Wow! What a whirlwind week it has been. I finished my FINAL exam (of ten) on Monday and jumped right into clinic orientation. After 2 days of learning the ins & outs of the Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic (did you know it’s the largest Naturopathic Clinic in North America?) I officially started as an intern.
Thursday was my first day. I had my lab rotation so rather than seeing patients I hung out with a bunch of blood & urine. Sounds gross, but it’s actually pretty fun when you get to run tests on it. I learned how to conduct erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR – this test is an indicator of inflammation) and blood typing. I also brushed up on my venipuncture skills – or stab lab! There will be many more skills to come over the next year.
Of course it wasn’t all roses. I was seriously quizzed by our lab technician most of the day (ugh – I thought exams were over), my water bottle disappeared (it was returned later), and I somehow managed to lock myself in the stairwell. I knocked for about 5 minutes before another intern let me out (thanks Katie!).
Note to self – don’t ever stop studying, always bring your keys with you & put your name on everything!
On Friday I had my first clinical rotation. This shift is a general shift & I had the absolute joy of meeting my first patient. I’m sure I will never forget those moments – walking down the hall to meet her, learning about her during the history and physical exams. We’ve been prepping for those moments for years & now here we are putting them into practice on real patients. I can’t believe it, but I am so ready!
I don’t think I’m ready for the paperwork yet, but I will get organized eventually. For now, I’m going to bask in the joy of being an intern!
I can’t wait to see what happens next…
Congratulations! I
I’m currently training as a Naturopath in Australia. It’s funny how different the laws are. We are not allowed to wield a blood pressure machine, let alone a syringe as it might threaten the sensitivities of Allopathic Medicine!
I look forward to following your progress
Keep up the good work and try your best to always have the enthusiasm you have right now!
Hi Rochelle,
I didn’t realize Australia has such a restrictive scope. I remember looking at studying there before I started here & I thought they had a lot to offer. Best of luck on your progress there. It’s a tough program!!!
Rachel, I’m so excited to floolw your blog! I was in a bad car accident 3 years ago and have a lot of residual back problems from the accident, and I’ve found that the best way to manage those injuries (and the healthiest for my body!) has been through natural methods (running, yoga, stretching, heating pads, acupuncture and herbal deep heat rubs), rather than taking heavy medication. I’m a big advocate for using fitness to treat chronic pain it worked wonders for me and helped me to get off heavy medication! I’m so excited to read more!!