Dr What?

(Short) White coat in hand, I am now, apparently a “junior member of the medical profession”. Which at this stage seems to mean that I should try to refrain from freaking in random bars (as so many people did during the week-long orientation socials) because it sends the “wrong message” about doctors. There were many lofty speeches about humanism, ethics, and doing the right thing. I’d like to hope that these speeches were superfluous, that most people by now already know how to do the right thing, but sadly continual evidence to the contrary leads me to suspect that some people need repeated reminders and, even then, often fail as humanists.

I did feel funny reciting the Hippocratic Oath (leaving out the inconvenient parts about not doing abortions, surgery, or charging to work on the families of doctors)… this is Very Serious Business. Cell Biology begins next week so I figure that the beginnings of the San Diegan tan that has been appearing on my face and shoulders should dissipate as I spend the next two years in a library basement.