Block Time Bonding ('n Thang's)

I know I have referred to "Block Time" (my current "rotation," if you will) a few times, but not really explained it. Basically, it is a dedicated two-week period which seems kind of like an extended orientation (for we only really had one week back in June). All of the interns in my FP class (except Adeel, who was unfortunate enough to be stuck on Mather VA but replaced by Shannon, a very cool FP/psych resident the year above us) are together for some didactic lectures, "behavioral medicine" curriculum stuff, orientation to a community project we'll be involved in through our years here, and bascially more getting-to-know you and touchy-feely time :) A resident in another field (referring to the warm-and-fuzzy family medicine reputation) asked me, "do you guys just go around hugging eachother?". Well, not quite. But it has been great to get to know my classmates even better, laugh, and hang out as much as we have (there have been social get-togethers most nights, too, making up for our months of solitary retreat into whatever inpatient rotation we are on at the time.....). One of my most favorite activities was, on the first day, being introduced to eachothers' family and cultural backgrounds-- I was utterly amazed at the diversity of upbringings and the wealth of culture our class holds! From first-generation Asian Americans whose parents fled the Vietnam War and people whose parents don't speak English, to one classmate whose aunt and uncle raised her based on their earnings from chicken-fighting, to an ovarian cancer survivor, we have it all. It was, again, quite astonishing to hear. I am privileged to be a part of such an amazing group!

As part of a new CPT (community and physicians together) initiative, we residents (as family med is known as one of those specialties whose outreach lends itself very well to community development and health) are matched up with an area (supposedly according to our assets or interests) in which we will spend time during our residency on a project. Phi, Anika, and I will be going to Del Paso Heights, an area which is about 40% Hmong/30% African American/ 20% Hispanic. This first year, due to limited time, we are just to "get to know" our community. We were taken on a very nice tour this afternoon by Charles, one of the long-time residents; however, on Wednesday, we did a little windshield tour of our own. We have much more learning to do, but we've found out such things as that it is nearly impossible to get fresh food in this area (there is only one grocery store) and it is really quite devoid of business. Many of the houses were in ruins and it just looked, in places... ghostly. There seems to be a lot that we could do in the area, and will have to narrow our focus somehow. Anyway, here are some pics.

Phi showing off his GPS navigation system

The meager findings of one of the community food stores

One of the hair-shops in the area with whose owner we talked at length. We crack up every time we mention this sign/store.

More social events:

On Monday, I hung out with the FP/OB crew (Kyla, Aline, Sarah, and Suzanne) at Kru's sushi for Kyla's birthday.

On Wednesday, we had a combined bday dinner with a GREAT turnout (quite possibly could have been the Indian Food lure) for the multiple people in our class (Adeel, Jeremy, Brenden, and Mahsheed, listed on the cake below) who'd just had birthdays.

We like cake

The crew. Too many to name here, but these are some of my classmates and their significant others (and baby)
Mahsheed and Phi holding Fahtima

Thursday night: the upperlevel FPs threw us a party for being 1/4 - 1/3 done with intern year! While there was great food from Baja Fresh, this turned into a massive Karaoke affair (everyone is obsessed with karaoke out here!). I actually had a wonderful time and did some singing (believe it or not) .

Phi and Shomir belting it out, as Lawrence, Jeremy, and Anika look on

Some of the FP family :)

I think I am going to have a quiet night tonight- I'm a bit social-ed out (there is another party, with karaoke [of course]) tomorrow! It's so glorious having weekends off....