April 2019

It’s over! As of today, I can say that I have a Master’s degree in Pharmacology!! There have been ups and downs throughout the year but it has been such an amazing experience. I was able to meet amazing people and learn so much about myself and pharmacology.

During the last month of the program, I was able to experience more about living in NOLA. I was able to visit several restaurants and eat some delicious food. Speaking of food, I attended my first ever crawfish boil and let me tell you, I understand why so many people in New Orleans love crawfish season! It took me a while to learn how to properly twist and eat a crawfish but eventually I got the hang of it!

Lastly, I was able to continue my work with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Even though the program is over, I plan on continuing volunteering at the ReStore during my gap year.

I can honestly say that this program made me into a better person. I feel that it has better prepared me for the challenges that await me in medical school. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to attend Tulane’s Pharmacology program and my new degree!

Farewell!

April hours: 9

Spring Semester hours: 27

Cumulative 2018-2019 hours: 61

Tasty Crawfish!

Some of our Pharmacology class

March 2019

March was a very stressful month for me. As I mentioned in my last post, we had the NBME exam this month. Studying for the exam was extremely intense. As I started reviewing and studying for the shelf exam, I was blown away by just how much we learned throughout the course. Even though it was a lot of information to retain, I feel that I now have a strong lasting foundation in pharmacology, and I am truly grateful for that. With the NBME exam behind me, it officially means the end of Med Pharm. While we still have our Cellular Control Mechanism course and other electives to worry about, the end of the semester is drawing near.  Just one more month and I will have earned my Masters of Science degree! Like many of my classmates, I am now shifting my focus to the future. I plan on taking the MCAT this summer. I also plan on looking for either healthcare-related or research job opportunities in the New Orleans area, since I plan on staying here after I graduate! For community service, I continued volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I truly enjoy working in the store, knowing that I am helping to support New Orleans Habitat for Humanity’s mission to eliminate poverty housing.

March hours: 9

Spring Semester hours: 18

Cumulative 2018-2019 hours: 52

February 2019

Hey everyone, I’m back again for another blog post. Even though February is the shortest month of the year, the amount of material we covered this month was nothing short at all. This past month, the two blocks that we covered were Neurology and Psychopharmacology. When I started this Master’s program, of all the blocks that we were going to cover in Medical Pharmacology, Neurology and Psychopharmacology were the two blocks that piqued my interest the most. I was excited to understand the pharmacology behind many of the drugs that interact with the brain.  

Our Psychopharmacology exam was today and with that, it marks the end of our last Med Pharm exam before the NBME shelf exam next month. I can’t believe that we have finished all of our Medical Pharmacology. I swear it feels just like yesterday when I was studying antibiotics and NSAIDs back in September. Everything we have learned up till this point will be put to the test when we take the shelf exam next month. Even though it is a challenging exam, I am confident that all the hard work I have done throughout the year will allow me to do well.

With March around the corner, Mardi Gras season is kicking up. This past weekend, I went to my first Mardi Gras parade and I was blown away by how many people were lined up along the streets watching all the floats go by. I knew Mardi Gras was big but I underestimated how much Mardi Gras means to the citizens here in NOLA. I am looking forward to the rest of the Mardi Gras festivities.

February hours: 0

Spring Semester hours: 9

Cumulative 2018-2019 hours: 34

January 2019

Happy New Year! It’s been a while since you have heard from me. I hope you enjoyed your Christmas and New Year’s. For me, winter break was very enjoyable, as I was able to go back home and catch up with family and friends.

I have to admit that I was still in winter break mode for the first week of the new semester, but I am now back to my normal routine as the first month of the spring semester comes to an end. Speaking of the spring semester, this semester is going to be pretty intense and stressful for all of us in the Pharmacology program. This March we have the NBME shelf exam, which will be a big portion of our Medical Pharmacology grade. Also, for most of us, we will begin studying for the MCAT. If that wasn’t enough, on top of our Medical Pharmacology and Principles of Pharmacology classes, we have four electives this year. Our four electives this semester consist of Neuropharmacology, Cellular Control Mechanisms, Environmental Signaling, and Endocrine Pharmacology. We also have to prepare 4 presentations for our classes this semester. So as you can see, I wasn’t exaggerating when I said this semester will be challenging.

For community service, before I went back home for the winter break, I was able to continue to work at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. There was a lot more people in the store than normal, since it was getting close to the holidays, but I was able to help all the customers in need. Overall, it was another great experience working with all the staff and interacting with the customers.

December + January hours: 9

Spring Semester hours: 9

Cumulative 2018-2019 hours: 34