We're done already??

Honestly I can’t believe I’m on this side reflecting on something that I can vividly remember hoping for less than a year ago. More frequently as we get closer to graduation, I find myself (while washing my dishes or trying to go to bed at night) wondering how I have come this far, and in this direction? Moving to New Orleans, LA from Madison, WI was not even a remote possibility in the recent past, and in that point in my life, I didn’t know how I was going to ever fulfill my life-long dream of becoming a doctor. I was at a point where the only thing I could do was take the next step forward, no matter where it led.

To summarize it in one word, this year of classes and community service, of new friends and incredible mentors, of discovering who I am in a city across the country has been incredibly . . . therapeutic. I have loved the curriculum of this program, even when I have dreaded it. I think an M.S. in Pharmacology has prepared me incredibly well for a future as a medical student, because it has forced me to learn how I really learn. Some of my main academic priorities this year (aside from improving my GPA) were to manage my time better, approach class material proactively, and reflect on my decisions in order to improve my future performance. Over the course of this year (and countless exams) I have definitely worked on all of those, and I feel I am a better student now than I ever was in college. I look forward to each lecture and class, because I know that it is yet another challenge from which to learn.

In addition to the curriculum, there is the fact that this program has an amazing set of professors and staff who make each day a little easier. Through both the constant encouragement and the ever-increasing expectations our professors have for us, I think we have all grown in ways we had not anticipated. This is especially true in our electives, where we have had to learn how best to approach new material and understand it in a way that allows us the ability to explain it to our classmates. Through these different electives we have constantly been under the pressure to make connections between material that we have learned earlier, and material that is brand new to us. I leave graduate school knowing that I have the tools and a greater ability to approach scientific material with a higher level of understanding then before. I leave with a confidence in myself and my ability to learn that I had been sorely lacking as I left my undergraduate university.

 

Choosing to come to this program has also opened many doors to becoming involved in a community that thrives off of community service. In the 48 hours I have spent this semester volunteering (and in the ~30 hours last semester), I have sought out ways to become involved in this city through various means. Early last year I started by volunteering through events and opportunities that were presented to us: a Tulane sponsored community service day, Habitat for Humanity. As I became more comfortable with my environment (and my ability to navigate the buses), I started volunteering at KIPP and at CGHC in Algiers. Not only have I been able to explore this city and its different neighborhoods by volunteering, but I have also met so many amazing people who are committed to making a difference. In my interview for City Year New Orleans in March I was asked why I want to stay here, and I had the benefit of my experience volunteering to help provide me with that answer. This city, through the teachers, students, health-care providers, construction workers, non-profit leaders, parents, tourists and locals, has shown me what it means to be committed to service. They truly love New Orleans: that sort of love that encompasses the good and the bad. But they also love it enough to help it change and grow and serve its entire community. Everywhere I volunteer, everywhere I go, people here are passionate about making a positive change in New Orleans and in this world. I could not be more excited to stay here to work with City Year, and to continue to see how this experience will help me fulfill my desire to serve, and guide me in pursuing my goal of medical school.  

With our last exam today, and this as my last official blog post, I leave graduate school just 10 months later with a whole new sense of self. I may have come here at a loss to what I was doing with my life and how I was working towards my dreams, forced to take life one slow step at a time. But I am finishing with the knowledge that that “one-step-at-a-time” approach was exactly what I needed. My future doesn’t look quite as confusing right now. My next steps are a bit clearer: take the MCAT at the end of May, apply to medical schools starting in June, become an official City Year Corps Member in July, and go on from there. Who knows- maybe I’ll even continue to blog about it all.

Volunteering in April

Common Ground Health Clinic – Tuesday, April 2nd  – 3 hours
KIPP Leadership Primary – Thursday, April 4th – 2.5 hours
Habitat for Humanity – Saturday, April 6th – 4 hours
Environmental Pharmacology Soil Collection – Sunday, April 7th – 2 hours
Common Ground Health Clinic – Friday, April 26th – 2 hours

In order to take a break from studying (finishing up the SHELF and gearing up for the MCAT), I loaded up the beginning of my month with volunteering at the places I normally do. At the clinic I helped put together the quarterly newsletter that is sent out to a few thousand people in the city and around the nation, and then worked with Desiree on planning for the “Community Day” event that will take place in early May. Many new providers have joined CGHC and as part of the clinic’s goal to serve the Algiers community, the clinic has decided they would like to do a meet and greet by door-knocking around the neighborhood and inviting everyone to a party of-sorts at the new clinic community garden. It sounds like it should be a fun summer event and a nice way to relax after, what I hear, are bound to be two crazy weeks of Jazz Fest.

I also volunteered at KIPP this month with Jenny. The teachers and staff are starting to wind-down for the year, so one of my tasks was to take inventory of, and put away the student graduation robes! While I’m in the process of getting ready to graduate for the 3rd time, it was more exciting for me to count the number of tiny graduation robes that will be presented to the 1st graders at KIPP. Over the time I have spent volunteering there, I have come to realize not only how much time and effort the teachers put in, but also how much each student strives to achieve. They are each expected to work incredibly hard, and through the constant interventions (and compassion) the teachers provide, they are challenged to grow everyday: academically, emotionally and socially. While kindergarten or 1st grade at KIPP doesn’t look like what I went through, it is truly a testament to the change this school is trying to have on children in this city. Not only are they making an impact on the high drop-out rates, but they are fulfilling the desire most parents have for their children: to provide the best education possible. These kids are getting ready for their first graduation so that they can make it to the next big one- high school, and I have a feeling that most of them will.

Habitat on Saturday was a half day because it was also the day of the 1st Annual Habitat Romp! A Tulane team of Jade, Alex, Srinath, Shuo and myself worked with two other groups (a Christian men’s organization and a small group from Loyola) to work on a house in the process of being built- literally. Some groups nailed in the roof, others put in siding, and we prepared the windows for painting. This pretty much involved caulking all of the windows and using wood glue to fill in any extra holes. It wasn’t necessarily the most glamorous job, but it did take the five of us the full four hours to finish it.

As most of my classmates did, I also participated in the soil collection “volunteer opportunity” for Environmental Pharmacology. I think Dr. Mielke gave us all a great background on the importance of this work, and I know I was definitely excited to get out into the city and take some samples of my own. Geared with the information sheets and plastic cups Dr. Mielke provided us, my classmate Alex and I made a day of it. We first headed over to Cabrini Park in the French Quarter. While it is currently being used as a dog park (which happened to be packed with adorable dogs curious about what we were doing), it is a site that is being considered for a playground. And with its proximity to another KIPP Charter school, it is understandable that the park should be checked for high lead levels. (The results of our collection showed higher than acceptable lead levels at the park- between 200 and 335 ppm in 5 different parts of the park. Acceptable levels are 100 ppm.) We also headed over to another popular area- Louis Armstrong Park on Rampart St. It was a gorgeous Sunday and the park was filled with locals, tourists, children and social groups. Fortunately the lead levels here were lower, and with so much grass, lead getting around isn’t as much of a concern. (Lead levels were between 5-165ppm).

