1st year updates!

Hey, I thought I would check in and give a little update, and try to see how things are going for the various other first years on this site–it seems like it’s been awhile since people have posted…
Anyway, I will start with myself… Today marks the completion of two months of med school for me! We are in the middle of our cell bio/biochem/genetics course right now. At the moment we are learning about neurons, which I’m liking a surprising amount. Partly I just prefer it to the traumatizing two weeks we had on DNA transcription and translation. I definitely feel more comfortable with the stuff that relates to the type of pre-med classes I took, of which molecular/cell bio was definitely not one. With circuits and equations I feel reasonably ok (hence, neurons don’t seem soooo impossible). But cellular signaling–grrr! Keeping up is a big challenge. We have quizzes every two weeks. Last week we also had a histology exam. I don’t think I did very well on that… However, when I stop and reflect on things in general, we’ve really learned a huge amount, just in these two months. That’s pretty cool!
Life in New York is starting to be really fun. I’ve found some nice things to do outside of med school, and I’m getting to know more of my classmates. I was kind of homesick the first few weeks or so, but since then I have had so many visitors from Minnesota it would be ridiculous to miss the place. 3 more are coming next week alone. Such is the effect of having a dorm room in New York City…
Back to school related stuff–we have bi-weekly preceptorships with primary care doctors. My preceptor is an internal medicine doctor who emphasizes alternative medicine. I’ve also gotten to shadow in an ER in the Bronx, and I’m signed up to shadow in surgery and in labor and delivery. The precepting and shadowing is interesting, and it’s a nice break from the basic science class.
One thing that has suprised me a lot is PBL. I think it is finally starting to grow on me–but at a slow pace. Partly it’s just that my group is very intense. A few of us are actively trying to change things, but with limited success. I like the idea of PBL, and some of the recent cases have been very interesting. I just hope the atmosphere lightens up soon.
The other thing I wanted to report is that we have a thriving community of non-trads here at Cornell! I am 32, and there are several other people my age or older in the class. It is nice because from time to time I feel like I’m on another planet from my younger classmates! I can’t imagine being 22 and having as much direction as they do. When I was that age all I did was work at Barnes and Noble for a solid, aimless year… Anyway, I am grateful for other non-trads who have seen some of the real world. (Even if their experience of it did not involve shelving 100 copies of Ferret Owner Monthly magazine.)
Well, I hope I haven’t rambled on too much! I hope things are going well for my fellow first years and others. I would love to hear the latest from other people.

Good to hear the update! I was actually planning on posting an update to the Ohio State Thread this weekend.
Amy
P.S. - Can I come stay with you and visit NYC? (j/k - My sister experienced a similar phenomenon when she lived just outside the city)