Update from Dave

Well, it's been a while since I wrote, so I thought I should let everyone who is reading this know how I am doing. First off, I guess, you should know that I am currently in Gaylord, MI, my hometown, doing an orthopedics rotation for school. Now, I happen to know a few orthopedic doctors up here who have graciously allowed me to bug them about ortho for the past four weeks. Of course, one of those docs also happens to be my Dad.

It has been a great rotation. As I've spent the last month here, the fall color has started to come out. On my way up here on Labor Day, there was hardly any color, maybe one or two trees here and there had changed. Now, about half the trees have changed and the rest are changing. It occurred to me a few days ago that while Sarah is on the equator, I've spent the last month halfway between the equator and the North pole. So, I decided that I should take a picture of me on the 45th parallel to add to the one she posted of Sarah on the equator.

I've had lots of fun on this rotation. At N'Orthopedics there are four doctors. So, I spent one week (more or less) with each doctor. I spent the first week with my Dad. We spent most of the time in the office. His support staff said they were glad that I was there because, "Now he has someone else to ask questions." Dad does like to train his staff well, and I did get quite a few questions from him. All the questioning, though, really helped me to learn what I needed to know.

All the support staff in the office were great. They were quite the pranksters though, and of course I was above pranking them back (note sarcasm!).

Over the month I probably spent the most time with Dad's partner Dr. Goetz, whom I didn't really know before starting the rotation. He was a great teacher. The first surgery I saw with him was a total hip replacement. I asked him to review the anatomy, so I got an hour and a half (or so) lecture on the surgical and functional anatomy of the hip. He's been trying to convince me all month that I should do orthopedics instead of general surgery. He's really put in a good effort, but I don't think he has me convinced... yet!

During the month, I spent about 3 days a week in the OR. Over the course of the month I saw more than 50 operations. That's about the same number of operations I saw during my last two surgery rotations combined! And on this rotation, I wasn't behind residents and interns to get in on a surgery.

Dr. Habryl, another of Dad' partners, was also very helpful. Of all the doctors there, I knew Dr. Habryl the best because he had been the ski team coach for the high school team when I was on the team. I also worked with Dad's newest partner, Dr. Noirot, this last week. He was also fun to work with. He sees a lot of shoulder patients, so I learned a lot about shoulders this past week.

It was interesting to see the differences in the practice of each. They all see a wide variety of orthopedic problems, but they all have their areas of interest.

Well, the rest of the time at home was fun. It was fun to spend the month with my parents and have some company around the house. I haven't had to worry about meals and all that, which has been great.

I head back to Novi this weekend. I'll be studying for boards for the next two weeks, then I'll start Cardiology for the next two weeks.