Gold

First day back and I think overwhelmed is an understatement. Last year they had a week or so to settle back in, but we don't have enough time so we start straight away. So many tabs, folders within folders or stuff to read, learn and re-study. Grateful that I finally made it into 5th year, but the amount of chances and places to slip up has increased exponentially. How did previous years keep up with the amount of reports and random bits to write up? So glad research is over, since it would feel impossible to do everything within the time limit. Course outlines too long and to many assessments to keep track of, and too many assessments overlap into too many subjects. Only checked when supps are, so I have an idea of when I can go on a potential grad trip.

I actually prefer silver over gold, since silver is a lot easier to match with clothing compared to gold. Not that it matters for clinic groups, since when they colour code stuff, silver becomes a light blur/grey, gold becomes yellow, and red just stays as red. They only used to have red and silver groups last year. Time to make new friends since I'll be spending most of the year with this group. With the bigger cohort, we get less time at the uni clinic, and only 2 rotations instead of 3. 1st rotation not marked, but 2nd rotation is all marked. So if you stuff up a few times in the 2nd rotation, it's pretty much a fail, compared to stuffing up over 2 rotations...I should try to stop worrying about this and actually start to get my skills back up to scratch. I was hoping to have externals before internals, but I guess I'll have to make do the group and timetable I'm placed in. Still keen to learn and see new things. It's been so long since I've seen a patient...

Didn't end up seeing a patient today so actually didn't really do anything. Let's see how this week goes. I guess Happy Apple and other med kids are also back to uni, so I know I shouldn't complain of holidays being cut short. Good thing with starting early is that the diff clinics are all spread out rather than crammed. So rather than 8.30-6 or 9-6 or 9-8 for 5 days per week from March-Nov, starting in Jan means some days only have 1-4 or 1-5. Still have to trek it to uni, but day is less jam packed. If only they would reactivate my opal card since I'm starting early rather than waiting until Census date for it to hopefully work again...

Traffic was still moving in the morning, and no traffic on the motorway in the arvo. The bus was still filled this morning with most people going back to work, and the city was crowded with office workers, compared to the tourists/families who filled the city in the last 2 weeks. There still aren't any school zones, so I can only dread once school starts again, back to clogged up motorways and heaps more traffic. The city already was clogged up during peak hour, and buses were already running late, even in the 'first' working week of the year. Sydney transport and infrastructure really doesn't cut it. Here's to timetables which change every week and 2 hourly bus rides.