It was close to 2am when a group of us were all sitting on the stairway asking each other questions out of curiosity. Then, Zach turns to us and says, “I’m really glad I met you all. Coming to USG over College Park was one of the best decisions I made.” We all smiled and agreed, because at that moment, we knew the reason we had created these amazing bonds on this Deep Creek trip was because we had made the decision to follow the pathway to USG. Continue reading
I hope everyone is kicking up their feet and enjoying the change in weather. It may be raining, but it’s not snowing.
Spring break is a time to reflect on your progress during the semester. What’s worked up to now? What hasn’t? How have those New Year’s resolutions worked out?
I acknowledged my lack of sleep in January, but knowing and doing are two different things. I required Benadryl to get to sleep last Wednesday and Thursday nights to make sure I got enough sleep for my exams. You would think that being sleep deprived would make it easier to fall asleep the night before an exam.
Break, whether it be summer, winter, or in between, is also a time for reflection on life.
My father was diagnosed in January with esophageal cancer. Being a pharmacy student, I looked up the NIH treatment guidelines to get an idea of what he was up against. I studied breast, colon, prostate, and uterine cancers in spring of 2015, but not esophageal. This is because there aren’t good guidelines out there at the moment, and treatment is more generalized. My father now has an injection port in his chest and has been receiving treatment. My brother and sister have been sitting with him during these sessions, and I’m grateful for that. I can’t seem to wrestle myself away from the cruel load of pharmacy school.
My son and I spend the day with him yesterday, and it was great to see him taking it in stride.
Us Arthur men are fighters.
Outside of my father’s problem, I have personal issues I’m dealing with, and I don’t know where things will stand in two years once I’ve graduated. However, I’m going to keep fighting the good fight and set a good example for my son.
Have fun this spring break, relax, and keep things in perspective. I’m sure I bombed the neuropsych exam last Friday morning that kicked off my spring break swimmingly, but I have to remind myself that it’s just one test. I have a father who could use my support. I have a son who needs my guidance and love.
Life is too short to worry about temporary things such as school.
Nikon DSLR Camera Cake
Discovering new talents is like discovering the last piece of cake is still left in the fridge. It’s funny how when you’re settled in knowing what your interests are, or your talents, or strengths and weaknesses that’s when you discover something new.
For me, I discovered that last piece of cake hidden in photography. I’ve always loved taking pictures for fun but I’ve never done it professionally nor have I ever thought about it that way. It’s always been a hobby of mine, capturing moments, especially when I’m on travel.
This semester I’m taking an Advanced Digital Imaging class, taught by Bob Coleman whom I’ve mentioned in a previous post.
Bob’s class required a DSLR camera , a professional camera that shoots just the most magnificent high quality photos. I spent a pretty penny on a Nikon DSLR 3300, which we needed because in this class we’re learning how to shoot raw and edit in raw in Adobe PS and the end result is beautiful.
The class calls for a series of photo projects that have different themes, and so far my favorite theme has been street photography. The best part about the class is something called “class jury” where the class rates your photos anonymously and the student who is voted for best project gets an A for that project. This has definitely been a great motivational tool, and helped students engage in a little healthy competition.
The best part is that if your final project wins the class jury you don’t have to take the final!
It’s funny how taking classes is how you discover new talents and interests, a reason why education can take you places you never would of thought of.
The sun is shining, the weather is nice, do you know how best to enjoy the outdoors on the Shady Grove campus and surrounding community?
The return of the greens, golds, purple and violets of our native flora begins to hint that good times are ahead. The melody of song birds and the rustling of fauna is Nature’s way of beckoning us to step out from our classrooms and homes and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings. Since moving to Rockville two years ago I was enchanted with the natural landscape and outdoor activities the city has to offer and I’m going to give you my top three place everyone should explore now that Spring has finally arrived. Very deserving, we are promised some fantastic weather here on out after the wicked start to this semester, its the very least Mother Nature can do to compensate for the cold and snowy start to this semester, and today’s high of 79 degrees is a wonderful start for March. Here are the best places to put yourself in a good mood before mid-terms.
With our first day of sunshine and blissfully warm temps good luck finding a patio table to enjoy the fresh air during the lunch time rush, but don’t be discouraged, our students and faculty staff are like a family and an empty seat with a group of students is always an invitation to make a new acquaintance over lunch and make new friends. For me this is the best quality of our campus, we see the same faces but might not share classes, think of it as the perfect time to introduce yourself and expand your network, its what college is all about. In addition, we have a beautifully maintained green that beckons to be lied on for sunbathing or a impromptu game of Frisbee.
We have a basketball court, soccer field, volleyball net and a plethora of running/bicycling paths that extend throughout the entire Rockville town. Our Futbol club is always taking members through our Connect at USG student organization portal. The basketball court behind building II is open to all students, faculty and friends in the community. Pick up games are organized on the fly, we even offer a basketball tournament every year for a prize and bragging rights.
I would first and foremost like to direct you to the visit the Montgomery County website for more information and a calendar of upcoming events. One activity that was sponsored by The Universities at Shady Grove my Junior semester that was a ton of fun was our outing at the Earth Treks Rock Climbing Center, claiming to offer the Nation’s largest indoor climbing walls the center the place had something for everyone, well, unless you have vertigo.
There are many more outdoor activity places to visit, the DMV is blessed with so many adventures to explore you’d spend a lifetime to find them all. Most are free, in the case of the over a dozen parks and trails for running and biking, but also cool parks that offer something even more thrilling. My favorite place is the Adventure Park at Sandy Spring. Climbing trees through nature and then propelling yourself at 50 MPH over the tree line is exhilarating. These are just a small sample of the opportunities to maximize your free time out side of class. Study hard, play hard my friends. You deserve it!
