Month of April

A final hello to everyone reading this! I cannot believe how fast this year sped by and how suddenly another chapter of my life has ended. When I first started this program, I was a bit intimidated by the rigor of the coursework and having to move to a completely new city and state which has a completely different vibe from my hometown of Austin, Texas. I’m very happy to say that I’ve greatly enjoyed my time in NOLA and am grateful for having been given the opportunity to obtain my master’s degree in Pharmacology. To anyone who’s debating on whether to apply, you should do it without a doubt. This program has taught me so much, from the basics needed to deliver a solid research presentation to a comprehensive look into how the body utilizes and disposes of medications. I especially want to thank all the professors for using their valuable time to help all of us students. With their help, I feel more confident in applying to medical school, knowing that the knowledge I have obtained will certainly help me in the long run.  Even though the Coronavirus had forced me to spend the last six weeks back at home, I am glad that I was able to gain this experience. While at home, I was able to work on my presentation for Neuropharmacology about Major Depressive disorder. Working on a presentation that involved compiling several resources was daunting at first, but after completing that big hurdle, I am happy to say that I have a greater appreciation for combing through information and being able to comprehend research papers since this ability will be greatly beneficial towards my career. Additionally, everything I have learned while in the Pharmacology program has allowed me to be more informed about the threat that is COVID-19. This global pandemic has made me respect the healthcare industry more, seeing how healthcare workers are working tirelessly to help as many people as possible. After seeing the charitable actions of so many medical professionals, it makes me want to join the field of medicine even more. Wherever life takes me in the field of medicine, I would like to apply everything that I’ve learned to be able to make a difference in at least one person’s life. This pandemic has certainly changed life for everyone, and as the country is trying to return to normalcy, I’ve wondered how our society will change after such a long period of inactivity. Will we try to bounce back and pretend nothing ever happened, or to slowly implement policies that will allow people to be safer in the event of future outbreaks? Regardless of the outcome, I’m excited to get in the field as soon as possible, and I’ll use all the knowledge I have at my disposal to make a difference to someone who needs it.

April Monthly Hours: 0

Total Semester Hours: 8

Month of March

March has been quite the tumultuous month. Originally my plan for March had been to study for the NBME shelf exam, which encompasses all material learned from the beginning of the first semester. However, because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the test was canceled in order to fulfill the social distancing orders. Additionally, due to Coronavirus, I was unable to volunteer as much as I would have wished since that would involve potential exposure to the virus. As I’m typing this, I’m back home in Texas, studying for my remaining classes and remaining inside. I find it amazing that over such a short period of time, Coronavirus went from being a relatively unknown illness to causing the entire world to come to a halt. I went from studying for this big exam at the beginning of the month to just taking what I could and getting out of New Orleans as fast as possible! It’s also amazing how our society is dealing with this out of hand situation: The schools are also closed until further notice, most jobs allow you to work from home now, and supermarkets are out of essential items. The most packed cities are now equivalent to ghost towns, and the roar of cars on the road is becoming quieter and quieter as the days go on. This pandemic has certainly reminded me that the steady life that most people had, including myself, can easily change in the blink of an eye. Everyone, myself included, has now been forced to cope with a new normal, a life in which social interaction is a measure of six feet and precautionary measures are being taken for every little thing. Nevertheless, I was quite surprised to hear about the status of our nation’s hospitals, with many places scrambling to ration protective equipment and hospital beds. I never would have imagined that hospitals, which are designated to treat people with all equipment at their disposal, would be completely overwhelmed and unprepared. I’ve always admired health care workers for all of the time and the effort that they put for their daily tasks but seeing how tirelessly they are working to fight this pandemic truly makes me have the utmost respect for all of the nurses, doctors, technicians and first responders in this country. This global pandemic has certainly opened my eyes regarding my future goals to join the medical field. I hope that in the years to come I will learn what it takes to be a part of the medical field if such a scenario were to ever happen again, whether that may be on the front lines within a hospital or in a laboratory creating medicines and vaccines - the possibilities are endless.

March Monthly Hours: 0

Total Semester Hours: 8

Month of February

Hello to everyone reading this! It’s been a pretty easy month since I’ve written the last blog. Since then, we’ve had a test over the Neurology module, as well as our first Cell Control Exam. In regards to Neurology, it was interesting to see all of the treatments that can be used to help patients with mental diseases. It’s really intriguing to see how the field of medicine has developed in the past decade in that there are now new solutions that can tackle what are potentially the hardest diseases to diagnose, and I find it more fascinating that this field continues to evolve. Regarding the tests, they were perfectly manageable, and I’ve never felt more confident in my ability to take what I’ve learned and apply it. I’ve felt that as the year has gone on, the tests have become more straightforward, which is good! It feels as if all I’ve learned in this program is all starting to really ingrain itself into my brain, and it makes me feel great! I hope this feeling carries on into the NBME shelf exam that’s coming in March. In preparation for that exam, I’ve been trying my best to relearn everything I’ve done in the past year. Hopefully, all my efforts will pay off when that exam comes around. Beyond my school work, I’ve also been able to put my time towards volunteering. I was able to do quite a bit of volunteering at the Habitat for Humanities, helping to move stuff around, stocking shelves, and cleaning the place up.  In general, February was a good month. I had a busy few weeks, but I was glad to be able to have a week off to be able to come home and visit my family. Now as March is coming around the corner, I’m powering through these last few months before graduation and am preparing for the big exam.

