First week in Fort Wayne

Yup, people are nicer in rural America. Fort Wayne isn't small, at about 250,000, but it has a small town feel. As with most of the Midwest, it lacks the outdoor activities I'm used to, but it's a nice size. And whereas the music was scene in Toledo was Country and Ghetto, here it's just Country. Not my favorite, but it's easier to overlook than awful traffic, mean people and outrageous home prices.

As for the medicine, the Residents and Attendings are some of the best I've worked with so far. I'm really impressed by this Family program so far. A PYGII (2nd year Resident) wants to do OB/Gyn when she's finished. The Program has managed to get her 69 C-sections so far!! Her husband wants to do Emergency. The two understand they will have to live in a small community, probably under 50,000, most likely. But it's an attractive plan.

The hospital, Parkview, is a tertiary care (Trauma Level II) center for a big area and even here Family Medicine Docs handle much of the ER. There's an acute care ER where they have to have an EM Boarded Doc on at all times. But five FM graduates of this program help to staff the three ERs.

Yes, my schizophrenia has returned and I seem to change my mind a couple times a day. But when we take new admits in the afternoon and I do an H&P in the ER I always up thinking EM. In fact, I've got Arrowhead's EM program lined for a September "audition rotation". And I filled out my paperwork for Maricopa's ER rotation before anyone else so I should be able to get August there. One more ER rotation in October or November at an East Coast program, like Christiana or Augusta, should do the trick. Then I'll just have to apply to 30 or so Programs and interview at no less than 12 to "guarantee" a spot without scrambling.

We usually get together around 7am, divy up new patients and get updates on our ongoing patients from the Night Float Resident. Then we see patients and round until 10am when we have Attending Rounds. These are relaxed and great educational lessons by Dr. Connerly. We then have a quick lunch and put in our new orders (from Dr. Connerly's input) before two of the three Residents head to Clinic. The other student and I stay with the Resident on "Call" taking new admits until 6pm when the Night Float Resident comes in for turnover. Night Float is a great system!

This is how to learn about Medicine! I have no desire to be a Hospitalist, but this program really teaches FPs how to be Docs. They only have two half days of clinic first year, then a day and a half second and third years, but they still acquire way more than the required number of patient encounters for the FP Boards. The time most programs spend in Clinic, these guys spend learning procedures, internal medicine and electives in OB, ER, scopes, etc. And for students it's great as well. We even get to write orders and dictate notes. This is my first opportunity at either, and it feels like a huge head start on Internship.

Finally, I'm really glad to have a car. It's required since my apartment is a few miles from the hospital and I'm going to be doing OB and ER in different hospitals. But regardless, I don't want to be trapped like I was in Toledo again. I'm studying in a coffee shop with free WiFi at the moment. Had time to get a haircut and drop off dry cleaning yesterday. And a few days a week I'm swimming at a local pool for about $1.50 a session.