While learning about opioids in pharmacology, we inevitably came to the topic of addiction. Our school encouraged us to attend Alcoholics Anonymous to gain a better perspective. Once I had heard that Alcoholics Anonymous meetings were open, I was excited to learn more about addiction. Since everyone in my class was going to Alcoholics Anonymous […]
“Hello, I don’t know.”
“Hi. I’m Nuriel Moghavem. I’m a first — er — second-year medical student working with your doctor. Is it alright if I ask you a few questions to get us started today?” I’ve only become marginally more comfortable with the medical student Introduction since the first time that basic script came out of my mouth […]
The Golden Grapes
Sometimes, I create stories to help me study: I am an old foe and an old friend. I have been with you since you have been on earth. I live on some of your friends without a peep, but give me the opportunity to invade and you will be sorry. If you think I can […]
Testing Culture
This past summer, I spent a great deal of time working on several research projects. One project involved surveying physicians about wasteful practices. I, also, am trying to develop a tool to reduce some of these practices. In my spare time, I researched everything I could about wasteful testing in medicine and now I can […]
The Struggle is Real
I am officially 5 days out from my first anatomy exam and I am slightly terrified. My studying will be more hands on review and quizzing myself than I’ve been previously doing as grasping the concepts were most important to me. 5 days from now, I will be removed from the step stool that prematric […]
The Histology Exam
Identify the image to the right. Deep breaths, this is going to be alright. So what do I see here? Nothing that’s very clear. Circles, purple and pink, Come on girl, time to think. These circles, they are cells With many organelles. This stain is H&E, But that part is easy. I have to look […]
Domestic Abuse
I would say one of the most difficult experiences in my medical school experience was during one specific “standardized patient” interview. We have actors come into our small group sessions to simulate the patient-student interaction. I had made it through most of the year with fairly straightforward interviews: throat pain, chest pain, and making a […]
How to Juggle
Lately, medical school has felt like a balancing act. This past week has been very busy, and featured an eclectic mix of activities. First there was the school club fair. I’m co-president of an organization at AMC called Prescribed Books for Kids, through which we send students out to the pediatric floors to read to […]
Game of Perseverance
A lot of you may watch Game of Thrones. For those of you who do not, it is a television show construing the success and demise of seven kingdoms that compete among one another for the iron throne. I just finished watching Season 3, Episode 9, and I really wanted to write about it. I […]
Anatomee-Oh-My
The human anatomy is one of the only guarantees in medicine. Year after year, anatomy will never change. Structures may change names, but names won’t change the structures. At UCLA, we integrate anatomy with our current curriculum. Anatomy is learned in small bits, throughout the year, instead of all at once. The first day of […]
