Step 2: CS--PASSED

I just found out that I passed my Step 2: Clinical Skills exam!  In case you were wondering, I scored high in professionalism and rapport, which basically means I have a good bedside manner.  Finally, a test where being nice helps me score higher!

High Line Park and Chelsea--Monday, June 13, 2011

We decided to check out the High Line Park today.  It is located in Chelsea, which is on the west side of Manhattan.  We decided to get off the subway near Madison Square Park and walk about 6 blocks to the park.  When we climbed up the stairs from the subway, I saw this building.  I don't know the name of it, but I know I've seen it in movies so I decided to take a picture.

A building I recognized from movies, but I don't know the name of.

Here is another building that I recognized near Madison Square Park, but I didn't know the name of.

High Line Park is an old rail line that was scheduled to be demolished and someone had the brilliant idea to turn it into a park.  It is super cool because it is about two stories up so you have a great view.  It isn't the best place to take children because it is more of a walking park or somewhere to sit and eat lunch, drink coffee or read a book.  Parts of the park are super narrow and other parts are wider.  It is a mix of old, classic buildings in the background and new, glass modern buildings.  The park also kept the theme of old and new--I loved the contrast! Here are some pictures:

I don't know if you can see it well in this picture, but you can see the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

I zoomed in a little and it might be easier for you to see the Statue of Liberty.  

This was taken near the most northern part of the park and shows where the third , and final, portion of the park will be .  It isn't easy to see in this picture, but it is overgrown plants and you can see the old railroad tracks.

When we left the park, we walked a couple blocks down toward the Chelsea Piers--I think we were in the Hudson River Park.  It was a beautiful day: not too hot and not too cold.  I hurt my hip running a while back so I've had to be more cautious at the gym.  I thought it was getting better (so I pushed myself at the gym), but it started aching again today when we were walking down by the Hudson River so we had to cut our walk a bit short.

A picture of the Hudson River with New Jersey in the background (and a guy playing the tuba in the foreground).

I read about a restaurant called The Frying Pan, which is located on an old light boat that sank and sat at the bottom of the Chesapeak Bay for three years.  The owners bought it, fixed it and decided to sail it to New York and turn it into a bar and grill.  The food was okay, but the atmosphere was great.  The outside of the ship has been restored, but the inside isn't and still has the sunken ship feel (or so I'd guess as I've never been in a sunken ship before).  Here is a picture is from the second level looking down on the bar and kitchen, which are under the oval awnings.

 A picture is from the second level looking down on the bar and kitchen, which are under the oval awnings.  

Another picture from the second level looking toward the Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex.  You can see part of the John J. Harvey fire boat in the foreground.

We had to run a few errands at Union Square (Farley's favorite place in New York City) and then we headed home early.  We had another great day off and hopefully we will have another great study week.

Monday, June 6th!

It was Farley's turn to pick our activity so we ended up going to a movie: X-Men First Class.  I know nothing about the X-Men, so I don't think I am the best critic to review the movie.  It was fun, but I really don't know anything about it anyway.  After we saw the movie, at Union Square of course, we decided to take a stroll into the village.  I have been meaning to go to Washington Square Park, but I thought it was further away from Union Square than it is.  It was only 4-6 blocks.  It is very close to New York University, so there are tons of college students, but there are also artists, musicians and dancers.  It is just a super cool area.  Anyway, here are some pictures of Washington Square Park.

 

We decided to walk around and just find a restaurant.  We ended up eating at a Mexican restaurant in a second floor patio with a view of old brick buildings.  The food was good...too bad I can't remember the name of the place (but I remember where it was so I can go back!).

After dinner, we headed to Union Square.  I realized that I talk about Union Square, but I've never posted any pictures of Union.  Here are some pictures I took from inside Filene's Basement.  There is usually a Farmer's Market, but it had closed down for the night by the time I took this picture.

It was a great day off!

Monday, Monday!

I am probably unusual because I look forward to Mondays: It is our day off from studying!  I have been wanting to go to Central Park for a long time now, but something always spoils the day and we end up not going (rain, being on call, more rain).  Finally we got to go on Memorial Day.  It was a clear, sunny, hot day.  I pulled my camera out of my tote and realized the battery wasn't in the camera: I left it charging at home.  I was so disappointed, but I had my phone so I have a few pictures (although not as good of quality).  Farley agreed to go back this summer, with my camera, and explore more.  

Farley and I next to the lake, which is 18 acres!

This is Belvedere Castle

The Obelisk, nicknamed Cleopatra’s Needle, is the oldest man-made object in Central Park.

Ai Weiwei's Circle of Animal Heads at Columbus Circle.  Mr. Weiwei also designed the Bird's Nest stadium used in the Olympics in China.

 After leaving Central Park we walked down 5th Ave and enjoyed the beautiful day.  We decided to take the train and hang out at Union Square our favorite area of New York.  It was a great day off!!

