WGW: January 29th, 2020

Every week I send out an update to the medical school, which gets send out as part of WGW (What's Good Wednesday), an email where the associate deans of students compiles the professional and academic accomplishments and life events of the student body in an effort to help keep us connected even though we are spread out across lecture halls, campuses, and hospitals across the state. Usually populated by sporadic submissions of significance, after talking with friends before I left, I decided to twist the format to suit my needs to stay connected to my class. After the fifth week of consistent submission, my update was given it's own special place and title: Kassel's Corner. 

Kassel Galaty (med20 groupie) says hello from the UK! She turned in her second essay which was entitled, "Becoming a Doctor: Understanding the Intersection of Physician Attire, Medical Professionalism, and Identity." Here's an action shot of peer edits happening; you can tell its happening in England because of the teapot.

She spent the week mostly writing, but took some important breaks to celebrate Burns Night--a British tradition where celebrations are held in honor of Robert Burns (Scottish poet of Auld Lang Syne fame). She heard people speak in Scots, and the fact that she speaks English did not help her understand them at all. There were bagpipes, haggis, and ceilidhs! 

Talks galore. She went to a talk on "Decolonisation of History of Science" and a fascinating talk about "Climate Change: Prevention or Intervention" with Sir David King and Claire Perry O'Neill (president of next year's COP26). And she kept on rowing. Her blisters are now calluses and she was in a race! 

She made a goal for 2020 to jump in outdoor water once a month. Don't let the bucolic scene mislead you--the water in the River Cam was freezing and there was a hidden threat on the bank. Medical Question for you all: does this look like stinging nettles or poison ivy?

Cheers!