(Pictures to come soon)

Volunteering around NOLA

KIPP Leadership Primary - March 4th, 2013 - 2.5 hours

Common Ground Health Clinic - March 5th, 2013 - 3 hours

Common Ground Health Clinic - March 8th, 2013 - 2 hours

KIPP Leadership Primary - March 11th, 2013 - 2.5 hours

KIPP Leadership Primary - March 18th, 2013 - 2.5 hours

  

Heading into March, I knew I would need some productive study breaks while preparing for the Pharmacology Shelf exam. I figured the best way to do that was to head over to KIPP Leadership Primary and Common Ground Health Clinic to volunteer my time. 

One of the 4 cabinets of
student and staff uniforms.

Paul cutting reward
dollars

As usual my time at KIPP this month revolved around helping the teachers and administrators with any extra tasks they had. On March 4th, this included taking inventory of the student and staff uniforms and cutting "dollars" as rewards for the students. The first task took a surprisingly long time, as I had to count, organize and document all of the shirts and cardigans. On a separate visit I spent my time clearing up a large work space, making teacher gift packages and taking inventory of/organizing the massive bookshelf of knick-knacks and useful teacher supplies. March 18th I ended up volunteering alone and spent time doing multiple little tasks: putting together file organizers, cleaning nap mates and keyboards, reorganizing work-space, etc.

 

All of our reward dollars!

 

Myself, Paul and Sheeva after a morning of volunteering, and
in our "Love" shirts :)

 

Organizing the storage shelves of knick-knacks.

 

Teacher-appreciation packages I put together. I knew learning
how to curl ribbon would come in handy one day!

Just a neat shelf of some of
the mixtures that the
herbalists use on a
daily basis.

I didn't have as much of a chance to volunteer at CGHC, but I did spend some time helping the outreach team earlier in the month. One day a large group of spring-breakers from Michigan were at the clinic helping out with a survey. A local group has been knocking on doors, collecting signatures to have more community-member seats opened on the city council. Because I had my laptop with me, I helped enter the information of all those who had signed the petition while the students went out into the neighborhood to collect more signatures. On my second visit to the clinic, I was lucky enough to attend one of the CGHC Board Meetings. I had the chance to meet the mamy health-care providers and CGHC staff and learn about the different projects that are going on. A few Tulane Public Health students have joined the clinic for their internship experience, and they are starting some exciting projects, such as a Hispanic community worker training to better reach this often under-served community.

 

Nerd Alert

Today was our last block exam of the year (yay!), and it was all about psychopharmacology and toxicology. Now that we are done with the regular material, it is the start of a month of intense review for the 100 question, pharmacology shelf exam. As daunting as this sounds. . . I'm kind of excited to study for this. I love, love, LOVE standardized exams. While most people find them intimidating, or not useful for understanding material, or stressful, I thrive off of that organized, methodical, type of exam. Don't get me wrong- I also enjoyed taking our regular medical pharmacology exams. But there is something about not having to worry about any other material than what is already there, about having time to set a strict study schedule, about organizing notes and material into chunks that are manageable that is just so wonderful about this part of the year. I'm sure like everyone else, I definitely want to use this time to really master all of the material that I was slightly iffy on, and to solidify in my mind all of the other stuff. I kind of feel like House (M.D.)- that is the level to which I want to know this material. This last part may be wholly unrealistic and somewhat naive, but I'm just that excited!

In addition to the studying, I'm also happy that we will have sufficient time to really engage in the material from all of our electives. Although every student has something like 7 presentations this semester, I'm finding them to be a great way to understand pharmacology (and medicine) in a completely different, in-depth way. I also think all of us have improved significantly in our abilities to comprehend scientific literature, do background research, put together Power Points, and present the material in a way that the audience can understand. (Another nerd alert: I also happen to love public speaking. I get super excited about these presentations, even though I'm sure half of the class is not listening to a word I say).

Our other classes are also equally interesting and beneficial. In Endocrine we have been focusing on the role of stress on the body, and we have these web-discussions and posts that allow us guidance in our reading and give us a chance to feed off of each other. Environmental pharmacology has also been really interesting; it is opening up a new way for all of us to think about pharmacology and toxicology, and Drs. MacLachlan and Mielke are doing a great job of helping us start to think about these topics from the physician point of view. Finally Cell Control Mechanisms has also been really useful; although I cringe at the thought of memorizing pathways and specific molecules, the material has been very manageable and is also a great refresher for me as I start to re-study for the MCAT.

I guess my last nerd alert is just that: I'm starting to study (again) for the MCAT. Unfortunately I took it somewhat early, and although my score was good, it will be expired by the time I apply for medical school. However I think there is an upside to re-taking it; this year has been a great review of all of the biology that is included in the MCAT, and I feel I have a better chance of better understanding the other material through sheer experience with it. Again: MCAT= standardized exam = ridiculously excited me. It's looking to be a fun few months :)

"To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart and a free mind"

KIPP Leadership Primary - February 21st, 2013 - 2 hours 15 minutes
Habitat for Humanity - February 23rd, 2013 - 7 hours

 

The title of this post, a quote from the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winner Pearl S. Buck, perfectly captures what I think service is all about: what it requires from an individual, and in turn what it can do for that individual. To start off, I think it definitely takes a certain level of excitement and joy in order to wake up earlier than normal to hop on a bus and find one's way to a volunteer site. But somehow it is always worth it. Last Friday Alex and I made our journey to KIPP Leadership Primary to volunteer for the first time. Paul was also there and we joined him in updating the mathematics and reading achievement boards for the 1st grade. Each student in every class takes a national exam to see where he/she falls in terms of their level of achievement compared to other students in the same grade from around the nation. We were previously informed that the students then take periodic tests on similar material to see how they are progressing. Every student has a slip of paper with their initial score printed on it. It was our job to move these students up (or down) on the board based on their new scores. This was the first time this year that the boards have been updated, and all of the teachers and administrators would come peak over our shoulders to see how the students were progressing.

 

After figuring out the logistics of it (keeping track of who did and did not have a score, who did and did not have a slip of paper on the board), it was really exciting to personally move a student up anywhere from 5 to 20 points! It was amazing to see the gains that the majority of the students made, and although I don't know any of them, it brightened my day to know that there are individuals who are committed to helping students get ready for college starting in kindergarten! A few kiddos fell back a few spots, but this is definitely a useful tool for teachers to focus on who may need extra attention in the future.

 

These are achievement boards we updated.
There are 4 classes per grade and around
25 students per class.

I think Ms. Buck also had it right when she said service is best when done with a whole heart; sometimes the tasks one is doing require love and positivity. After finishing up the boards, I was assigned to walk around the school and wipe down all of the nap-mats with bleach wipes. Wiping mats may not be fun under normal circumstances, and my knees sure hurt by the end of it, but a whole heart made it all doable. It was definitely a necessary task, especially during this flu season, and it was nice knowing that the children would have clean mats to nap on in the very near future. Paul was also in the vicinity so we were able to chat during this, and every once-in-awhile, a little student would come ask me what I was doing or just stare from behind a corner. Those are definitely the best moments :) I also had one 1st grader inform me that I was folding the mats incorrectly; she showed me the proper way and came and checked up on me a few minutes later.

