Alaska News

The good news:

• I am going to Alaska for a two-week family medicine elective in August- I was able to arrange a short rotation with a clinic in Wasilla (home of Sarah Palin), an hour from Anchorage. While it's not too far into "the bush," I am very excited about this opportunity to get some outside training!
• My Alaska resident license should be on the way in the mail, after countless hours and considerable cost spent completing very cumbersome paperwork which gave me many gray hairs.

The bad news:

• Bears attack people in Alaska. They attack bikers!

Per CNN today:

"Alaska man survives bear attack"
(CNN) -- A bicyclist riding to work in Anchorage, Alaska, was attacked by a brown bear Tuesday, police said.
Sean Berkey, 45, of Anchorage, was riding his bicycle to his office at the medical center where he works as a pediatric pharmacist. He was crossing a wooden bridge when a young female brown bear with a cub began to charge him, police reported.
Berkey tried to place his bicycle between himself and the bear, but the bear was able to attack him, police said. He suffered an ear laceraton, puncture wounds to his right calf, and several scratches."

Yikes!

The good news:

• He survived

What this means:

• I need to become a faster biker... or get a rental car for my time there!

:)