girlfriend visited back in February and we got out to Malbork castle! What a site to see. Anyone in the area, or coming to the Trojmiastro for a vacation, I highly recommend a visit. Cheap day out, admission and train from Gdańsk was about 40zł per person. It's about an hour out of town.

I have posted some pictures of the Castle, as well as my food I made today. Just because I'm living on my own, and in med school, does not mean I can not eat grilled cheese!

I will update, specially about Paris! If you have any suggestions of sights, please leave a comment!

Trevor

Breakfast Wrap

Grilled Cheese

Dinner

The Courtyard

Entrance to High Castle

Tourists

In the Courtyard

Video: pictures I hung in Room

Monday January 13

Hey All! 

Today was spent in my room. Was up around 10:00 am, and just been studying and watching NCIS from season 1. I got through some material for my psychology exam tomorrow, as well as my anatomy lecture at 8:00 am. Too early, but manageable. This week is busy! After my exam tomorrow, it's right back to studying biophysics and anatomy for Wednesday, and then polish and psychology on Thursday! 

Good news is, I officially heard great news today! I have found Jason Aldean and Florid Georgia Line tickets for February!!!!!

Hopefully getting out of my room tomorrow brings more events to write about. Until tomorrow, 

T

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Hello all!

It is been over a month since the last time I posted something to this one. I apologize for being absent for so long. I was home for the holidays began on December 23, and was too busy catching up with friends to keep this updated. Once I returned on January 7, I was studying for an exam that I wrote yesterday.

We are currently in exam, and I have an exam every other day for the next two weeks. The bright side of this is that I have two weeks off after my exam. I will be spending the winter semester break back in Canada, and hopefully visiting more friends that I did not get a chance to visit over the Christmas holidays.

Just to update you in my life over here in Poland, I have been excepted into the medical fraternity called Phi Delta epsilon. That did happen before the break, but I guess I never updated my blog. I am looking forward to everything they do together, hosting suturing courses, going and doing duties at the hospital in pediatric oncology, emergency, the operating room, as well as helping with the committee that I am on, service.

To update from December, it was really uneventful. Traveling home was an easy flight, I landed in the midst of the ice storm and power outages just before Christmas. The two weeks was spent with family, and I really did enjoy being home for the brief period. I believe I worked too much over the break, as I did not have time to visit some of my friends.

While I was home, I did get the chance to travel to Niagara Falls with my girlfriend. We spent two day out at the falls, venturing to a magic show, seeing the winter wonderland lights, going behind the falls in the journey behind the falls, watching the Niagara fury animation which is about the creation of the Niagara Falls, and of course stopping at the butterfly conservatory. As well, who could forget stopping in on Lundys Lane to go shopping at the outlet malls.

While I was home, just before coming back, my first nephew was born. I guess he had to see me before I came back for the month. I only did get a short time to visit with him Sunday evening and a little on Monday before I had to fly out. But I look forward to seeing and playing with them in a month when I return.

I will leave you with a picture of the pork roast I made last night. It was extremely delicious, as well the first solid food in a while. Because of exams and flying back with delays, I have been living off of egg salad and chicken salad wraps as I went to school and studied. 

Do widzenia,

T

December 1, 2013

Hey All,

So rounds out another successful caterpillar growth, with the conclusion of Movember 2013. Preliminary, the Tau Kappa Epsilon YH Team raised over $225.00 for prostate cancer! With the end November, winter months begin to breeze in, and with that, the start of Decembeard!!  The rules are quite simple for this as well. Start the month off clean shaven, and do not shave for the month!

I will be uploading daily photos onto my blog as well, so everyone can watch as I attempt to grow out another beard. Who knows, I may even keep this past New Years!

Today has been uneventful for me. Was up in the wee early hours watching the Toronto Maple Leafs unfortunately lose to the Montreal Canadians.As well, I was Skyping my girlfriend, who was having some Saturday night fun with her mom, and a little lit up! That was some fun!

Either than that, I slept in, enjoyed my relaxful day off, and just now starting to do some school work for the upcoming week.

Hopefully everyone had a wonderful Black Friday! I got a Christmas tree on sale and decorated it. See the pictures,

Audios,

T

November 27, 2013

Hello all!!

I apologize for not writing in almost a month. My laptop broke down and I was awaiting the part from China to be shipped to Poland so I could change it. It just arrived today, and only took about one hour to install using my eyeglasses screwdriver.

I guess I have a lot to fill-in, since I have not blogged in about a month.

1. I had my first anatomy exam. Both theory and practical. I did amazing in the practical part, with a mark of 24/25. On the theory portion, I got a mark of 35/60. Overall, I was very pleased with the results, and expected to do lower. It is still a pass, and majority of the class did not pass this examination.

2. I also have had my first histology exam. It focused mostly on cell biology, and not real histology. We got our marks back, I was unsure of whether I even passed. Was a very detailed multiple-choice or well multiple answer question examination. I ended up getting 85%! I am ecstatic about this mark as well!!

3. We have switched teachers in our anatomy dissection lab. I do miss our previous teacher, but this new teacher is also amazingly well with students and pointing out the important structures that may or may not be on a practical exam.

4. I traveled to the capital of Poland, Warsaw. The train ride there was six hours, and the bus right back was about five hours. Between traveling, and  figuring out what to do at our hotel, we did not sightsee or be a tourist as much. We ended up at the cinema, watching last Vegas. The rest of the night was spent in the hotel room, mostly studying anatomy.

I will post some of the pictures that I've taken over the last 24 days tomorrow when I have some free time.

It feels great to be back in typing a blog again,

Enjoy,

T