As of 2/13/2008 I have signed a contract with Carillon Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, VA.   I will be doing a 4 year program in Family Medicine with a fellowship in Medical Informatics.   This is the best marriage I can find between my medical and computer skills.  The hospital is pretty large with over 1000 beds and 15 floors.   The staff there are amazing too, which results in a fostering of a level of camaraderie among the residents.  To top this off, one of my old preceptors, Dr. Wayne Brackenrich will be my program director.

There are a variety of reasons for switching from a surgical career into a medical career.  The main reason for the switch was a better lifestyle.  I applaud every person who endures a 5 year surgical residency.   For lack of better wording, it is both hell and a complete sacrifice of one’s free time.   After much thought and experience with certain events (like the technical issues with the allopathic urology match and getting married in March), I bailed on surgery.   For those of you who wondered what happened with me going to Wilmington for medicine, I only ranked one program for the osteopathic match and that was New Hanover Regional Medical Center.   On match day, I didn’t match yet I found that the spots were still vacant on the scramble list.   I couldn’t get the program director to return my phone calls and was just told by the secretary that they were not filling the spots.   The day of the scramble, I had well over 100 phone calls with a total of 24 offers after the 3rd day.  After all the craziness with Wilmington and the scramble, I decided to withdrawl from the Allopathic match and sign with a dually accredited (MD/DO) program in Roanoke.

Either way, it was a stressful week.  I take my COMLEX PE board exam next Thursday so I am currently studying for that.  I am on my last rotation now.  Once I finish that I am thru with medical school!  Excellent!  I am going to dump Aplus.net as my web provider since they suck and my site is slow.  If anyone has any ideas for a web hosting provider, please let me know.  I was looking at Dreamhost for awhile.

In addition to new music (which I know you all are dying to hear but I am not releasing it yet until I have tweaked the tracks I have recorded) there will be a new site coming up called  www.warcraftdoctor.com which will have my tips and tricks for World of Warcraft…geared to the more mature players of the game.

So anyway, I am happy and relieved now.  Some of my friends are going to do a double take when they see I am not going to do urology or general surgery anymore.  But at heart, I feel like being a jack-of-all-trades rather than a specialist in one specific area.   The only thing I will miss if being able to wear scrubs everyday. :(  Scrubs are awesome!  When I look at my Patty, it’s clear I’ve made the right choice.

To the surgeons of the world, I salute you for your sacrifice!   To the rest of the world, you can stop guarding your bungholes now…I won’t be doing a rectal on you every visit now.

-Richie

So here I am at the office in between patients.  My nose is running like a leaky faucet and my body aches.  I didn’t feel well yesterday either but I worked out on my bowflex anyway (wedding less than 2 months away ya know!).  I feel completely run down and out of energy, even though I ate breakfast this morning.  Yet I’m not going to go home because, well, I won’t be able to call in sick in residency will I?  Not for something like this.  I am taking Augmentin 875 twice a day now and thus far it’s not doing poop. 

There was an interesting thread on the Student Doctor Network forums about calling in sick.  In surgery, you never call in sick…you just carry around an IV pole and have the scrub nurses feed you ibuprofen to keep your fever down while ya operate.  In Internal medicine residency, it’s still frowned upon to call in sick, particularly on a call day.  So I am trying to learn to suck it up and be the Obsessive-Compulsive hand washer to keep from getting sick.   Still…nothing can stop the old woman who accidently coughs up a wad of lung better in your face when you gag her with the tongue blade.  Nor can you escape the inevitable epidemic of gastroenteritis that spreads through the area like wildfire.  I’d rather have a cold anyday of the week than to be stuck on the toliet having the grand-mal-brownout every 15 minutes!

I’m curious. What do you patients think about doctors working when they are sick?  Would you want to be seen by a doctor with a cold?  Leave me some feedback on the comment section and let’s get some discussion going!