On another note:

The picture below is from a school near our house.  I can't remember when exactly I took the picture but I love it.  In case you can't read the sign easily, it says "NO SMOKING near school.  Children's lungs at work.  Asthma Free Zone."

Catching Up

After finishing up my pediatric pulmonary rotation, I had scheduled some time off to study for and take two sets of boards.  The first being Step 2CS (Clinical Skills) and the second being Step 2CK (Clinical Knowledge).  

Right after the rotation, my cousin was in town from home.  Farley and I met her down by the World Trade Center.  It was so much nice to see a familiar face!  Even though I have Farley, I do get homesick sometimes.  We decided to head to one of our favorite places in New York City: Union Square.  We decided to grab a drink and appetizers at Farley's favorite restaurant: the Heartland Brewery.  We then walked around the area for a while before going to dinner at Pete's Tavern,  one of the oldest restaurants in New York City!  Pete's has been around since 1864 and the building was amazing.  It was such a cool old brick building with tons of celebrity pictures.  However, we got a new server and he was having a hard night.  We were served the wrong meals and Farley's hamburger wasn't prepared as ordered.  It could have been amazing, but I left wondering how they have been open since 1864.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera that day!  

The next week, Farley and I were six days a week studying for our Step 2 CS exam.  This is the exam where we have to go a history, physical exam and write a note after seeing a standardized patient.  We had a book of practice scenarios and we took turns being the standardized patient/grader and the test taker.  I won't bore you with the details, but rest assured, it wasn't that much fun.

The following weekend, Farley's aunt came into town from Seattle.  I've never met her and she is one of Farley's favorite relatives so I was excited and nervous.  Again I forgot my camera!  We walked around Times Square trying to decide where to go before settling on SoHo.  I had not been there since our tour of New York last August and I was thrilled to be exploring somewhere new.  It was such a fun area of New York and so beautiful.  We went into trendy NYC shops and looked at cute clothes (much of it grossly overpriced).  There were tons of street vendors and I usually don't buy things from street vendors (in fact, I can't remember if I ever have before), I was in the midst of buying a bracelet when Farley swooped in an bought it for me.  It is so unique and different that I just had to have it.  I call it my "'bird's nest bracelet"

The following week, we did tons of studying and flew to Atlanta to take the exam.  I have no idea how it went because I could think of tons of things I did correctly with each case, but there was always something that I realized I forgot in retrospect.  I suspect that I did just fine.  I don't think they are expecting perfection because we are limited on time: we have 15 minutes to do a complete interview, a physical exam, counsel patients, tell them our plan and differential diagnosis and answer question  and 10 minutes to write a note.  Now that might be more than enough time for an attending physician, but an attending physician is much faster than I am because she already knows the important things and I have to cover everything (whether I think it is important or not) because I have less experience and my miss something.  Part of the grade is our bedside manner and I am confident in my ability to be nice and compassionate to people.  Overall, I am sure it went fine, but until I hear about it, I don't know for sure.

We started studying for the other set of boards Step 2 CK once we returned.  Six days a week this is our schedule: Up at 7:15 and get ready.  Do practice questions from 8:00-9:00.  Review questions from 9:00-11:00.  Study from 11:00-12:00 (either review yesterday, pre-read for today or cover topics I tend to miss questions about).  12:00-1:00: Lunch (and usually we watch the Colbert Report).  1:00-5:00: watch video lectures.  5:00-7:30: ESS (exercise, shower and socialize).  This is when we got to the gym (three days per week), we clean/do laundry, go to the grocery store, or maybe just take a walk.  It is my favorite part of the day.  7:30-10:00: Review the information covered in the video lectures.  10:00 get ready for bed/relax.  

Now sometimes, I don't stick to this schedule exactly, but you get the basic idea.  I really need a good eight hours of sleep (or more) to focus this intensely for so long.  I don't think Farley needs as much sleep as I do.  Obviously, you can tell this isn't exactly the most fun I could be having in New York during a beautiful May and June, but I have to do it.  Now, one day a week we take off and get out of the house.  We usually sleep in and go explore in New York.  One week I get to choose what we do and the next, Farley chooses.  When I choose, we go somewhere new and explore, but when Farley chooses we go to a movie.  

My birthday is in Mid-May and we moved our day off to be on my birthday.  I wanted to go walk around central park, but it was raining and overcast (couldn't even see the top of the Empire State Building).  We ended up just walking around Union Square and shopping a bit.  Neither of us got anything until we went to Strand Books, where I picked up a few used books to enjoy at my leisure (sometimes I like to read for fun before going to bed).  Farley took me to Max Brenner for dinner and I have pictures of the dessert!  Oh and by the way, that isn't a martini shaker, it is a shaker of hot fudge.