And here comes another one

I'm not exactly sure what's up with the complete lack of blogging... my guess is that my brain just needed some time to assimilate all the new information that i've gathered over the past couple weeks.

So..

As previously mentioned, I applied to UW, SMS, and LECOM. In the midst of those applications I figured out what I want to do (at least clearly enough to take a step forward, not saying that won't adapt as time goes on) and then 1. stopped applying to UW, 2. withdrew my application from SMS, and 3. hoped that LECOM would let me in. And by hoped I mean panicked.
Thankfully, they were merciful and I have been accepted to LECOM's class of 2013!

What this means (etc.):

• I'll be moving back to Pennsylvania on May 19 so that I have time to get settled, find an apartment, etc.
• I have decided to become a part of LECOM's Problem Based Learning pathway, and I'm pretty excited about it! LECOM describes it this way: "Teams of eight medical students study medical cases as they progress through modules of the core curriculum and systems of the body. Together, PBL students research the basic and clinical sciences, and they solve the problem presented by the patient’s case." What that essentially means is that instead of sitting in a classroom all day every day and doing med school similarly to the way I did college (some might say "binge and purge"), I'll be meeting with other students and a facilitator 3 times a week for 2 hours each to discuss a case, and then studying independently the rest of the time. I am looking forward to learning in a way that seems to be a better fit with the way my mind works.
  
• My goal is to become a family practitioner who specializes in maternity care and natural birth. I have contacted a couple doulas and midwives in the Erie area who are willing to let me shadow them (or in the case of doula-ing actually help since I've taken a doula course) while I am in Erie. My hope is that I will eventually work to improve the U.S. maternity care system by facilitating discussion and collaboration between doctors, midwives, and other health care providers. I want to be a doctor who supports home birth and free-standing birth clinics, especially in rural areas.
  
• I will be home to celebrate my papa's 80th birthday in June and my sister's 30th birthday in August!
• I will not be here to celebrate Cara's 30th and Hadley's 1st birthday in September or Grayden's Kung Fu Panda party in November. :(
• I will get to hang out with Statia and baby.
• And Tricia! And EMMH!
  
• I will not get to hang out with my Melissa.
• I will be surrounded by my family! And get to eat Sunday dinners at gramma's!
• I will deeply miss my church family. And the great teaching at soma. :(
• Erie summers. The peninsula. :)
  
• No Washington summers. Will miss my mountain. :(
• Will also miss this mountain.
• Cheapest beer ever! :)
  
• No more Broho. :(
• Getting to know my niece and nephews all over again. :)

The list goes on... I really am excited for this new step, but I'm definitely grieving. Already. Silly things make me cry. Like flocks of birds flying in a crisp v-shape. yep.