April Blogpost

     April was the last month of the program, and I met it with a mix of apprehension and excitement. In many ways, it was the most difficult - having to simultaneously study for a cumulative final exam while making plans to pack up the last year of my life in just a couple of weeks was definitely a headache. But I was appreciative of the NBME exam, even for all the stress it caused me, as it was a chance to reflect on the growth that I've made both as a pharmacologist and as a student over the course of the program. 

    With a very poor showing in my undergrad years due to a mix of depression, procrastination, and a severe lack of discipline, even when given a second chance to prove myself as a student of medicine via the program, I was doubtful that I would be able to stack up to others attending, who were all clearly highly motivated and intelligent students. As I reviewed topics from last semester like antibiotics and cancer treatments, to more recent ones like psychopharm, I was amazed at how much information I was able to soak in and internalize, a thought that would have been daunting to the Sanjay that floundered at Emory. Under all the gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair, studying for the NBME exam reminded me that I am capable of hanging with some of the most promising future physicians in the country. 

    This was also the month that I had to say my goodbyes to New Orleans, as I had to leave for home very early in May. While the city and I had many disagreements (looking at you, Entergy and oft violent weather), I am grateful for the opportunity to spend my time in one of the most uniquely cultured historical cities in the country. I'll look back fondly on my visits to the French Quarter, or Audubon and City Park, my time strolling through the beautiful Tulane campus. New Orleans seems like a place removed from the rest of the US - a bustling city and a fiercely preserved slice of historical southern bayou life simultaneously. I'm glad I got to make it my home even if just for a few months. 

    With this post, I say goodbye to some of the most intelligent, capable, talented, and nurturing classmates and professors I have ever met. I hope we stay in touch and meet again in the future. 

    Gratefully yours,

    Sanjay