Sprint!!!

Capstone is over. Capstone is the name of this program's research presentation that takes the place of a dissertation. We will have another one next semester, but it will be different, somehow. My group presented March 29th, and the weekend following was very enjoyable--with just enough stress to keep me wary of my time, but no tears!

Monday we will start the Spinal Cord unit, which will run for the rest of the semester; it's sort of the culmination of everything we've learned thus far, since doing rehabilitation for a spinal cord injury involves so many different systems. I've been looking forward to to this unit all year long!

This week, then, was our final week with some of the professors. Friday morning found donuts, fruit, muffins, juice, and coffee at the front of the classroom. Everyone was sad to say goodbye. Sure, we'll see them everyday for the remainder of our time there, but it's not the same as having them in class.

These professors are truly amazing, and their ability to raise students to a high level of professionalism with their expectations and demands is inspiring. They started treating us like professional colleagues when we first arrived, and although we've come to respect them more and more, we've also become closer and closer to them over the past two years.
One professor that I especially get along with offered to go over some things with me after class today.
"Let's sit down," he said.
"If you don't mind, I'll stand," I replied, "because I've been sitting all morning."
"Ok, that's fine. I'll sit, though," he answered. Then, "Oh, wait, you know what? I'm going to lie down, actually."
He then proceeded to lie down on a treatment table in our lab room, while I stood by another table, my books all spread out, open to different pages.
We began discussing anatomy and differential diagnosis of various shoulder pathologies, when I experienced a moment of perspective, realizing that it was not at all odd to me that my professor was lying on his back with his hands behind his head, looking at the ceiling, as he expounded on the significance of different tests at the shoulder joint.
After running through some material for an upcoming quiz on Monday, the topic naturally turned to the order of the curriculum and how things are managed. He bounced some of his thoughts off of me, and I gave him some feedback. It struck me later how it was not at all strange that our conversation then went from the need for a more structured anatomy class to how my boyfriend is doing and when we'll both be available to make mead with him before I leave for my summer clinical rotation.

As we said goodbye, he gave me some words of encouragement about not expecting all the gaps to be filled right now--about expecting to learn a lot from clinical experience and continued study. He also gave me an analogy to hang onto with regard to the rest of this semester.

"What do you do when you're on the last quarter-mile of a race ...and all that lactic acid is really starting to course through your body ...and all you want to do is stop and throw in the towel?"

The answer, of course, is to say a prayer, visualize the finish line, and find a deeper source of energy to draw from. Then, ...sprint!

So here we are, and here I go; about to embark on the final sprint of this semester.

Prayers are always appreciated.