Just a quick update to let you know that comments have been re-enabled on the site Had to clear out alot of spam messages. Happy commenting! I’m going back to worrying about match day (and watching the Super Bowl! Patriots are up at the moment)

Geez.  I’m writing this update from my Motorola Q9m.  My attending gave me his gastroenteritis so I have been chained to the toliet for the past 2 hours.  Can’t eat a thing and choking down some Gatorade is even a challenge right now.  I left work early because all of the patients coming in this afternoon were follow-up appointments.  Nothing is worse then going to the clinic and getting Montezuma’s Revenge while you are there!  “Here ya go buddy, have a steroid shot for your shoulder and the squirts!”  I swear, I might need botox before I’m done with this episode!

Now switching topics…So how have things been?  Well the better half and I went down to Orlando this past weekend for a “Site Inspection” which means free tickets to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Sea World.  A great time was had and it’s always good to mix alot of pleasure in with a wee smidgen of business! Right?  I loved the new Kraken coaster at Sea World and was pleasantly surprised by  Journey to Atlantis.   The Mummy ride at Universal Studios was also awesome.  However I was bummed to find out that they have closed the Back to the Future ride in favor of putting in a motion ride for The Simpsons.  :(  I loved that ride!  Spider man 3D is also beginning to show its age a bit.  I talked it up to Patty before she went on it and she didn’t think it was all that great.   It’s better than Darkastle at Busch Gardens but not as much as I used to think it was.

Ok I am going to send the update to see if this works from my phone!  *clicks send*  If you see this message, I updated my website from my phone!  How cool is that!!!
*goes back to reading Medicine Recall*

Well, I scheduled my last two rotations today. As of April 11th, I will have finished medical school. It’s been a long 4 years leading up to this. I’ve switched career plans 3 times. My gaming time has suffered. I met my future wife. Saw my best friend start residency. Bonded with classmates. Now it’s time to realize the responsibility of taking care of the general public. Perhaps I should open up a Botox and Laser Hair Removal clinic Electrolysis anyone? No wait, even better! I’ll open up the “Richie Truxillo Center for Obesity!” and hire Richard Simmons. That would be the win!

All kidding aside, I am stoked to be graduating soon. I got all my music equipment set up for a post-match-day recording session. 2 new World of Warcraft songs are in the works and the Everquest songs are being remastered. Will be good to have some free time before residency starts on July 1st.

I folded Invitations for the wedding on Saturday. Getting addresses from people is just maddening! Patty is done with her list and I’m the loser who is slacking on my end of the deal! haha Typical guy eh? Anyway here’s a photo from New Year’s Day in beautiful Wrightsville Beach, NC. Pwnage!  Whops no picture, had to take it down

Just finished a 2 week urology rotation at CAMC and interviewed for the slot. Worked some late hours during the rotation. As I was doing this rotation, I swear that everyday I kept thinking about IM residency back in Wilmington (for you new readers, it’s where I grew up). Patty has really changed my life in alot of ways since I met her a year ago. I’ve gone from thinking about myself to thinking about someone else more than myself.  This is why I have switched career plans to from surgical to medical.   At first I had mixed feelings about this but I sat down and prayed that God would make the choice clear for me.  I found out Friday that CAMC was not approved for 2 spots for urological surgery and that they had already had their mind made up back in September on another candidate before I even rotated there.  Pretty much a wasted 1.5 months but I can’t really say that.  I got to do alot and learn alot while I was there.  At least I’ll know what to order when my IM patients need a urological consult

To be honest though, I’ve struggled with the whole medicine vs. surgery idea since 3rd year.  Medical school is cruel in the sense that you have to have your mind made up while you are still sampling the universe in your 3rd year.   As a board certified internal medicine physician, you can apply to fellowships in many many things.  Fields that interest me currently are:  Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Cardiology,  Infectious Disease and Pulmonary/Critical Care.  Then again, I have over a year to really figure things out in that regard.  Plus, doing so on familiar territory back in Wilmington would be a breath of fresh air.   Anyway, match day is February 11th so I will find out then what will go on.  My rank list is certified now so it’s just waiting, which is the hardest part.   I feel pretty good about my decision though…like a weight has been lifted off of my chest.