Yesterday, me and a couple of people that are in the Biological Sciences program with me decided to attend a Suture Clinic event being held at the University of Maryland, College Parks’s main campus. One of the great things about USG is that you are able to attend events at both campuses if you are a student here, so you are not devoid of any opportunities. A great example of this is the fact that you get to attend graduation at USG AND your main campus. Totally looking forward to that in May!
The Suture Clinic was sponsored by UMD’s Pre-Med Society who had physicians from the US Army come to teach everyone how to suture on actual pig’s feet (See below).
The event lasted for two hours and started off with free pizza for every one. We learned about two different types of sutures: a running suture and a simple suture. One army physician gathered a group of people and showed everyone how to make the sutures. Then we split off (two people per foot) and practiced the sutures.
It was a great way to see what kind of experiences we might have in medical school in the future. The Army physicians also gave us a brief overview about being an Army physician and the benefits. It is a really great alternative for those looking to pay off their medical school debts quickly. Overall, the event was a ton of fun and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in a health profession!
Have you ever wondered why people love to travel so much, why students love the idea of studying abroad, and why it’s great to spend time in a country whose language and cultures are dissimilar to yours?
I have! I love to travel, study abroad, and learn about various cultures. It’s not a mere hobby either. I truly believe that having international experience will broaden your horizons in many ways. You may learn a new language, find a new past time, discover yourself, and grow personally and professionally.
It just so happens that that these two wonderful ladies agree with me too.
Lynn Cook, MHS, CHES
Lynn Cook is the Assistant Director of the Public Health Science Program here at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG). I am so fascinated by her time in China that I couldn’t help but ask her to share a little bit about it here.
This is what Lynn says:
In 1987, before many of you were born, was a “Foreign Expert” at the Xinhua News Agency in Beijing. There, I worked alongside Chinese journalists, helping them with their English grammar and syntax. This was a transformative experience for me. What I learned about Chinese history, culture, and people changed my life. I am more tolerant, more accepting, and have a more intuitive understanding of that society. I would say I still have China “under my skin,” and I always will. The experience of living abroad is very much a part of who I am.
Wendy Stickle, PhD
Wendy Stickle is the Program Director of Criminology and Criminal Justice at USG. As we were exchanging stories of our winter break activities, I learned about her travels to Thailand. Here is what Wendy says about her experience:
This past January I took a group of 11 UMCP undergraduate students to Thailand to study human trafficking. We toured two different NGO’s that work to prevent trafficking and also volunteered with one of themto help improve their day school property. The school is used for children who cannot afford or are not eligible to attend Thai state schools. These children are incredibly vulnerable to being trafficked. We also taught English at a state-run school for a week. For many of the Thai students it was their first exposure to Westerners. Although we were overwhelmed at the prospect of teaching English we learned that songs and pictures were a great way to communicate. And of course, they all have Facebook and loved to communicate with us through there! Studying abroad offers you direct training in cultural sensitivity, a trait that nearly all professionals need. It also allows you to make international connections, improving your professional network. You never know what opportunities may arise when participating in these types of experiences!
I want to thank Lynn and Wendy for sharing their stories with us. I hope that you enjoy their experience and insight as much as I do!
Let’s face it: Working in teams is basically unavoidable.
And let’s face it: It isn’t always the easiest thing in the world.
That’s why I was especially intrigued by a book we have been assigned to read for my Consulting Fellows class called Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. As I was reading through his analysis of a dysfunctional team of employees, I could not help applying his theories to personal situations I have encountered.
Layer 1: The absence of trust. Continue reading
On the first day of Gen Chem 2 in undergrad, Dr. Roberts stood in front of my class and said plainly, “Last semester, we did a few reactions, you drew a few molecules, and you all got through it. Welcome to Gen Chem 2. I expect that by the end of spring semester, a third of you will be gone. And those of you in these front two rows? You will be the few who excel in class.”
With the end of the second year of pharmacy school come hard questions about the future. What area of practice am I interested in? What rotations do I want to pursue? What skills and leadership positions are required or desired to win me the positions amid all the other candidates applying?
The intention of this post isn’t to scare. It’s to encourage you to get out there and expose yourself to the job market. Taking an active part in your learning and career path will set you up for success.
The school of pharmacy on this campus alone has over eight professional fraternities and organizations. Throw in groups at the national level, and the field of pharmacy has enough acronyms to make the US military jealous. This means that I need to take a hard look at what each has to offer, what interests me, what doesn’t, and who is willing to take me in and “show me the ropes,” so to speak.
Lately, rather than studying for the next exam, I’ve been sitting in on professional meetings, listening to boring talk after boring talk about why we attend these meetings and people debating the penalties for attending such meetings. If this sounds asinine to you, trust me, it is. I won’t lie. It’s a daunting task and far easier to go home and watch television after a hard day of work or classes.
But that won’t get you the job you want. It won’t set you on a career path. You won’t meet people who can give you good advice and direct you to great opportunities in the job market.
Taking an afternoon out of your busy schedule to look at what career services has to offer will help you prepare for your eventual graduation and job search.
Keep an eye out for USG emails and fliers around campus, such as last week’s Linked In event, where you can learn all about interviewing and how and where to find job resources. Taking initiative, I was able to get a free headshot photo to use in my website profile. How awesome is that? Free career services that make you stand out from the crowd!
So, study hard, stay motivated, and hang in there. Spring Break is around the corner!
“The most rewarding part of teaching is having students who’ve graduated, come back and say that I made a difference in their lives, and how much they appreciate my emphasis on learning the basics and doing things the right way.”
USG
The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) 