Summer Slowness

I'm officially done with the first year of medical school! Since I last posted, I passed a shelf exam, have moved (which took two days of moving heavy stuff down two flights of stairs and then up a different two flights of stairs) and am relaxing. During these days without classes, I have no internet in my apartment (frugality during the summer) and will post sporadically.

Although I don't have classes, I am not idle. I'm applying for the Pope Paul VI Institute Medical Consultant Program, which is usually offered to physicians and (at the earliest) fourth-year med students. Pray that, if it be God's will, I be accepted! I am also reading Pope Benedict XVI's first two encyclicals, Deus Caritas Est and Spes  Salvi, as well as St. Bonaventure's biography of St. Francis. Also on my reading list for these days without big commitments are Theology of the Body (Waldstein edition) and the last few pages of Introduction to the Devout Life. If I'm very good and finish everything that I have bookmarks in, I will move on to some St. Theresa of Avila.

Yesterday I teleconferenced with Kristan Hawkins and the president of my medical school's Medical Ethics club, which (unlike MedSFL) has funding from the Humanities Dept. We spoke about next year's activities, and it was very exciting!

I also created a folder of practice tests for incoming M1s. I hope to help everyone with pre-test anxiety and self-esteem. If you are a rising M1 or pre-medical student and would like a copy of this folder, email me. I have submitted my acceptance of the assistant-teaching offer in anatomy.

Also, I'm meeting with the assistant dean for student affairs this Friday to ask about residencies friendly to explicitly pro-life OB/Gyns. It's time to start hunting.... The same day, I am meeting with a second faculty member to share my experience at TAC; he was intrigued to hear that TAC holds classes in seminar style. Since the trend in medical education is towards PBL and our school is no different, I have been asked to share TAC's style. Please pray (to St. Thomas Aquinas) for the success of this conversation.

Recently I received news (from several different listservs at different times) about the 43 Catholic institutions who filed suits against the HHS mandate. I am also proud of TAC's open letter to the president.

Don't forget to vote on pro-life candidates in your primaries and local elections!