(from en.wikipedia.org)
We kick off today at 9 AM with Histology. Dr. Fiekers (you may remember him from CMB) is our leader today, and he does a good job of walking us through the structure and histology of the kidney.
Normally there’s one Histology section each week, but this week we have two. Dr. Fiekers admits it’s a rush, and he doesn’t know why we’re cramming it all in. From my POV, it’s either this or take another weeek of HSF. And as much as I love HSF, I want to go home for the holidays.
***
The CMDA has a Bible study meeting at lunch. The second-years tell us how they’re having these lectures on aging in their Generations course.
The subject of elderly people driving comes up. One of the second-years tells us how one elderly driver had an accident that resulted in a person flying through the windshield of the driver’s car. This driver than drove off, oblivious to the fact that there was a dead person in his/her windshield. Somehow this hits a dark funny bone.
The leaders tell us afterward that this may be our last meeting for the semester, since the second-years have a final next Wednesday and thus will be busy studying on Tuesday. The time has come for the leadership to transition, but there aren’t too many first-years attending right now. We’ll see what happens.
***
Dr. Gennari returns for two lectures on glomerular filtration rate and renal tubles in the kidney. Some of this, apparently, we didn’t understand until ten to fifteen years ago. Very fascinating.
Yesterday, he was wearing a kidney tie that his daughter gave him as a gift when she started medical school. Today, he’s wearing a red tie with imprinted with elephants. At the beginning of lecture, he tells us he does this because in his travels around the world, he’s developed a fascination with Ganesha, the Hindu god of knowledge and education.
“So let’s get our Ganesha on,” he says, and jumps right into lecturing.
***
Today is what we might call a very special MSLG. We were asked to discuss reproductive rights, namely abortion. Dr. Rosen specifically encouraged us argue well and productively.
Out of respect for my group members’ privacy, I’m not going to reveal much about our very civil conversation. But I don’t think I’m betraying much of a secret to say that I ended up being one of the few people who leant towards the pro-life side. I should have anticipated that. The problem is that, well, I didn’t, and so I didn’t prepare as much as I should have, due to our HSF schedule. And when you’re one of the few people on a particular side in a discussion, you need to be at the top of your game.
Now it is over. But as I reflect back over it, things become clearer. I see now where I stand and why I stand there. I am willing to admit that there is much I don’t know, much I am thinking through and much I could be deeply wrong about.
And I also see that I prepared for this conversation the wrong way.
I should not have argued from a logical standpoint, but from a more emotional one. I should have realized that someone’s position is more personal than I might think, since it is often implicitly tied to their own views of sex and what they would do if they (or their S.O.) were pregnant. I should have been more sensitive to that and somehow addressed that in our conversation.
But more importantly, I should have talked with my sister and taken notes.
I’ve been told that my pro-life tendencies are, in part, due to the fact that I’m a male and don’t understand what a woman goes through. But I have a sister, and we’re very close. I do consider how, were I in charge, my positions on abortion would affect her.
But it’s more than that. She is, in all seriousness, one of the most thoughtful and intelligent women I’ve met. She’s taught and continues teaches me a lot about women (and life). And she’s pro-life. To a certain extent, that gives me confidence in taking the same stance. She would have been able to provide a valuable perspective I don’t have.
Too bad the discussion is over. Never too late to learn again, though. If you’re reading this, Duckface, we need to talk.
Josh Pothen (UVM’s Meager Med Student)
Donate $1 to The Meager Med Student! 
No comments:
Post a Comment