my 4-week placement at Mt. Sinai in ENT is over. i really enjoyed it. i mean, there are some things i didn't get to see (the laryngectomy-pharyngectomy was cancelled), and there were some things i saw too much of (thyroidectomies), but hey, i'm only a med student and it was only 4 weeks.

i did my placement in ENT to see if i'd consider it as a career. and now i'm beginning to feel even more confused than when i started. there is way more variety to the field than i had anticipated - i only saw 1 tonsillectomy and 1 grommet insertion - which was great to learn. but the hours are kinda ridiculous. i had pretty full days, and that was without always attending ward rounds, doing paper work and attending teaching sessions. call is 1 in every 3 nights, and they cover more than one hospital at a time. how are people supposed to have a life?

i've been told that some of the best/smartest doctors are in peripheral hospitals rather than big teaching hospitals, as they were choosing to have a better lifestyle. i guess that's always a consideration, but you still have to get through residency.

whatever way it goes, i suppose i'll have to start making motions towards a training program. i had thought going into medicine was the big decision, but it ended up being only a baby step along this long long journey.

---------------------------------------------------------

i finally had dinner at Trevor - the restuarant where Amanda's husband Jesse is the chef. everything was so tasty. except i kinda made myself a little naseous.

i have this problem of trying novel things when i go out to eat. this time, with the chef's recommendation, i order braised beef cheeks on risotto, it sounded so cute. it was very tasty and tender. but as i ate, i started thinking about what i was eating. it wasn't just cow, it was the cheeks of the cow... and i started to get a little sick in my stomach.

i guess my mental imagery is too strong.