 

Along with joy and a whole heart, a free mind is sometimes the most important trait to maintain when volunteering. I think when life becomes stressful (as in you have 3 exams in a month, job applications, and the overlooming stressor of a pharmacology shelf exam), it can become easy to opt out of volunteering or other "unnecessary" tasks. It is easy to say that you have too much on your plate; really all it takes is a bit more organization and a little less stressing to make it all fit. This month has been absurdly hectic, so I definitely went into volunteering with Habitat as an excuse to clear my head. A free mind is necessary both to really relax and engage in the work, but also to commit to doing a good job. 

This is just a picture of the walk to the Habitat
site in the 9th ward.

About 8 of us from the program volunteered this past Saturday at a wheelchair accessible home in the Upper 9th Ward. It was my first experience going to the neighborhood, and it was interesting to see how it isn't all that different from the other ones around the city. Perhaps the biggest difference was the number of abandoned buildings and homes. Anyhoo, it turned out to be just the 8 of us volunteering with some AmeriCorps volunteers (a few we all knew and a few new ones). All of us were assigned to the task of "working on the ramp;" unlike all the other houses we have worked on, this house was specifically for someone in a wheelchair. The main posts had been set for the ramp, but none of the wood planks had been put in, and many of the supports were missing. For me, the day involved everything from digging out space for support beams, to nailing them in; from cutting wood for the planks, to installing those with screws; from taking out a fence, to moving dirt. It was rewarding hopping around and helping out in any way possible. The constant focus on making sure I wasn't either falling in mud or hammering my own hand made it a perfect opportunity to think about something tangible, non-academic and completely out of my norm. I am definitely looking forward to volunteering more in these next two months, both as a study-break and to find some peace. 

On a similar note: I am currently interviewing for a position with the City Year Corps here in New Orleans :) My initial interview consisted of a lot of questions that probed at my motivations to become involved with a year-of-service position, and I think this quote does a good job of capturing why I want this position (or something similar). I think when you can master volunteering with these traits, you can truly open yourself up to new experiences, and to making a positive difference through any means possible. I also have to give a shout-out to this whole "E-portfolio" requirement; I definitely mentioned that it was a way for me to keep sight of my motives and reflect on my work, and it truly is. (So thanks Dr. Clarkson!)

Surveys and Health Fairs: Attempting to understand the needs of the community

Common Ground Health Clinic - January 25, 2013 - 2 hours

Common Ground Health Clinic - January 30, 2013 - 4 hours



 

In the last week I've started volunteering with the Common Ground Health Clinic. On January 25th, I went over to Algiers to help out at the clinic office. CGHC is currently in the process of conducting a community survey to figure out what the needs of the community members are. Questions range from how frequently an individual receives healthcare services (and where) to how and where they buy their groceries. The six page survey will hopefully lead to more events and services (put on by CGHC in collaboration with different New Orleans non-profits) that can better serve patients.

 

Luckily CGHC hosted two volunteer days (on MLK day and on Saturday the 26th) where large groups of volunteers from Tulane and the city came out to conduct the surveys in mass. Therefore on Friday, I was set to putting together some more volunteer packets for the following volunteer day. After finishing with that simple task, Desiree asked me to start translating that same survey into Spanish. I was informed that the group that is most underserved in the community, in terms of healthcare, is the Latino community. This is in part due to the fact that there are limited resources in Spanish and personnel who can communicate effectively in Spanish as well.

 

Translating the survey is definitely the first real writing I have done in Spanish since I graduated from UW-Madison last May. I'm excited to get to use my Spanish more frequently, and I hope to brush up on it so that I can be of more use in that way. The CGHC is restarting their free Latino Health Outreach Project (LHOP), and I would love to work with them. LHOP is a free clinic service that operates out of a trailer in downtown New Orleans on Friday mornings. Most of the patients there are Latino workers who don't have access to services on a regular basis.

 

It was a good first experience working with CGHC. Desiree and I left at the same time, but unfortunately the bus we were anticipating taking broke down. It did, however, provide a great opportunity to walk through Algiers to the river to take the free ferry across. It was a beautiful day and a unique way to get around New Orleans. I definitely found some cute restaurants and shops in Algiers that I want to check out in the near-future!

 

 

 

Xavier Convention
Center

This past Wednesday I also volunteered with CGHC at a Health Fair at Xavier University. Health fairs are a common occurrence in New Orleans which is a very new experience for me. Although students at UW-Madison put on a lot of conferences and symposiums for pre-healthcare students to explore their career interests and learn about healthcare disparities, actual health fairs for the community were non-existent. So I was excited to learn that I would be helping with tabling at this health fair. I arrived around 2pm and things were moving fairly slowly. About 60 organizations were set up with tables: the majority of them are involved in providing resources to the uninsured and underserved in New Orleans. Desiree and Colleen (another CGHC staff member) run outreach at CGHC and so they knew a lot of the people who were there working outreach booths for different organizations. In addition to these organizations, there were two sets of patient booths set up along the walls of the room. Tulane, LSU and other physicians and medical students were running these booths to provide free health screenings and HIV testing.

Tulane Physicians and Med Students

People came and went, but overall it was a fairly slow event. The biggest hit at our table was the new Resource Guide that CGHC has compiled. This guide provides information on every type of resource related to health and wellness that the un/under -insured can utilize in the city. A lot of the other organizations' leaders and healthcare providers stopped by to take a few to put in their offices and waiting rooms.

Colleen (far) and Desiree
at our table

Because there was so much down time, I talked to Desiree and Colleen about the function and success of these various health fairs. I got the sense that community non-profits can do a better job of consolidating these events and advertising for them in a more successful manner. Both of them expressed a little distress at the prevalence of these events, and yet the seemingly vague goal of them. Ideally members of the community should come out to receive information on healthcare resources and to get excited about living in a more healthy manner, but this isn't always achieved.  

Xavier Pharmacy students



I think between the surveys and the health fairs, the surveys provide a greater, more tangible result. On a community level (in Algiers especially) CGHC has a wonderfully positive role because they can do something real for the community members. Although the health fair was a great way to have community organizations meet up and discuss needs/events, it didn't seem to reach its own goal of engaging the community. It was definitely a valuable experience, though, to see who is working for the same goals in this city and to feel the energy in the room.

 

 

 

"So you must have . . . painted today?"

Habitat for Humanity - January 19th, 2013 - 7 hours

Two Saturdays ago Joanie, Michael, Srinath, Alex and I headed out to Mid-City to get back into the volunteering groove with some good ol' Habitat for Humanity. It was nice to see another part of the city, as normally we volunteer in the 7th Ward. When we arrived at the site, there were approximately 10 AmeriCorps and Habitat staff ready to get started for the day. We turned out to be the only volunteers that had signed up, but it was nice because we were all doing work inside of the small house. Patrick (the group leader) and a few other AmeriCorps members recognized us and seemed appreciative of our presence. We were quickly set to work finishing up the painting of the inside of the house. Most of the house had received a first coat of paint, but a lot of the rooms needed a second coat and a few areas even needed a first and second coat. After learning some basic techniques for painting with rollers and brushes, we were left to take control of the paint situation. 

