Muse

Langston Hughes said it best......

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load. Or does it explode?

What happens when the only person that believes in you, is you? Does the dream disappear, does it fade? 

It either will grow bigger and bigger or slowly diminish until it becomes a memory you'd rather forget. Yesterday, I was told that "You are a mother your dreams come last." My goals, my ambitions no matter how noble they are, how promising, how whatever they may be, they should be deferred, and even forgotten. 

Its my choice how I choose to employ this "advice". Either I will run with it or toss it in the trash. I am a emotional being, a creative soul and days like this, when met with advice like this, and during times like these when everything seems to be going everywhere but up I write some of my best poems. For me giving up is not an option, and for the most part I try to find ways to turn negativity into something better, and sometimes drowning out the "Haters" especially when they are the people closet to you may be hard but like Nike says Just Do It! Choose your Muse

I'M THE ONE

If you want a thing bad enough to go out and fight for it,

to work day and night for it, to give up your time, your peace

and sleep for it… if all that you dream and scheme is about it,

…and life seems useless and worthless without it…

if you gladly sweat for it and fret for it and plan for it and lose all your terror

of the opposition for it…

if you simply go after that thing that you want with all your capacity, strength and sagacity, faith hope and confidence and stern pertinacity

…if neither cold, poverty, famine, nor gout, sickness nor pain, of body and brain, can keep you away from the thing that you want…

if dogged and grim you beseech and beset it, with the help of God, YOU WILL GET IT! 

– Les Brown

 I'm the one. I'M the one. I'M THE one. I'M THE ONE. YES I'M THE ONE!

See your dream, speak your dream, live your dream, embody your dream, manifest your dream, and Birth your dream into existence! Signing off, Until next time...  Dr. Shan A.

Happy Doctor's Day!

Happy Doctor's Day to all the (future) physicians. Whether you are practicing, in residency, medical school, pre-med or in the middle of the road, keep hope alive!

Marching Forward

Is it just me or is the year flying by, I think I utter this statement every week because I feel like tomorrow when I wake up it will be summer time already. So here's a brief update: For the past few weeks my life has consisted of nothing but work, work, work, a few occasional movies, my son's basketball games on the weekends and practice during the week (thankfully the season ended last week, but now his baseball season has officially started) and the most exciting event was the Hawks game we attended last night, thanks to my son's great achievements in school, the Hawks organization awarded all students with outstanding academic achievements a ticket to one of their games and discount pricing for all additional tickets. It was a great game, we had awesome seats, the team performed well and, the crowd was very lively and my son enjoyed his very first ever NBA game.

As for this application cycle..... shoot me now :-/,
No but seriously it is not going as I would like, but I am not throwing in the towel so easily, I am praying, faithful, hopeful and all the above that things will work out in my favor. One thing I am not, is lost. I always have a plan or an idea brewing on my next steps and Im currently in covort mission mode, working to make sure Im active and more involved this summer.

I am human and I experience sadness (why is it so hard for me), bewilderment (why the heck am I not in medical school, I am a good person, I am passionate, empathetic, and smart) just like the next person. Despite the chaos in my personal life, I have so much to be thankful for that I have to keep pushing and moving forward towards my dreams and being a great role model of perseverance for my son and better yet I have to be strong for myself. I hope the application seasons is fruitful for everyone else, stay encouraged!

Flying February

Wow, I feel like time is just flying by. So here's is a mini update:

Last month (1/31/15) I attended/volunteered at the Atlanta Medical Association Heritage Fund Ball. I was slightly under the weather but I definitely enjoyed the event. There were over 500 people there, 95% of them were medical professionals in various stages of training. I felt very nostalgic in my Great Gatsby themed attire, I did a bit of networking (not as much as I would have liked) and I felt very motivated by the atmosphere of people.

I shadowed a few times last month but due to my work schedule I have not been able to be as active in volunteerism and shadowing as I would have hoped. So, in order to remain "medically fresh" I try to do educational tasks here and there while I'm at work. For instance, every time I hear a medical term that I am not familiar with I read over literature on the disease, condition, Rx, etc and give myself a brief pop quiz at the end of the week.

And of course my son keeps me very busy. Last month his school hosted an award ceremony to acknowledge the students for their fall semester achievements. I was very excited because my son was asked to give the "Welcome" for the 1st grade students honors program and I was even more excited for him because he received Principal's List, a Super Star Reader Award, and Perfect Attendance. Spring semester has been going great, we just have to adjust a few things because my work schedule keeps me out later than normal. He also has been keeping me busy because he plays basketball at our local YMCA and they have games every Saturday. You can imagine that watching 6 & 7 yr olds' play can be very entertaining and nerve racking at the same time lol.

Lastly, I plan to attend a pre-med conference at the end of this month (2/28). Its always exhilarating to be around other medical professional hopefuls! As far as this application process goes, there really hasn't been much movement for me. All of my secondaries have been submitted and of course I have received my share of pre-interview rejections (And of course I am an emotional creature so I was a bit devastated but life goes on) but no interview invites as of yet, I am keeping in mind that my interview invites last year were pretty late in the season as well. Even still I don't know how to feel or what to think about it. I am going to remain patient and stay motivated that everything will work out.