BOLC wk 1/2

Well, I am into my second week of my BOLC (Basic Officer's Leadership Course) at Fort Sam Houston, TX. BOLC is a 6 week 'gentleman's course' (just complete everything and you pass just fine) that trains new 2LT/CPTs to the ways of the Army and how to be an AMEDD officer. On my end coming out of ROTC at Kansas State, the course is easy and mostly review- been trying to help out new officers learn the customs and courtesies of the army, drill and ceremony, and whatever else I can help ease the confusion to those completely new. It has been a neat experience to get to network with fellow Army dentists, doctors, and veterinarians, as well as students like me heading back to school. The first 3 weeks of the course is classroom (lots of death by powerpoint, yet important information to refresh on) and an APFT (physical training test), following by 3 weeks out in the field training (FTX, or field training exercise) on land navigation, CBRNE (gas chamber simulation training; develops trust in our equipment and what to do in an emergency), weapons familiarization, small squad tactics, running a field hospital, and other soldiering skills. It's going to be hot- I'm definitely not used to 100+ degree weather like this down here in Texas. Today we got to meet the head of the Dental Corps, General Tempel- quite possibly the most humble and kind man I have ever met. He took the time to individually shake each and every one of our hands and meet us, and there were 150+ dental officers in the room- I am humbled to have gotten to meet him- striving to be the awesome leader and role model that he is!

D1 almost done!

Finals are this week...5 more days of the gauntlet that is D1 finals and I'm through year 1 at UMKC. Phew...what a relief that will be! This year has truly flown by and I don't know where it went; can't say I would want to go through it all again (the school part), but it was an eye opening and great experience- it's truly great to start seeing the things you're learning in class starting to apply to real life stuff. I'm going to pretend I never ever ever complained about finals in undergrad...

5 cumulative finals-

Monday- Preventative Perio
Tuesday- Physiology
Wednesday- Occlusion
Thursday- Anatomy, head and neck (God help me.....)
Friday- Operative

... back to studying- pretty much 24-7 round the clock through finals. I'll post some real life realistic tips from my experience for future pre-dents/incoming dental students after I survive the week. Keep calm and study on!

Probz of a D1...

Hey! So it's been a while for me updating this, so here we go. Currently, it's March and the dang coldest winter we've had in forever- the windchill is -18 with snow on the ground...and it's March. Something seriously wrong here.

The spring semester has been pretty busy, as I expected- just as stressful too- we finished up a really rough couple weeks of tests. We're in more classes, the main ones being Anatomy II (head and neck), physiology, operative lecture and lab, occlusion lecture and lab, histopathology, patient care, and a couple of professional development type stuff (think it comes to be around 25 credit hours, but we had an intersession class in January so really probably just around 23). I finished up my assisting clinical rotations in oral surgery and pedo, and have done my 2 first real diagnoses on patients which is neat- it makes the studying and agony all worth it to be in the clinic interacting with patients. The lab work is definitely more intensive this semester- I spend most of my weekends either studying or working in the pre-clinical lab practicing drilling cavity preps or cast for occlusion. We have our first operative practical this week, so hoping that will go well!

I have also been fortunate to be able to help out with a free dental/medical clinic that is run by KU medical center called JayDoc- I've really been enjoying giving time to those who need help and couldn't otherwise afford it, and it's great to learn new things outside of school.

A couple of weeks ago, my school had a talent show over the lunch hour- it was a great way just to chill and relieve stress. I just got a guitar for Christmas from my parents, so I thought it would be fun to learn guitar well enough and write a song to play for everyone. Needless to say, it was terrifying to get up in front of everyone (who actually likes getting up in front of people?!) but I think it was a hit and it was great to hear people laugh.

 As a part of a class we had to give a COHP (community oral health presentation) to a group of elementary school students in the KC area. Kindergarten has been conquered!

 This summer (tentatively) I will complete my BOLC course at Fort Sam outside of San Antonio, TX. My sister 2LT Erin Kornacki is in San Antonio at IPAP (the Army's PA school) and it would be wonderful to be in the same place as her again.

 Expect LOTS of hours in the lab practicing and completing lab work...have to time manage effectively!

 Gross...taking impressions...blechhhhh

I was so blessed to witness 3 of my very dear friends commission Dec. 2013...we were in the same class in ROTC, but our courses of study put our commissioning off a semester...the Army gained 3 great leaders that day.

UMKC Talent Show Feb 14, 2014


To end my post...A professor of ours tells us that dental school is like eating hot dogs...you have all these 'hot dogs' thrown at you, and you don't exactly have time to digest it :) It inspired me to write my chart topping hit, #Probz of a D1..Have a great weekend everyone!