Michael and Joanie contemplating what to get
 while Srinath potobombs.

I obviously didn't pay too
much attention to where I
was putting the paint. . .

I initially started by applying two coats of paint on the baseboards and window frames of the master bedroom. One of the AmeriCorps volunteers- Faith- joined me to finish up the closet. We quickly started talking about where we're both from and how we got to where we are. Faith had some great advice on looking for AmeriCorps positions, and in a way, she helped me put a story to the many AmeriCorps volunteers we meet. I also asked her about what kind of work she is expected to do; it turns out that the position description she applied for is quite different from what she is currently doing. Initially she (and most AmeriCorps volunteers who work with Habitat) was supposed to work as a volunteer supervisor/coordinator on building sites. But because there are peaks and troughs in volunteers signing up throughout the year, mostly she spends her time working on the houses. With MardiGras and the Superbowl occurring in New Orleans over the course of this month, followed by many university and college spring breaks, Habitat expects to see an influx in the number of student groups that come to NOLA to volunteer. I know of people who have been involved in these week-long trips, and they seem to provide potential to get a lot accomplished. Faith did mention, however, that "getting stuff done" is dependent on how much partying the student groups do while in town.
 

There was an incredibly long
line for Parkway Bakery
and Tavern, and for good
reason!

I think talking to Faith helped me realize just how important it is for people to become involved in volunteer activities consistently and for the long-term. I remember when I initially visited my pre-medical advisors in college, they emphasized the importance of long-term volunteer commitments. A lot pre-meds complain about this; it's hard to get into a hospital or clinic for a long-term position, and 1-day opportunities seem like a great way to receive many hours for a small commitment! But I can now definitely see the value of getting involved for the long haul. Even though I only volunteer with Habitat once or twice a month, I've had the opportunity to work with the same people five or six times now. For them, it is easier to determine what sorts of tasks we as individuals or groups can accomplish, because they have supervised us before. For us, it becomes a lot more fun to work with the same individuals over the long-term and to learn more about the intricacies of the organization and the work they are trying to achieve. I think it's a downright shame that more people don't volunteer consistently with Habitat, especially considering the strong presence they have here in the city and the large number of students that live here too. But I can't do anything about that; I can only commit to helping out on a regular basis.

Srinath with their classic hat.

Although painting took all day, I had a great time :) It was nice to chat with my classmates about winter break, plans for MardiGras, and thoughts about next year. We all went to lunch together at Parkway Bakery and Tavern: a Mid City hotspot for Po' Boys. I hadn't had a Po' Boy yet in New Orleans, and I was surprised at how delicious they really are. It was a great way to fuel up for the rest of the day's work and also to check out another neat, local favorite.

Gearing up for a service-oriented semester: KIPP New Orleans Leadership Primary

Dr. McLachlan, one of the pharmacology professors, approached our program about a unique opportunity that has come up at the KIPP: New Orleans Leadership Primary charter school. His daughter is assistant principal there and mentioned that they are in dire need of volunteers to help make everyday run just a little bit more smoothly. About 15 of us from the program signed up to help out, and on Friday, Janurary 18th, 7 of us headed out to the school for a brief orientation.

Located on the edge of Marigny, KIPP Leadership Primary is a charter school that is part of a host of national KIPP schools. New Orleans itself has more than a few, and this one opened about two years ago. The school only has kindergarteners and first graders, but expands every year with one more class. Unlike many other charter schools, KIPP recruits students from all over the city; no testing or raffle is involved in the process, and they encourage anyone to sign up. The school uses metrics to determine where students are and how they are expected to perform as far in the future as the SAT and ACT. Based on the needs of the individual, teachers create a curriculum that helps each student on his/her own level so that he/she can "learn excellence" from the get-go.

After giving us a brief overview of the school and its mission, Assitant Principal McLachlan and her colleagues gave us an introduction to the types of tasks we will be doing. Teachers at the school work 10-12 hour days on average: leading classes, meeting with students individually, talking to families, planning for future classes. Each teacher is incredibly involved in the success of each student, but that leads to long days with even more work after the school-day is over. A lot of the teachers need help with administrative type work- from photocopying to helping out with general tasks, which is where we as volunteers come in.

Principal McLachlan then gave us a tour of the school allowing us to visit every classroom. It was amazing to see both how young and invested each teacher is. They each have their own, unique style, but in every classroom we saw incredibly engaged, loving, curious children. Although the building the school is in is far too large for the two grades it currently holds, and although it looks a bit run-down, each classroom and hallway that the students encounter is filled with bright colors, hands-on materials, and warmth. The teachers and students were so excited to see us, thanking us with songs and class chants and running up to give us hugs as we passed.

I'm really excited to help out at the KIPP Leadership Primary school. I'm currently applying to AmeriCorps jobs in New Orleans for next year, and I definitely want to be involved in either a public health or education position. Therefore it was really neat to see just how a charter school functions in this city that is dominated by these types of schools. Although I won't get a chance to interact consistently with the students at KIPP in terms of the type of work I'll be doing, I think it's incredibly important to come in with excitement and positive energy to help out in any way possible. I look forward to it!

Gearing up for a service-oriented semester: Common Ground Health Clinic

The office for staff and health-care providers operates out of
"The Yellow House" a few doors down from the clinic.

I started out the month of January figuring out a way that I could volunteer every week in a variety of ways that will help me explore my own interests and skills, while meeting various community members in the city. The first orientation I attended on January 7th was at the Common Ground Health Clinic (CGHC) in Algiers. I had made contact with one of the volunteer coordinators in December, and she encouraged me to stop by and fill out some documentation, take a look around the clinic, and meet other volunteers and staff. Conveniently I can hop on the bus to Algiers a block away from my apartment, and I eagerly watched as we made the brand-new trip (for me) across the river to the West Bank.

This is the front of the actual clinic, on the
of Teche and Socrates.

CGHC is a small, community-based clinic that opened up in the immediate aftermath of Katrina. It initially functioned seven days a week, helping out community members that were not receiving the necessary help from FEMA and the City of New Orleans. Healthcare providers from all over the country came to volunteer at this makeshift operation that ran out of a mosque across from the current clinic. The providers at CGHC quickly realized, however, that the majority of the patients were suffering from long-standing chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. As people started recovering from Katrina, the clinic transitioned into a free primary health clinic serving mostly adults. When I asked one of the staff who the clinic mostly sees, she said that about 50% of the patients come from around Algiers, and the other 50% come from all over New Orleans and surrounding parishes. Currently the clinic operates 4 days a week on a sliding-scale system (patients pay a small fee based on their income) and is very active in the local community.

At the orientation I was able to meet with Desiree (the outreach coordinator), as well as some of the other staff members who handle everything from billing to funding, restarting LHOP (the Latino Health Outreach Project) to hiring nurses and doctors. Desiree met with myself and three other volunteers from various backgrounds. While most of my time was spent filling out documents and going through a HIPAA powerpoint and quiz, Desiree did talk to us about the different work with which we can become involved. Because medical students from Tulane come out to volunteer in the clinic, most other volunteers are involved in the outreach side of CGHC, which is perfectly fine with me! When I apply to medical schools this summer, I definitely want to look into MD/MPH programs as well. This desire to explore public health didn't really happen for me until late into college; I would really like to volunteer with organizations that have a public and community health focus now, so that I can have a firmer grasp on what it means to be involved in real public health work.

