It's a bittersweet entry this week, as this is my last blog as
an NUHS student. Sad right? I can't believe it's been a year and
half that I have been sharing my "wisdom" with everyone. It's been
an incredible three and half years. I know its cliché, but the time
really did fly by. It seems like yesterday I was sitting in
orientation with Dr. Stiefel, listening to how rigorous the next 3+
years of my life were going to be. He wasn't joking either. Those
first 2 years, I was a slave to my textbooks, notes, and
presentations. The load thinned out over this past year in clinic,
but the practice and studying was still and will always be a huge
part of my week to week.
Jeff, Guy, and I at a graduation dinner on Saturday.
I cannot thank our professors enough for the countless hours of
help and dedication they've put towards us:
- I'd like to thank Dr. Jennifer "Vice-Grip"
Illes for being patient with me constantly nodding off
during her post-lunch E&M courses, and of course for teaching
me how to adjust!
- The incredible Dr. Jaya Prakash helped me
understand pathology and microbiology in a way I never thought I
could.
- Dr. Richard Leverone, Dr. Terry
Sandman, Dr. Heather "Awesome DACBR"
Miley, and Dr. Rudy Heiser made me
realize how much I love radiology, and who knows, maybe one day
I'll follow in their DACBR footsteps.
- Then there is the always smooth, Dr. "Wiki-SRI-dia"
Sridharan Manavalan, who along with Dr. Leslie
Pearlstien, taught us the ins and outs of the human body
in anatomy class.
- Who could forget the dynamic Lombard duo of Dr. Robert
Humphreys and Dr. Daniel Richardson? Dr.
Richardson always made class a blast, especially when he couldn't
find his glasses that were always resting on top of his head. I
can't thank Dr. Humphreys enough for allowing me to co-manage his
Florida neuro cases, and teaching me a lot of his tricks of the
trade along the way; and yes, I still owe you lunch, Doc.
- How could I have gotten by without the incomparable Dr.
David "Coach" Seaman? I can break down the conversion
of just about anything you throw in your mouth to the enzymatic
level thanks my advisor and pal, Dr. Seaman.
- I am more than confident in rehabbing just about any condition
that will walk into my office, thanks to Dr. Tim "You can
always be faster" Stark. Dr. Stark has always been there
with either quip or advice whenever I've approached him. Thank
you.
- For the past year, Dr. Rudy "wild-assed-clinician award
recipient" Heiser, has molded and refined my clinical
skills. Dr. Heiser has let me learn through mistakes, treat in my
own way, and all the while made sure I was doing it correctly while
offering great advice along the way.
- None of this would've been possible without the countless time
and effort put in by Dr. Joe Stiefel. Dr. Stiefel
not only taught, but administrated, and handled all the
behind-the-scenes activities that made the Florida Campus what it
is today.
- Finally, I'd like to thank my mentor and friend, Dr.
Chad "The Intimidator" Maola. There is no way I would have
been the student, or the intern, or the doctor I am without all the
extra time Dr. Maola put in with me. I'll never forget the day
during my last final exam of third trimester, when he came in
halfway through the exam and told me to report to his office as
soon as I was done. The conversation Dr. Maola and I had that day
in his office is the reason I am as good and confident at what I
do. I know Dr. Maola has taken some flack over the years for the
extra time he has taken with me, but I want to let him know that it
never went unnoticed.
Enough with the goodbyes. My time at NUHS has been great. I
can't believe all that I've learned over the years, and all the
friends I've made along the way. Congratulations to the graduating
class of 2012!
Jeff, Guy, Dan, me, and Margaux
All of us down here have plans on practicing in Florida. Margaux
plans on pursuing veterinary chiropractic in the St. Petersburg
area, Dan Johns has his eye on a practice in Fort Lauderdale, Guy
Reshamwala is taking over one of his older brother's practice in
Hudson, Jeff Bourguignon will be independently contracting in
Tampa, and of course I will be opening my practice in Tampa as
well. My door will always be open, and I will continue to answer
any emails that come my way. Thank you to everyone who has read the
blogs, and Ms. Marie Olbrysh for allowing me to send in my thoughts
each week.
I'll leave everyone with an excerpt from one of my early blogs,
a fable I took from Aesop's fables: "Hercules and The Wagoner":
A carter was driving a wagon
along a country lane, when the wheels sank down deep into a rut.
The rustic driver, stupefied and aghast, stood looking at the
wagon, and did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules to come and
help him. Hercules, it is said, appeared and thus addressed him:
'Put your shoulders to the wheels, my man. Goad on your bullocks,
and never more pray to me for help, until you have done your best
to help yourself, or depend upon it you will henceforth pray in
vain.'
Always take responsibility for what you are doing, and remember
that self-help is the best-help. Never stop learning, and never
stop practicing.
Catch you guys on the flip-side,
Dex