When I look back at my almost 4 years of medical school, I’ve had many moments like this.  I am sure my residency years will provide even greater challenges for me to tackle.  But with a renewed drive, a loving wife and my family/friends behind me, I feel like the odds are stacked in my favor.

Maybe I will write more tonight but I just rolled back into town and my town house looks like the Tazmainian Evil lived here in my absence!

So it’s December 23rd officially and I am sitting here taking a break from wrapping presents and doing Christmas cards. Today was perilous as I fought the throng of Christmas masses in the bowels of Hallmark and Independence Mall. Still I emerged physically in one piece while my wallet was shot to pieces by the last-minute Christmas sales. Ah the sweet smell of greenbacks floating away! I’m flat broke now. Come on school loan check, where are ya!?!?!

I had my internal medicine interview at New Hanover Regional Medical Center last Friday. I must say, the hospital has grown leaps and bounds since I was a kid, and even since I was there last December. I was not my usual perky self though since I was sick (thanks to the pediatrics rotation I just finished! ha!) and my nose kept running the entire day. I was happy to learn that a couple of my friends are currently doing residency there, namely Nick Morgan who is doing a preliminary surgery year. During the entire interview I was not asked about any medicine! None. Zero! No pimp questions at all! They really just wanted to get to know me as a person and that made me feel good inside…like it would be a place I would definitely fit in. That is not to say I am dropping Urology. On the contrary! But I also know I am in hard fought contention for one of the urology spots at CAMC and I have almost no idea how I stand in terms of that. All I can do is pray. After giving it much thought, I would very much be happy in IM at Wilmington if I didn’t get the urology residency. Maybe a little disappointed but I’ve always taken whatever life has thrown at me and made the best of it. If I am meant to be a urologist then God will place me there. If I am supposed to be in Internal Medicine (with a subsequent Cardiology felllowship or something) then I’ll end up in IM at Wilmington or CAMC. And that leads me to my next point…I’ve spent the last 3 months anguishing over the match process. Although I try not to show it, I lose sleep every night because of it. It’s the fear of not knowing where you are going to end up and what you’ll be doing for the rest of your life that is so maddening. However, I’ve prayed about it and feel at peace. Let match day come. I’ve worked long and hard to get where I’m at. I’ll let God do the rest.

Life *is* good though. I’m getting married and I’m spending Christmas with my future wife and both of our families…Though it involves about 15 hours of driving for me over a 72 hour period. Still spending a romantic Christmas Eve with Patty and then waking up, snuggled next to her Christmas morning is going to be the best present I can think of. I’ve gotten some neat Christmas stuff for her over the past 4 months. One of the items I got for her was backordered and I sweated for 2 months until I got an email that it was available again last week. I’ll try to get some pictures up of our Christmas visits in Wise and Wilmington.

And now I am very sleepy and need to get some rest. I’m *still* sick but I am feeling a little bit better since I started taking some Omnicef. Strep pneumoniae for the lose. I will leave you with a brief funny story though. In the mall tonight, I saw a 9 year old kid walking around with a pair of lacy red panties on his head. He was giggling to himself and running around like a kid on meth! 10 seconds later I see a running frantic woman running after him yelling “Terry! Terry Christopher! You take that off your head RIGHT NOW and GET BACK HERE this INSTANT!!!” I just laughed! It sounds like something I would have done as a kid…but I think I just hid from my mom in the lingerie section of a Sears once. That’s an entirely different story altogether! Maybe I should write a book about my embarrassing stories. I swear I do something funny every week ;P

Good night my friends and have a very Merry Christmas! (none of that Happy Holidays crap here!)

Hey gang, been awhile since I updated this blog. I’m sitting at my parents house in Wilmington, NC writing this. I’m all over the place with residency interviews and the like. Right now, I am in pediatrics and buried up to my neck with work. I’ll keep adding to this post throughout the day but right now my car is being serviced and is ready for pick up Interviews have been going well thus far!