More specifically, I looked into the CGHC because I'm really interested in the ways that they achieve this particular aspect of their mission statement: "We continue to advocate for increased access to healthcare services for all individuals. In order to do this, we must address all forms of injustice, including racism, sexism and homophobia. This includes addressing societal factors such as disproportionate numbers of people of color in the criminal justice system, and unequal access to quality housing, education, food and healthcare." As an undergraduate I definitely had the opportunity to learn about healthcare disparities that are based on different systems of privilege, but I have not yet been able to get involved in a clinic that works to address these through its services. Attending this orientation and meeting every-day people who have committed their lives to this type of work was so incredibly inspiring!

It was really interesting and exciting to hear Desiree talk about the different projects that are going on right now and that the CGHC needs help with. They often attend health fairs to hand out resource guides and meet with prospective patients. Additionally they plan events for the Algiers community, which includes free weekly women's classes, monthly events on herbalism and alternative medicine, and the development of a new community garden. They are also planning to host a teach-in at the local prison, put together a conference/forum on the changes in healthcare funding (for community members and other community clinics to attend), and host the 2nd Algiers cultural day. Overall I am so excited to spend a few hours each week helping out at the CGHC and to take on an event to plan myself.

A Spoonful of Hope

While I was back in Madison for the holiday season I thought I could use my time to shadow some physicians. I have also been hearing a lot more from my peers about exploring the option of osteopathic medicine and have started to wonder about it myself. My sister recently graduated from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences with her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, and I have had the benefit of hearing from her and her colleagues about their experiences. These two factors made me think it would be beneficial to see a D.O. at work. Luckily one of my mom's co-workers, and the Division Chair of Pain Management and Rehab Medicine at UW-Madison is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and was happy to let me shadow him for a few days in the clinic. (I'll call him Dr. X).

Right off the bat I could tell that this would be a unique experience from the other shadowing opportunities I have had. Previously I've followed a neurologist on her inpatient service and a family practice physician who worked in a majority Latino community. Both had exposed me to a variety of patients, but for the most part they were either fairly healthy or  had end-stage disease. In contrast the patients we saw at the pain clinic were mostly elderly, with the majority having quite a few co-morbidities. From diabetes to smoking, obesity to cancer, these patients had all definitely seen a lot in terms of their health.

About half of the patients knew what their diagnosis was from previous visits and were back to have their treatment adjusted due to inadequate improvement. But the other half of patients who came in were looking for a diagnosis. As Dr. X and his resident worked through the standard questions and performed a routine neurological exam on each patient, I quickly became familiar with the signs they were looking for. Dr. X had me engage with the patients right away, and I started to learn just how each reflex is associated with a different level in the spine. In some of the patients I could feel the inflammation surrounding a herniated disc or see the subtle degenerative changes in the MRI. In terms of shadowing a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, I thought one of the most impressive aspects was just how hands on and personable Dr. X was with each patient. He was quick to isolate the pain on each patient, encouraging him/her to try different stretches and positions by demonstrating them himself. I was even lucky enough to see him use osteopathic manipulation on a young lady with "loose joints." Shadowing him was maybe the first time I had seen a physician be so hands-on in his practice, and I found it inspiring.

I was also excited to see just how beneficial it is to have a foundation in pharmacology; like I mentioned, many of the patients have co-morbidities and are on a whole host of medications. Part of each patient examination was devoted to figuring out if the side effects or drug interactions of certain medications were causing additional pain. One gentleman who came in was a retired professor and enjoyed social dancing, gardening and handy-work. We quickly bonded over our mutual love of ballroom dancing; unfortunately his constant arm and neck pain was preventing him from enjoying his hobbies to the full extent. I could feel his frustration at the peripheral neuropathy that had developed as a result of his recent chemotherapy. But I could also see the determination radiating from him to find some way to cope with the pain and enjoy his life.

Many of the patients were like this: distressed with their inability to meet their own goals but hopeful that the visit would elucidate some of their difficulties. Dr. X would spend around 20-30 minutes just talking to each patient, often asking about mutual acquaintances or other family members. Soon I found myself eager to hear about each patient's past medical histories, their life stories and their desires and goals for the future. Dr. X explained to me in between patients that it's important to realize what the patient really wants out of his/her treatment, and to learn how to approach him/her in a way that shows confidence and some level of control, while being completely honest. Whether he was explaining to a neurosurgery ICU nurse brimming with tears the importance of taking it slow, or he was trying to persuade a tenacious, older man (who "doesn't need doctors") that a back support would be beneficial, Dr. X was able to find a way to reach each patient in the way that was necessary.

I was truly astounded by his ability to comfort patients and asked him at the end of the first day how patients handled the news that they may be troubled by chronic pain for the rest of their lives. He looked at me carefully and stated very clearly that he doesn't ever let them give up hope. No matter what they come in with, most of his patients are willing and ready to do whatever it takes to find some relief. And therefore his primary job as a physician is to be their coach, be their guidance counselor, give them the hope that they are looking for. One of the last patients we saw demonstrated just how important this rule is: he had come in six months prior with pain from a protruding disk that was pressing on a nerve. By sticking closely to the recommended regimen of stretches, exercise and "taking it easy," he had been able to heal himself. The disk had reabsorbed the protrusion and he no longer had any pain. He may have been only one of fifteen patients we saw who was "healed," but he was an important reminder of just how hope and persistence can work.

Past Experiences

Our last block of the semester focused on the GI system as well as some Complementary and Alternative Medicines. Both of these topics are very interesting to me for two completely different reasons. The former is interesting because I have unfortunately spent a lot of time in the clinic and hospital due to my own GI problems, and the latter because I'm very interested in medical anthropology and the culture of medicine.

Growing up I would often have these painful stomach episodes, leaving me unable to move for hours at a time. It seemed to occur randomly and at its worst, I was having an attack three to four times a week. Although I saw a few doctors when I was younger, my parents chalked up my episodes to over-exaggeration and/or my unwillingness to eat a balanced meal. However in college I found myself visiting the E.R. on multiple occasions because of the unbearable pain that was lasting ten to twelve hours at a time. Although the residents and attendings conducted many tests on me, and although I visited a GI specialist, I was never diagnosed with anything specific. Instead I was told to eat less and take Omeprazole (Proton Pump Inhibitor) before my meals. In reality it just took time and a lot of trial-and-error to be able to reduce the number of attacks.

At the time of this "diagnosis" I was incredibly frustrated with medicine. I had been having these attacks since a young age, they were causing me to lose a significant amount of weight, and they were unbearable. I didn't quite understand how having a diagnosis could be any worse than not having one. However this unit has helped me see just how horrendous GI syndromes and diseases can be. I recall being tested for Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis. Looking at the treatment pyramid for these irritable bowel diseases, it's obvious that there is no solution. Unlike other syndromes and symptoms that can be treated, individuals with these diseases become victims of their own bodies. Even chronic Irritable Bowel Syndrome can cause a lot of pain with little hope for a solution. To some extent the GI system is still a mystery to much of medicine; it is often about "managing" rather than "curing" the dilemma.