*To the tune of Whatever she's got by David Nail*

Verse 1: It's a little complicated

You should you make your mind up just to change it

The kind of school that keeps you waiting

waiting around (4 years worth!)

                                          

You don't know what you're getting into

But you want to be a dentist don't you

But first you gotta power the way through

The dreaded D1

It's got something I can't figure out

The first day of operative, drillin' about

I dropped my bur block

All over the floor

Smashed my alginate impression

Into the door

I'm still recovering

From histology

Dr. Morrow's outfits are too crazy for me

But yet I do whatever I can

To make it through according to plan

but I love of that where I am

oh oh, probz of a D1...

Verse 2:

Leaving hard anatomy tests

feeling like a stressed out hot mess

What! what the heck did I even study that?

Moving right on

Sweat rolls down the side of my face

Oh crap why did I drill there in the first place

don't worry teocali's down the street in the

back alley

There's just something I can't figure out

To drill and not autofail all about

Dr. Purk says dental school's like eating hot dogs (..and he said..)

that Dr. Kiesendahl's as well preserved as petrified logs

While I sometimes feel so full of strife

Better than flippin burgers for the rest of my life

and yet I do whatever I can

To make it through according to plan

but I love of that where I am

oh oh...probz of a D1

Last leg to finals

It's that time...FINALS. 10 days, 7 exams... but so ready for Christmas break.

Our first year test/final schedule
STUDY STUDY STUDY
Tues: Patient Care final
Wed: 4th Anatomy Exam
STUDY STUDY STUDY
Mon: Dental Morphology final
Tues: Biochemistry final
Wed: Anatomy final
Thursday: 2 exams- Histology slide exam AND histo lecture exam
Friday- FREEEEEEEDOMMMM! *throws papers everywhere* ...until intersession classes begin and then spring semester.


This meme shows my true feelings about my histology class. Happy studying! :) For those LOTR geeks out there...this class is truly the evil fire demon monster thing called the Balrog...which nearly kills Gandalf...similiar comparison. But good news is, Gandalf doesn't die, and neither will I :P Almost survived the first semester of D-school!

Ice Cream

In undergrad, my friends and I would go get ice cream to celebrate being done with a difficult exam (plus K-state has the best ice cream place ever...if you ever go there check out Call Hall's ice cream!!!). I came to the sad realization that if I continued this tradition in dental school, I will be really fat by the time I graduate, because there are exams all the time..worse I've heard in the 2nd year.  Even though we had anatomy today, we have 2 histology exams next week and a lab practical, and a biochem exam the week after that. That's a lot of ice cream :) It's really tough to be prepared for all of them, so you just have to make the best use of your time that you can.

Mid Semester Update

Well, I apologize for my exodus from keeping up on this blog...school started and in a whirlwind of activity I was caught up in trying to stay afloat! A couple of months in- I LOVE dental school and know this is the place for me. Yes, it is brutal and very difficult, I drink coffee more than I ever did in college, but am truly loving staying busy and learning!

My class schedule is actually a little bit easier than I thought it would be originally, just because we don't have clinical rotations every week and if you aren't on rotation you get a nice big chunk of time to study. First years take about 7 classes: Dental Morphology, Human Anatomy I, Histology, Applied Biochemistry, Patient Care I, Clinical Decision Making, and a class called Transitions (where we learn about the profession essentially).

Here is a typical Wednesday!

Get butt out of bed..somehow...coffee
8AM Anatomy lecture
9-11AM Anatomy lab
11-12 Biochem
12-1 lunch
1-2 Dental Morph lecture
2-5 Dental Morph lab
go home...study..sleep..repeat!

Not every day is the same, but Wednesdays are the longest...the other days in the morning we usually have anatomy, biochem, and histology lectures straight through, and then rotations in the afternoons on Tues/Thursday... At my school D1s rotate through team clinic rotations (helping the 3/4 yr students), radiology training and then radiology (I've already learned to take X-rays on real patients! Woo!), pedo, oral surgery, and a rotation in a regional clinic.

Well, I need to stop avoiding studying for my anatomy exam tomorrow, so gotta get back on that. But, I leave you with a goofy anatomy pick up line (try it out sometime and let me know how it goes): "Hey lady..would you like to take a look at my 4 tendinous insertions into the superficial division of the rectus sheath?" ie....look at my six pack... :P I think I've been studying too much hehe... Happy Tuesday!

The Journey Begins

Tomorrow is the big day! Orientation was Thursday and Friday, where there were many new faces to meet and opportunities to take a little look into what the next 4 years will be like. I'm very nervous, but think I am ready to take this all on. All of the waiting, studying, hoping, and dedication to getting here have all been worth it- God is so so good :) Jumped on my horse bareback the other night, took my 4 dogs with me, and enjoyed one of the last summer nights of 2013 <3

Here we go- into the grind!