Ok a few days later but I am back.  Got new brakes and tires on the SUV now so I’m ready to brave the snow season here in WV.  I’m currently sick with some cold and gastroenteritis stuff.  I got me a steal of a deal on a collector’s edition Lord of the Rings Online box ( 9 bucks mhahaha) so I am now playing that.  It’s like World of Warcraft except with a storyline and a really really mature community.  It’s a nice change.  You can look me up on Brandywine if ya like….I know you all know the character name already

In the next couple weeks, I’m going to be redoing the layout of the site yet again with some updated photos of myself, since I have a goatee now…darn thing is I cannot find my camera the the moment so you’re going to have to hang on a bit.   But I’ve gained a bit of weight these past six months, 22lbs to be exact.  I bought a bowflex extreme last week though and have been working out on it.  I love the thing and have religiously kept up with the workouts (even when sick!) to stay on track.   I’ll keep you all updated.

Most people have a new years resolution to lose weight but mine is going to be to keep up with this website more!  Plus I have 75 pages of content to convert over from the old site still…. so much to do, so little motivation haha

Well, I am going to get off of here so I can sleep and get well so I don’t flunk out of my pediatrics rotation for falling asleep and then have to go on welfare and eat government cheese the rest of my life because I couldn’t pay my medical school loans back!

Peace out my friends and remember, DON’T DROP THE SOAP! (as said to me by one of the scrub techs the other day)

Well here I am at the end of week 3 at Charleston Area Medical Center.  I’ve been working my arse off.  This is the first day I’ve had completely off all rotation so I am enjoying it while I can.  I still have another week of hard work and reading ahead of me…hence why I have been slow with updates.

As for the survey below, my Patty is right on the money with the last post with the exception of a couple things ;)  First, she told me she loved me first haha (not that it matters though of course) and my feet are bigger and my shoes fit very comfortably!  The only exception are the crocs that I bought at the mall which are sized one size smaller!  Oh and our first night talking to each other, she suggested we should get together 6 hours later…I was half asleep on the phone at 3am hehe. ;)  I remember this because I slept a couple hours and began frantically cleaning my cluttered bachelor-like town house!

And for the record, I do suck at Laundry and dishes.  I can cook though at least… 

Anyway, guitar hero III just arrived and I haven’t even played it yet :(   Too much stuff to do between working on my residency application, drafting a prostate cancer research study and planning a wedding.  Sorry for the lack of updates lately, just got alot of irons in the fire.

Hope you all are well!  Much love —> Richie

Well I managed to lose 6.5 lbs on my internal medicine Sub-internship. Better than I thought I’d do and I was a slacker on the exercise too. Cutting Taco Bell and McDonalds out of your diet definitely makes a difference. Right now I am finishing up a fantastic urology rotation with Dr. Pujari. I just love the endoscopy involved with the procedures. And I love having to position the crosshairs of the lithotriptor over evil Calcium Oxalate stones. It makes me feel like I’m playing Duck Hunt all over again! Dr. Pujari is a British trained urologist and as such has loads of great British urology jokes.

Example: Did ya hear about the anemic guy on Viagra? His doctor gave him iron supplements and now he’s always pointing North! mhahahaah!

Now I am at CAMC doing an audition rotation with Dr. J.P. Tierney. My goal is to try to get a residency spot there. Why? Because it’s close to Patty’s family and my family isn’t too far away either. Charleston, WV is a pretty nice town thus far. As an added bonus, doing the rotation will give me the option to practice in West Virginia afterwards. Of course, I felt like a complete newbie all over again. New hospital system = nervousness. Pre-rounds at 5:30am, journal clubs, lectures, the whole nine yards…ya know, university hospital system like stuff. Anyway, I am happy to be here. The staff seem very friendly and helpful. I haven’t gotten to spend alot of time with Dr. Tierney yet but it’s my first day so that’s to be expected.

Well I would upload some pictures for you guys BUT…I didn’t bring my card reader today.  As Carlos Mencia would say…DEE DEE DEEEEEE!!!  Drop me a line, I might just write you back when I make it to the library.  As for now, time to go study.  Rounds come early at O-Dark-30.

-Richie