O'Hare Area Wasteland

Ok, the O'Hare area is fine.  It's just that it still looked and felt like Winter and I was there for my oral boards.  Meanwhile in Japan, the sakura were around for about three days according to people who were here.  Then it rained and the blossoms fell off.  So ephemeral…talk amongst yourselves as I write a poem!

Ok, I'm back!  So, the Osler Review Course was held in the O'Hare area at the Holiday Inn.  I'm glad I went since I picked up a few pointers on delivery technique and it helped calm me down a little bit.  Only a little, since I was still battling my insomnia/jet lag double demons.

After the three day course, I headed over to the Marriott.  I am a Gold member, a carryover from when I spent 90 days at the Courtyard Marriott when I was at MD Anderson.  The Marriott Suites was a beautiful hotel and I rested up/studied on Saturday.

Saturday night, I slept from 10-3 and then 5-10.  My test was Sunday afternoon so I dressed up in my suit from 2001.  Hey, it got me into med school so maybe I'll have luck now?  Candidates were asked not to wear their military uniforms in order to prevent bias although from what I've heard, we're pretty obvious with our Yes Sirs/Yes Ma'ams.

The board examination was simultaneously the fastest and longest experience of my life.  Honestly, leading up to it was long but the exam went incredibly fast.  The information we were given preceding it was pretty good in terms of letting us know the format but nothing can really prepare a person for the experience.  (There was a candidate video and a presentation at the exam site.)  I think I did well, but I won't know officially until mid-June.  Apparently, the "psychometrician" needs to analyze the data.  This is a real word.  A neologism, if you will.  Maybe even a portmanteau!!  Everyone at my table immediately started discussing the similarities to Tobias' professional occupation in Arrested Development.

So, yes, there were brief moments of levity where we didn't feel like our futures were on the line.