The other aspect of this block that is fascinating to me is the use of herbal medicines and CAMs in the treatment of different diseases. It was made pretty clear during our lectures that there are often more problems associated with alternative medicines rather than benefits, and that it can become difficult to support the use of these when there is little-to-no evidence of success.

In a medical anthropology class I took my junior year, I remember learning how we as a society look at alternative medicine as a cultural thing. Take for example Traditional Chinese Medicine or even Voodoo. While it is easy as an American to hold some skepticism in terms of the efficacy of these medical practices  we often fail to realize that Western medicine- biomedical medicine- is a culture in itself. And just like any culture, it is hard to force down everyone's throats. From what we learn as Pharmacology students, and more so as medical students, it is hard to imagine believing that bio-medical medicine is not the right answer to many diseases. There is scientific evidence to support all of it! But at the end of the day, doesn't it matter what the patient also wants? Won't that affect the outcomes too?

When I was shadowing a family practice physician a year ago, I remember meeting an elderly, Cambodian woman who had just been diagnosed as having diabetes. As we are learning in this current unit (Endocrine), diabetes is an incredible dangerous and chronic disease, but if it is handled carefully, patients can live fairly healthy lives. As the physician emphatically explained that treatment was necessary and that the patient should see a diabetes counselor  the patient listened quietly and patiently. When the physician had finished however, the patient explained as best as she could that treatment- management- was not going to be okay. In her community and culture, people had previously been diagnosed with diabetes, but they had sought out traditional Cambodian remedies. The patient was convinced that she could be cured by this alternative medicine just as her friends and family had been.

Unlike many other physicians, the one I was shadowing had had a lot of previous experience working with different cultures and addressing the use of CAMs. She was incredibly respectful of the patient's wishes, and came to an agreement: the patient should test her blood sugar everyday and let the physician know if it got above a certain threshold. She also encouraged the patient to visit a diabetes counselor in addition to trying out her traditional medicines.

In the end, it's not always easy to say what is the right treatment for a patient. From the culture of western medicine, it may be clear cut. But not every patient holds the same values or wants the same outcomes as this culture. As I aspire to go to an allopathic medical school in the United States, I obviously stand by the tenant that physicians should use evidence-based medicine. But I also aspire to work in under-served communities and to provide health-care globally. Even though these are MY goals, I strongly believe that every physician and health-care provider will encounter at least one patient who holds another medical culture above western medicine. Therefore all physicians need to be culturally competent and prepared to help their future patients as best as they can.

To the Prospective Student, From a Current One

Every once-in-awhile my sleeping pattern gets thrown out of whack, and I find myself awake at the ungodly hour of 5 AM. And every once-in-awhile, I like to read other peoples' blogs. However it occurred to me this morning that perhaps prospective applicants to Special Masters Programs- SMP for short- (including this one in Pharmacology at Tulane) may happen upon our list of student blogs and seek out student feedback and advice on applying. While I recognize that picking my name out of 28 is unlikely, I still feel obligated (and I really just want to) to offer my two cents to all those future applicants and ye who is considering medical school "one day."

I know that for myself, who applied to medical schools as a senior in college, it came as a somewhat disappointing surprise that I would need to restart an application process in March of my last semester. After speaking to an advisor about my own, individual circumstances, and getting feedback from some alumni friends, I realized that I didn't have many options that would help me ultimately achieve my goal of getting into medical school. One very viable -and almost necessary route- however, was to apply to one of a number of post-baccalaureate programs across the nation. Coming to this decision did not reduce my stress whatsoever. Unlike college or even medical school applications, post-baccalaureate programs come in a variety of flavors, have no obligations to an overhead, regulatory organization, and can be a right-bother to deal with. Few people know much about them which only adds to the hesitancy so many graduates have about applying to them.

I started my hunt on the AAMC website; they have a database devoted to post-baccalaureate programs and are really helpful in allowing one to narrow down the many options. But after that, it really is up to the applicant to find out what's best. My own personal checklist included the following:

1. What kind of post-baccalaureate program is it? Now this can be a tricky one. I know that when I first considered programs, I steered clear of anything with a "Masters" attached to the title. Why? Because I assumed it meant a greater than one year commitment and a thesis. However I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is not the case for MOST SMP's. Sure, there are the occasional ones that require the thesis (Boston for example). But most SMP's have a one year curriculum that is tailored to students who are looking to gain admission into professional school in the near future. Additionally, many Masters programs will focus on a certain concentration (Pharmacology, for example). While I do know that medical schools often look upon SMPs more favorably, there are definitely non-masters programs that are considered good as well. (Personally I love being at an SMP that is focused on Pharmacology; not only is there more structure and connectedness to the material I learn, but I also have the added advantage of understanding a subject that is so important in medical school BEFORE I get there.)

2. What affiliations does the program have with medical schools? This is actually also a doozy, because in my own research, I found that fewer and fewer programs have formal agreements with their affiliated medical schools. Do take what I now say with a grain of salt- it's often like a game of telephone with even greater levels of speculation. Back to programs: A few still guarantee a seat into the next year's class (and if you have the criteria to get into one of these - like Tulane's Anatomy Masters- than do it!), but most applicants to SMPs fall just short of such programs. Others guarantee an interview, while others yet will put their own masters students in a "separate pool" when they do apply. I think what really matters, however, is that the program is both affiliated with a school that has it's OWN medical school, and that it grants you access to faculty members who are involved in teaching medical school classes, in medical school admission, or both. (The Tulane Pharmacology SMP has no formal guarantees, but there is definitely a lot of support from the faculty and staff.)

2. What are classes like? Are they with medical students? How will you be graded? This is definitely one of the most important things to consider in applying. The advantage of sharing classes with medical students is that you are basically proving you can do it too! The material will be relevant to you one day, and you are often being taught by physicians. A downside is that you may be graded directly against these same students. That's definitely a worry. However some programs will grade you against (but separate from) the medical school curve. Other SMPs will only have a few classes with medical students. Others won't have any. (I really like the way that the Tulane Pharmacology program is set up in that we have Medical Pharmacology with the 2nd year medical students both semesters. All of our other classes are just us. This results in a really nice balance of being exposed to what medical school is really like, while getting the background, pharmacology-specific details in our individual classes. I also like that we started almost a month before the medical school; this allowed all of us to get to know each other in a classroom setting, as well as to become familiar with the Pharmacology faculty.We're also compared to the medical student performance on our MedPharm exams, but are not graded with them.)

