Hello Neurology
I finished up internal medicine over a week ago, and began neurology last week. I was sick for two days, and there was some confusion about the schedule, so today was actually my second day. Since it’s an elective rotation, it only lasts four weeks, and we meet from 6 a.m. – 8 a.m. M-F. This means that I have a whole heap of time on my hands right now. I am really trying to get back into studying, but it’s been a little challenging.
I just wrote an blog entry for Medscape, which should be published soon, but the gist is that I’ve been doubting my commitment to medicine recently. Over the past few weeks, I’ve just not been enjoying learning medicine, and I’m thinking that maybe becoming a medical doctor is not what I really want to do. I’ve even been looking into various psychology Ph.D programs over the past few days. I have no idea if this is just a short phase, which will pass, or if it’s the real deal. But I decided to finally admit my doubts to the world. So, there you have it everyone.
I wanted to also get back into the habit of logging my “stuff learned” during my clinical rotations. So, here is a very short list of the things I can recall learning during my neurology rotation so far:
1) What pseudotumor cerebri is, what it looks like on presentation, and how to treat it. Basically, it’s a neurological disorder that is characterized by an increased intracranial pressure (pressure around the brain) in the absence of a tumor or other diseases. Interestingly, it’s still considered idiopathic, although it seems to present in obese women of childbearing age.
2) When performing the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE), it’s really important not to skip any items, as you might miss a huge and important finding.
3) What Klippel-Feil Syndrome is, and what it looks like on presentation. I thought this was a particularly interesting case. The syndrome involves fusion of 2 or more of the cervical vertebrae, causing a shortened neck, and a variety of neurological symptoms.
4) What platybasia is, and what it looks like. Platysbasia is a “malformation of the base of the skull due to softening of skull bones or a developmental anomaly, with bulging upwards of the floor of the posterior cranial fossa, upward displacement of the upper cervical vertebrae, and bony impingement on the brainstem.”
That’s it for now. More to come soon in the exciting world of neurology!
Note: Photo was taken days before I left the States to begin medical school.
My name is Kendra and I am a newly minted doctor about to begin my residency in Psychiatry at 
Hi Kendra, I think that the doubt that you’re going through is quite common. I talked to my friends and they have told me that at some point in our medical journey thus far, we feel this way. I hope that you will be reminded of the passion that introduced you to this journey because you are an awesome person and I don’t doubt you will make an awesome doctor
Hi Kendra!,
I thought that picture looked familiar.
Stay strong lady.
-Latha
I was reading your archived blog entries and it seemed like you were really happy about your career choice up until NY rotations. What’s causing you to not like medicine anymore? Maybe you can explain what you are going through. I do think that every medical student goes through something like this sooner or later in their career. I also think you will make an amazing doctor and I hope that you will pull through this and continue to write your blog.
one piece of advice my family doc gave me about med school was, “…always keep the big picture in mind. remember why you want to become a doc.”
i think writing down your daily learning log is a great exercise. might get you present to whats real. plus, its cool for me to see your perspective and learn new things about medicine!
hang in there.
btw…are you on twitter?
Kendra, I’m a big fan of your blog. I admire your confidence and openness to talk about your feelings. You are going through a phase; it too shall pass! Are residencies in Psychiatry hard to get into?
Good Luck.