February Monthly hours: 8

Total Semester hours: 8

Month of January

Happy New Year! The winter break was a great way to rest from the hectic year. I’m excited to be back and finish this program strong. Even though I’m more used to the academic rigor of the program, I still need to get out of my resting state and quickly get back into the groove of studying. We recently finished the first block of the semester, which was over the endocrine and reproductive system. The test was manageable, and I’ll continue to power through each test so that I can prove that I am learning everything that the Pharmacology program has to offer. Along with studying for each test, I also have to prepare for the NBME shelf exam, which is the final exam for the program. I plan on studying as early as possible for the shelf exam so that I don’t get any surprises while taking it! In terms of volunteering, I plan to continue volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, but seeing as this month was the time to get back into the general rhythm of things, I wasn’t able to volunteer. In regards to New Orleans, I’ve loved being able to see almost everything that the city has to offer – from the culture to the food and the incredible sights. As Mardi Gras is coming up in this next month, I can’t wait to delve deeper into understanding some of New Orleans’ greatest traditions and being a part of this fantastic event. Overall, I’m excited for this rest of the semester, and I can’t wait to see what else I can learn!

January Monthly Hours: 0

Total Semester Hours: 0

Month of November

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone reading this! The semester has been going well so far but it was great to have a Thanksgiving break to recover from all the studying and go and see some of my family. In this past month, we’ve taken two tests covering the cardiovascular system and the renal/pulmonary system. Both tests were very challenging, and greatly tested the knowledge that I had accumulated up to this point. Overall, I feel more prepared for a career in medicine compared to the beginning of the year. Since being in the Pharmacology program, I feel like everything is starting to click and that I’ve been able to apply everything I’ve learned to real world situations.  Regarding volunteering, I was finally able to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity and broaden my experience in volunteering. I’m glad that I was able to help lighten the load of the other employees there. As much as I’ve enjoyed volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, I feel like I should find more places to volunteer in so that I can reach a better understanding of what I can do to help in the city. I have started looking into volunteering at locations such as the KIPP Academy. But all in all, I’m excited to finish this semester and to hit the ground running for the start of the next one.

November Monthly Hours: 8

Total Hours: 12

Month of October

Happy Halloween to everyone reading this! It’s been a long and arduous month here at Tulane, but I’m striving to learn more about Pharmacology. Since my last post, we’ve covered the Autonomic Nervous system and are now moving forward to the cardiovascular system. The tests have been difficult, but all the hard work I’ve put in has been paying off. Along with studying, I’ve also been volunteering at the Goldring Culinary center. Anyone can sign up for the culinary center’s classes, and there are three levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. The students there learn a variety of culinary techniques designed to help them be better cooks. Even with a small job, I was happy that I was able to help the chefs make their night less chaotic! Overall, it was a fun experience and I definitely plan on going within the next month to help out more! Additionally, I would also like to try and volunteer at other places to get a feel of what New Orleans has to offer. As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been especially interested in participating at Habitats for Humanity and the KIPP program, and I hope to get involved within the next month. I’m excited to see what the coming months have to offer, and I’m excited to learn more in the Pharmacology program so that I could definitely apply the knowledge I’ve learned for the future.

October monthly hours: 4

Total hours: 4

Month of September

Hi, my name is Jason. I’m from Austin and have lived there for most of my life. It’s been a big change since NOLA has a more different culture and atmosphere than Austin, but I’ve enjoyed my first few weeks in the city and I’m looking forward to seeing what more the city has to offer. For my undergraduate degree, I attended the University of Texas at Dallas but I’m excited for this new year, moving into the master’s program in Pharmacology at Tulane. Coming from a Biochemistry background, I believed that the Pharmacology coursework and curriculum would be very similar to what I had learned in my undergraduate education, but there is still so much more to learn! I never would have thought that the two subjects could be so different yet so similar at the same time. So far, we’ve taken two exams, and although they were certainly challenging, they were manageable. In regards to the coursework, there have been so many interesting lectures, such as the lectures on stem cells, antibiotics, and antiviral drugs. In terms of volunteering, I’m looking forward to going to organizations such as the Goldring Culinary Center and Habitat for Humanity, and I am excited to see what I can do to contribute. Throughout high school and college, I spent numerous hours volunteering in various hospitals, retirement centers, etc., and I hope to be able to transfer this experience over to these new volunteering opportunities. Overall, I’m excited for the coming months in relation to learning more about Pharmacology as well as being able to explore more of this bustling city!

September Monthly hours: 0

Total Hours: 0