Jewish Housewives' Disease

In honor of all the Jewish holidays that go on during this time of year (I really want to be mad that our exam is the Monday after Yom Kippur, but since we haven't had lecture with new material since Tuesday, it's sorta hard to say we don't have enough time to study....), I thought I would shed some light on the disease called Jewish Housewives' Disease as a DIRE WARNING to people who are heading in that direction.

Jewish Housewives' Disease's less fun name is Diphyllobothriasis, and it's caused by a tapeworm that's found in some types of fish.  If you cook the fish that contains this tapeworm (full name: Diphyllobothrium latum), then no biggy.  But if you eat it raw or undercooked, then you can get an infection that's sometimes hard to diagnose because you get very non-specific symptoms - stomach pain, anemia, fatigue [read about a real-life tale of a tapeworm from the NY Times].

So why are Jewish housewives most infected?  Because the world hates Jews?  Maybe.  But more likely it's because Jewish housewives make homemade gefilte fish (or at least they used to) - which is basically a delicious mushed-up ball of all different kinds of fish as well as an excellent excuse to eat gobs of horseradish.  And like any good cook (not that I would know), they would taste the gefilte fish to make sure it was perfectly flavored before they cooked it - aka raw.  And then... they would get INFECTED.  And to get better, they would have to take MEDICINE.

It's the making for the perfect horror movie, right?  I already thought of the tag line (read slowly in a deep, menacing voice). "All she wanted for Passover was to impress her mother-in-law with homemade gefilte fish.  She didn't ask for the uninvited guest ...   in her BELLY." 

Stephen King and I are already collaborating on the script, if anyone else wants in.

Normal

I'm sure many of you have already seen this picture that's been floating around the internet recently, but for those that haven't yet, I have to share it:



Ironically, although our test TODAY includes all of the personality disorders, I still don't know the correct answer to this question, unless it really is F. And is it weird that my first thought after reading the question was, "Damn, I wish I had that kind of motivation?" Is that a disorder in itself - wishing you had a personality disorder??

exam NOW

This is the most serious procrastinating ever. I have my second physiology exam at 9:30, and I woke up early to study because I went to bed early last night since I didn't feel like studying anymore. And now here I am, writing a blog post, not studying...


Anyway, if I have the time/energy to write a better post later today, I will. So you early birds check back later - otherwise, hasta Friday.

AMSA study break

Now that our first physio exam is finished, I have to correct my previous post. Friday tests are infinitely better than Monday tests. Especially if the forecast for the weekend is 70 and sunny with snow for Monday. Plus, our new unit starts today at 10am and I am SO not ready to jump right back into things again. A few days off (just about the length of a weekend) would be nice.

But since we knew most first years would be spending the weekend studying, AMSA hosted a study break for everyone on Saturday night. AMSA is the American Medical Student Association, and we have a local chapter here that pretty much focuses on trying to make life better for med students.

caffeinated med students are happy med students

Nationally, AMSA also focuses on empowering med students to take action on issues like affordable health care for all, global healthy equity, professional integrity, and diversity in medicine. Therefore our NJMS chapter also sponsors other student groups on campus like the Global Health Alliance and the Intro to Health Care Reform elective.

This study break was the first event of the year run by the first-years (as the second-years get ready to hibernate and study for their board exam), and I think it was a success! We provided free coffee, hot chocolate, tea, donuts, muffins, and pastries from Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks to anyone who came by.

the spread

the spread part II

It was a great way for everyone who'd been in hiding studying all weekend to actually have some human contact (always important), and it was a nice caffeine/sugar booster to make it through the rest of the night. Maybe not the most exciting Saturday night activity I've ever been to, but it was definitely a nice way to break up the studying (plus I really enjoyed the looks of all the other customers in Dunkin Donuts as Larry and I attempted to carry out 9 boxes of coffee/hot chocolate with 200 munchkins and 50+ donuts/muffins - not an easy task).

gettin' our sugar fix

AMSA first-year reps

Friday vs. Monday Exams

An argument as old as the five-day school week - is it better to have an exam on Friday and be able to enjoy the rest of the weekend, or is it better to push the same exam until Monday and use the weekend for extra study time?

Most of our anatomy exams were on Fridays, and I can attest to the fact that it is a wonderful feeling to have nothing hanging over your head for the weekend, knowing there's no work you should be doing (except getting ahead for the next unit, for those who are either super motivated or super self-loathing).

Our physiology exams will be on Mondays, which at the moment does not seem like such a bad thing. Especially because at this moment is when I would be taking our first physiology exam if they were on Fridays. Assuming you don't lose your mind first, extra days with nothing else going on definitely help in preparing adequately for exams (or better phrasing might be: not having those extra days with nothing else going on pretty much ensures that you won't be adequately prepared for exams).


The solution is obvious. Exams on Mondays so you have the weekend to study, but then we get Tuesday and Wednesday off to celebrate! I think that sounds both reasonable and completely feasible. Who's with me?