3. How big is the program? As an alumni of UW-Madison, I can safely say that bigger is not always better. Don't get me wrong- a huge campus brimming with some 40,000 students makes for an amazing, intellectual environment. But if you're considering applying to one of these SMPs, it's important that you consider what you yourself need to succeed. I KNEW coming out of college that I valued the smaller class size above almost everything. Even if you succeeded at a large university, consider this: in a smaller environment (like at Tulane), you get to know every faculty and staff member, you create lasting relationships with the majority of your class, and you lose some of the cut-throat competitiveness that comes with a large program. (Being here at Tulane, I am confident that my decision to go with a smaller program has led to my current success as a graduate student. Additionally, there are so many other students and people around you! You won't ever feel the need for company because there are many ways to meet students in different programs and ways to get out into this vibrant community. I myself am the class representative, and I'm having a blast getting to know the other representatives from the other Biomedical Sciences graduate programs).

4. How old are they? Is there a tradition of success? This is huge. With more and more undergraduates defining themselves as "pre-meds," and with an increasingly older entering medical school class, post-baccalaureate programs are popping up left and right to fill the demand. And that is where you need to look at numbers critically. Older programs are often the successful ones. And even then, look at the specific success rates. Are 70% of students getting into their desired professional school? Over how many years (1? 2? 10?)? What is "desired professional school"? If you know you want to go into medical school, and say more specifically: allopathic medical school, is that what the statistics are saying? (Tulane by the way, is one of the older programs and has a great success rate for getting students into allopathic and osteopathic medical schools. I think it's something like 80% in a few years.)

5. Can you reach the program via phone call or email? Will they answer your questions? Additionally- their website?
Unfortunately without a uniting organization to hold all post-bac programs to the same standards, it can become hard to get the answers to all those important (and listed above) questions. The best thing to do is to call the program yourself. If they are willing to talk to you and answer your questions honestly, that's a huge plus. If they seem unavailable or disorganized: bad sign. Another good place to check is the program's website. The same rules apply- do they answer your questions? are the organized? (Tulane is AWESOME in this respect. As I've already mentioned, I love the Pharmacology department. They are helpful, supportive, kind, brilliant and fun! It really feels like they are all here to see each of us succeed in our goals, but they often remind us to enjoy the journey along the way.)

6. Are there additional opportunities/requirements?
Going to an SMP does indeed mean changing your previous studying habits and time-management techniques, but it doesn't mean you should drop everything. Once you feel settled, you may be interested in pursuing additional activities to balance out all the studying. It's good to know if the program you're interested in allows students to get involved in research, and maybe even pursue a thesis. You may also want to join a program that places a special emphasis on a unique feature. (For example, I was drawn to Tulane in part because of the commitment students and staff have to volunteering. It's even worked into our curriculum!) Other programs offer different ways to get involved, as well as optional electives.

7. Other important stuff that I don't have much to say about:

• What is the cost? This is often the biggest limiting factor for many. And don't forget the cost of moving, travel and living when you calculate this.
• What city is it in? Let's be real: you don't want to live in Podunk, Nowhere for a year. Important side note in my shameless plug for Tulane: hurricanes really aren't a big deal. According to our program director Dr. Clarkson: "It's either time for a mini vacation or a Hurricane party."
• Do they encourage students to apply to medical school while they are in the program or after? Some programs say one thing, others say the opposite. Part of this is dependent on how much YOU need to prove yourself in the program. If you do: don't apply that same year
• Will the program provide letters of recommendations? They better.
• Are there opportunities at the school or in the city for any additional time you take off? Personally I think Tulane University and the city of New Orleans provide ample opportunity for me this next year. And to be honest: I'm super pumped!

While this is a lot of information, it's definitely something that I wish someone had told me while they were in an SMP. I am incredibly happy about the choice I made to apply to a variety of programs, and more so in my decision to come to Tulane University. I've already learned so much, on everything from pharmacology to how to study better, on serving the community to building relationships. Yes, I was worried about my "next step" when I realized I wasn't going to medical school right out of college, but at the ripe old age of 23, I'm learning that life really is about the journey you take to reach your goals. Even while keeping an eye on the end-goal is necessary, don't be afraid to take the less-traveled path.

"Breath In and Breath Out..."

This past month has been all about the pulmonary system. I had never studied it extensively, but I found myself enjoying it quite a lot! Growing up, I knew a lot of children with asthma, and I recognized the limitations some of them faced on a day to day basis. But learning about asthma from a pharmacology standpoint was truly fascinating. There is no cure for asthma, but there are definitely drug regimens that can help patients manage their symptoms and episodes. In addition to asthma, we learned about drugs used for tuberculosis and pneumonia. These are all definitely diseases that come up in our everyday lives, and so it was interesting to see how physicians approach different cases based on different factors. More so, it was curious to understand and see first hand the differences in outcomes for patients with either disease. When I shadowed a neurologist at UW-Madison, I was able to follow her around on her consults. One of the patients she visited I will never forget; he was a prisoner with disseminated tuberculous and was found to be brain dead. At that point, I didn't understand why there was no treatment for him- surely medicine could find a way to treat something like tuberculosis. But after understanding how drug regimens are picked and administered for different stages of tuberculosis, I can now see how serious his case was. He had HIV. His tuberculosis was beyond any traditional drug regimen. He was at a point where medicine could do little. Although reflecting on my experiences with these different diseases may have been more challenging than in other units, I definitely value the knowledge I now have.

On a more positive note, in my last post about the curriculum I mentioned that I am trying out a new studying technique. I've found it to be quite effective as my exam scores from this past block have demonstrated. In addition to my new approach, I have also found a few people that I can comfortably study with in a group. It seemed at the beginning of the semester that finding a consistent group would be a challenge, and indeed it was. I tried to study with various people in a multitude of ways, but everything sort of fell into place these last two block exams. This method was especially effective for the material from our Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology class. Thankfully my experience in a laboratory setting has put many of our lectures into perspective for myself, but I find that explaining it to others helps both me (in reviewing), and helps others get a more tangible grasp on the material. Onto GI then!

The Little Things

This month I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity twice. Our pulmonary block had a bit of flexibility, so there were quite a few days in the month that we had free to volunteer and study. On November 6th, ten of us went to volunteer at Annette Street. We were split into two groups and sent to separate houses on the same street. My group of five ended up at the same house I had volunteered at previously; I was excited to be able to work on something that I was somewhat familiar with from before! We were quickly set up with moving the excess dirt from the front of the house and dispersing it evenly underneath the house. This took most of the morning and by the time lunch came around, we were all exhausted. It was necessary work, but it was also a lot more tiring than any of us had expected.

After refueling, we returned to find we would be measuring, cutting and fitting rebar into the future sidewalk in front of the house. However, by the time we finished with this task, we were informed that the front stairwell into the house had been built wrongly. We needed to raise the platform by about a foot, but we had almost no tools or resources to do so because the site had been cleaned up already. Because one of the group members -Justin- has previous experience in construction, he was quickly able to figure out a way to accomplish our necessary task. As he disassembled and recreated a new stairwell, the rest of us brought back some of the dirt from underneath the house. By doing this, we could use some of the resources around the house to raise the necessary platform. After we had accomplished this, we went around the house cleaning up any left over scraps of lumber, bricks, nails and garbage.

