One of my many diversions

I have always enjoyed photography and design, and used it as a creative outlet. I took a photography class in high-school, and I have a tendency to drool out of the left corner of my mouth every time I see a digital SLR. If you add up all of the pocket digital cameras I've gone through (three -- two stolen, one off my body... long story) I could've easily bought one nice DSLR and a lens or two as well!

With all the places I've been and photos I've taken, I have always thought I'd be able to make some money off of it somehow but I have been somewhat unsuccessful. I make an average of $3 to $4 per month on iStockPhoto (see my portfolio here). Due to their new, more stringent quality standards, the vast majority of my photography isn't iStock quality. There are subtle effects created by the smaller lenses and in-camera processing of my compact digital that I can only avoid by purchasing a digital SLR camera, which, at this time isn't practical as I wouldn't really have time to benefit from it.

Recently, since we purchased a Mac (we "needed" it-- first computer I've purchased since my old 486!) and got the Adobe Creative Suite, I've spent some free time doodling (and dawdling) on Illustrator and have applied to submit some of my creations for resale on iStock. Not sure why, but having a creative outlet is something I seem to really benefit from, maybe it's because I have recently been bombarded by a frightful amount of scientific information, virtually all of which is "left-brained thinking" and the right half of my brain is feeling left out? Anyway, here are a few things I've worked on: hand-tracing and stylizing an Arches National Park photo I took a long time ago, and creating my own versions of the famous Caduceus medical logo:

My 3rd Year Rotation Schedule

"Starting Third Year is like going to a foreign country. You don't speak the language, you don't understand the customs, and the natives are not necessarily friendly."
--The New Physician, 1982

We just received our schedules for 3rd year after much anticipation and debate. It's a lottery system and this is what I got. The latter half of my third year will be considerably more difficult than the first half. I will be in one of the four big hospitals in Madison most of the time, or travelling up to an hour's drive outside of the city for certain clinic-based rotations.

My Schedule:

7/7 to 8/15 -- Pediatrics
8/18 to 9/26 -- OB
9/29 to 11/7 -- Neurology (includes Ophthalmology)
11/10 to 11/21 -- BREAK
11/24 to 12/19 -- Psychiatry
12/19 to 1/4 -- CHRISTMAS BREAK
1/5 to 2/27 -- Primary Care
3/2 to 4/24 -- Medicine
4/27 to 6/19 -- Surgery

Classes end May 14th, and I'm already well into my studying for Step 1 of the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam. I'm signed up to take it on June 20th, but it's quite tempting to push that date back and have more time to study! Heather and I look forward to an amazing vacation some time in late June because just two weeks after the big Step 1, I'm on the wards.