10/02/23 Lub Dub

Following my interviews last week, I sent out follow-up messages with thank yous and further questions. I asked one of my interviewees for referenced colleagues whom I could interview as well, and he responded that one of his colleagues would be in touch with me. As for future interviews, I contacted a consultant anesthetist in the UK to interview. He was very quick with his response and he offered to do so that weekend. I had to adjust a couple of things in my schedule to make this work because I had a very busy week ahead of me. This seems to be a common theme lately as school gets very hectic and October will only be busier. I have to balance my classes, ISM endeavors, and PSAT/SAT studying. Despite all the stress I may feel, I understand that I will grow from whatever I am put through. On Sunday, I woke up at my friend’s house after homecoming and immediately went to work prepping my interview questions. The ability to have fun and seek learning opportunities is how I want to lead my life, and I want my career to reflect such a work-life balance. I learned a lot during my interview and I enjoyed hearing a detailed description of an anesthetist’s education and roles. He mentioned one thing in particular that stuck with me: an anesthetist’s favorite song is the beat of the heart. I often find myself hearing the harsh pounding of my own heart as I stress about my schoolwork and busy schedule. In fact, I got deferred from the blood drive on Friday because my heart rate was too high. As I move into this week, I look forward to Professional Symposium and meeting my ISM peers from across the district. I will definitely have to step out of my comfort zone when striking up a conversation with professionals and other students. My heart is usually pounding outside of my chest. However, I am open to challenging myself in an unfamiliar environment and coming out of it with more confidence.