Hooray for finals…just six tests away from "freedom"! Aaaand I got sick.

Happy Thanksgiving student blog readers!

We have reached that point in the trimester where I find that I have been looking forward to a little time off. Veteran's Day seemed like it could be my chance; unfortunately, the problem is that when given time I quickly find ways to fill it. So, I kept busy, and will continue to be busy right up until the end of my last clinic shift during finals week; the tests don't ever seem to end this term. I do get one more chance at a little break for Thanksgiving though and we will see how that one goes.

So, it is the beginning of week nine, and I only have two exams this week, hooray!

At the end of last trimester, I mentioned that I was going to be shadowing at least one doctor over the break. There are many docs out in practice who are all too happy to have a student come in to shadow them, often with little more than an email of introduction containing a request to come for a visit.

One of the awesome things about living around Chicago and having a compulsion that requires you to always be learning new things is that there are a ton of seminars that come to town and many offer discounted admission to students.

I cannot believe that it is week three of the term already! Despite the rapid passing of time, I have still been able to do a few things just for the fun of it. I think it's important to step away from the onslaught of information that we are trying to absorb and put some time into learning something just for the fun of it. Then you can come back to your studies with a fresh mind, and things seem to stick better.

We are down to the last two weeks of the term. It's a time for tying up loose ends, making lists and checking things off of them. The number of tasks laid out on my plate right is overwhelming, but there is something so rewarding about seeing things crossed off of the list. I am looking forward to the break when I can read things just for the fun of it, and take my kids out on adventures. The only downside is that my son goes back to school the 1st day that I am on break from mine.

When entering the clinic internship portion of your education at National University, each student has some hours of community outreach that need to be completed before graduation. In our marketing classes, we learn about how important it is to become visible as a responsible member of whatever community in which we decide to practice. The outreach events are designed to create awareness of our school's presence in Lombard and the surrounding neighborhoods, while allowing students a chance to give back and learn how to make connections with those who could become our future patients.

Week 10 is upon us, and I find myself to be so busy that it is hard to stay on top of everything. It's time for the last set of exams before finals, and a big reminder that another term is coming to a close.