I returned to another house on Annette Street on November 27th to volunteer with Alex and Luke. It was a cold, rainy day, and so we were stationed inside with a small team. The three of us were the only student volunteers and were part of a team made up of three adult volunteers and five or six AmeriCorps volunteers. We were all quickly assigned different tasks that still needed to be completed inside the house. Luke, Alex and I were given instructions to make shelves and install them in all of the closets. Because there weren't many electrical connections, it was a balancing act of using what tools were available at any given time. Many of us ended up needing to use the wood saw or the nail gun at the same time as others, but through patience and humor, we created some sort of agreement.Overall it was a pleasant experience working and sharing resources with others to achieve our individual goals.

After lunch, Alex and I were set to spackling in all of the holes around the house to prepare the house for another coat of pain. As we slowly moved from room to room, filling in every nail or staple hole we could find, we encountered the other volunteers putting in floor boards, installing door frames, and sanding down edges. For me, spackling was a completely different task than I had previously done at a Habitat build day, but it was equally rewarding in its own way.

During both of these build days in November, what struck me most was the importance of accomplishing the "little things" in order to create a home for someone. When I initially signed up to volunteer with Habitat, I thought I would be cutting wood, painting walls, putting in shingles, etc. I was only thinking about the big things that really stand out in a home, the things that I always look at in a house. But lately all of my jobs have involved the little things. From leveling out the landscape, to putting in rebar, to making sure shelves are put in correctly, to filling in the little grooves along the walls, I have been helping create a home for someone. These may not be the first things I notice in a house, but I now recognize that they are the things that demonstrate the care and love that goes into building a home.

One other invaluable experience I've gained from volunteering with Habitat is meeting all the wonderful people who come to volunteer with this organization. On the 27th, the three of us Pharmacology students were volunteering primarily with adults, people who have committed themselves to serving the community throughout their lives. We met one gentleman on Tuesday who works in Washington D.C. as an architect. He was in New Orleans for a vacation, and made a point to volunteer with Habitat on one of the days of his trip. After talking to him some more, I learned that he volunteers with Habitat on almost all of his trips. Another couple that was volunteering committed to two days to help accomplish some of the major tasks that needed to be finished.

Much of my volunteering experience in the past has involved other students, but rarely do I get the opportunity to volunteer with adults. For me, it was an honour to work with those who see community service as a duty of all citizens, and those who engage in it so often. By getting out into the community through opportunities both here at Tulane and in my hometown, I feel confident that volunteering is something that I will continue to do as I get older. Maybe it will be through Habitat or maybe it will be through another opportunity, but I look forward to committing some of my time to my community.

A different type of education

The house we worked on.

This past Saturday, another student and I volunteered at our first Habitat for Humanity construction day. I'm not going to lie- waking up at 6:30AM to try and catch a 7:14AM bus, that we found out was detoured at 7:33AM, and then walking six blocks to catch a 7:45AM bus in order to get to our site 20 minutes late did little to improve my thoughts on the public transportation in this city. But that's a whole other story. . . Actually I think in general, I was nervous about the whole experience. Don't get me wrong: I've done my fair share of wielding hammers, sanding door frames and painting rooms, but I've never really done it for something as important as someone else's home. I'm sure everyone knows that Habitat for Humanity is in the business of building homes for those that can't necessarily afford a home otherwise. But as our construction site leader Patrick told us when we arrived, Habitat sells homes to families for the not-at-all cheap price of $80,000 that must be paid off over 25-30 years. Along with that, future homeowners must also devote something like 250 hours of service: 100 on their own house and 150 hours on other Habitat homes in their future neighborhood. I honestly had no idea that there were such stipulations, but when I think about it, it makes perfect sense. Better yet, Habitat charges no interest on the price of the home AND future homeowners are building a community amongst themselves as they build their own and others' houses. To me, it sounds like an all-around positive-energy organization. Plus the fact that their houses are usually 3 bedroom/2 bathroom, brand-spanking-new gems!

Our post! If you look closely, you can see the
cement that is filling our magnificent hole :)

So my friend (Alex) and I get to the site to find we are volunteering with something like 40 other Tulane students who are there as a part of their business classes. The professors were even there, one fully decked out in his own hardhat, tool belt and flannel :)  As we're being split into groups, Alex and I jump on what sounds like an exciting opportunity to wield a hammer (so as you can tell, that's my real motivation to hang out with Habitat- the tools). It turns out that we are at the back of the house digging a hole 18cm deep. But there's a catch- there are bricks and concrete in the way, and we don't really have many other tools other than this dangerously heavy looking clamping object. Patrick leaves us to it.

Learning to cut wood.

Within five minutes, we both know this is going nowhere fast with this clampy looking object. I mean, we can't even get the dirt out of the hole. So I go off hunting for a shovel and by the time I return, Alex has found a red solo cup that has been reinforced by dried paint so that we can scoop out dirt. Turns out that the red solo cup was the single most important tool we used for that project. After taking turns digging and scooping for an hour, we head back to Patrick. He must have trusted our digging abilities, because he automatically sends us off to go cut our own post, hammer in some nails, and to mix some cement. During this, I'm of course thinking "Wow, we've been promoted!" I have to say, mixing cement and using my hands to throw it into our shady hole may have been the best thing ever. After the two of us have put in our post and patted down the cement, we're sent off to lunch.



Lil' Dizzy's Cafe. Nom

Lunch was awesome by the way. Both of us being foodies, Alex and I decided to wander just outside the 7th ward to find some place with "real southern cooking." We ended up on Decatur at some local hot-spot call Lil' Dizzy's. The restaurant itself seemed to be occupying an old home (as many restaurants around here seem to do), and was filled with the wonderful smells of fried chicken, biscuits and gumbo. Because it was a chilly 55 degrees Fahrenheit that day, I opted for the gumbo, salad and some corn bread. I think real, non-touristy restaurants in New Orleans are the best way to experience exactly how slowly things move down here. We probably spent an hour and twenty minutes before we left, and that was for a quick lunch. But I also think that that's one of the best parts of New Orleans, and one of the ways in which I've changed the most this year- you HAVE to slow down in order to like it down here. I mean, what's the rush anyway? Everyone else is moving at the same exact snail's pace, so just take it easy.


This is one side of the front entrance/staircase. We put in the guard rails between the two large posts.

We finally find our way back to 1335 Annette Street and Patrick sets us up with a completely different task: we are to cut, measure, cut, and nail in the posts that line the stairs at the front of the house. By the time we finish, Patrick is complimenting our work and telling us to call it a day. Feeling like we had accomplished quite a lot, the two of us headed back, and on a much more precisely timed bus.

I really enjoyed volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. It's a completely different experience and, in many ways, is a lot more solitary than what I am used to. It was also a lot more independent and makeshift than I was expecting. There are only so many Habitat and AmeriCorps individuals to answer questions and give guidance, and so most of the small problems that come up have to be handled with flexibility, imagination, and a positive attitude by the volunteers. It gives one a sense of responsibility and ownership, I think.

Seeing everyone working hard at multiple small tasks to put the finishing touches on a house that is going to a family in need puts it all in perspective. A hard day's work, one where you can see what you have accomplished, and can even meet the person for whom you are doing this work, leaves one with a wonderful feeling. I'll definitely be back at Habitat for Humanity in the coming weeks, and I'm excited to keep working on the same, and other houses.