To Dominica We Go

Okay peeps...I know my title of the last blog post was titled "The Waiting Game" and I'm sorry for those who were anxiously waiting for the results and I have now posted two weeks later about it! The results were posted twenty-four hours later on April 2nd, and I ended up getting an 84% on my final! I PASSED AND I AM HEADING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL AT ROSS UNIVERSITY!!!!!!!

As soon as I found out I passed, I literally had to get on the computer, book my final flight from Saint Martaan to Dominica and confirm my other flight from Toronto to Saint Martaan. So much stuff had to be done from getting bombarded with emails welcoming me to Ross, securing an apartment, getting my Ross #, obtaining my loan, and ordering the numerous medical supplies that are required before we touch down. Not to mention, I had an Ohio trip planned in there as well to visit one of my best friends and former teammate from first year university at Gardner-Webb. Such a fun and eventful four days and much needed as she is getting married this summer to her fiance Jordan, who I also knew from his frequent visits to GWU to visit Ash when we were only 19! Crazy how times flies. I won't be able to attend her wedding this July due to school, and I will miss that moment when in the movies the bride looks over and smiles at the bridesmaids! Does that happen? lol maybe I am just picturing that happening, but it is definitely a moment that I will miss for sure, but I know she understands my huge commitment with school coming up. 

So now I am at my grandma's, as she eats her chili and I am on the computer...she is still trying to figure out how I type so fast as she just watches my fingers dance along the keypad. How technology has changed since she was little, crazy to think that, but that is a whole other blog post. I have printed everything that I needed to today and have finalized my trip with my Ross Canada Ambassador. I have ordered all my necessary medical supplies, purchased books, paper, every colour of pen under the sun, and highlighters galore, can you tell I LOVE stationary? I am definitely ready to start this LONG journey, but it will definitely be worth it in the end. Steve and I leave next Wed! I can't believe I started MERP in December, and now I am off to the island. Wow. I am way too anxious.

To all the future MERPERS and Ross applicants, please feel free to keep reading as I detail what is it going to be like on the island! I will be writing about everything and will not be holding anything back. I will blog about the good and the bad and everything in between, because that is what it is all about. There will be times where I know I will feel frustrated, at a loss, and feeling that dreaded "is this really what I want to do?" question. When times get tough, just remember why you are here and keep that end goal in mind. I have the best support group cheering me on....from the bleachers at my basketball games to cheering on skype...I am very lucky. 

Wish me luck on this flight! :)

Pictures!

Kaikoura!

love him

Clay Cliffs

Typical

Queenstown

Church at Lake Tekapo

Such a cool place.

NZ pit stop 

Smartest birds ever

Beautiful scenery

Best Indian food place ever!

Waitomo Glow Worm Caves

The Waiting Game

Well folks! As some of you were made aware of my lack of presence on the blog that the last four weeks have been absolutely crazy. I could not believe how fast a month goes by when your head is literally and figuratively in the books. There has been times where I would just lay my head down on all the piles of papers and just whisper into the paper slowly: "plleeeaseeeeeee just go iiinnnnnn my headddddddd". Thankfully, I think that paid off. haha ok in all seriousness, my 4.5 hour final did go well this morning...or so I hope.

The grades are released tomorrow afternoon, but I feel confident that I studied my buns off to do well. The one thing that I have heard the most about medical school is that awful feeling of "am I going to make it?" It is that constant battle of overcoming that feeling with every exam, lab, clinical, and step exam. It is that constant "I have NO IDEA how that exam went" kinda feeling, and it sucks...but for all the medical students that I have talked with, every time a grade is posted or every assignment that is handed back, and acknowledging to yourself that you have put all your hard work into it, that seeing that passing grade feels so worth it. My first of those sort of those feelings is happening right now, and it does suck, but with my family's support and Steve's as well for being there for me, I am genuinely happy right now. I do not want to get too ahead of myself as the grades are not released for another 24 hours, but when I was on Question 190 out of 200 today, I could feel myself getting choked up...not because of any other reason that I knew that this is the path for me. This is it. This is what I am meant to do. It just clicked for me in that moment. I know I would be happy being a Physician's Assistant in the P.A program at McMaster or University of Toronto, (and not taking away from the many students that take that route) but I just do not think that I would have been completely fulfilled in the long run. For anyone that knows me, being a type A and having an alpha female personality, I am definitely a leader at heart-and that is what I want to do-lead a health team of professionals. So after sitting there thinking: "yup..I can definitely do this." and after the 5 minute warning was given by my professor, reality set in that I still have 10 more questions to go! Yikes! Thankfully it was the last bit of anatomy..with pictures..boom.

For celebration that I am done, Steve and I are going to a movie tonight! Much needed as I told him yesterday "after this exam, you will have your girlfriend back!". Trust me...I looked rough...like...really rough haha I just want people reading this to know that do not be scared of following your dream...for me..my dream was to find something that I am passionate about...that included using my brain, helping others, encompassing my athletic background, but above all, being challenged every single day you go into "work". I posted a status on facebook the other day saying never settle, and I believe in that so much. I could have stayed in Parham, went to Queen's U, graduated, probably did my Master's at Queen's, and have never really left. I know I do NOT want that. I know a lot of people who do, and that's fine..but I definitely have the travel bug now and thankfully I have the ability to do that with Ross University being in the Caribbean. Again...I can not get ahead of myself but if all goes well, Steve and I will be leaving April 30th for the island of Dominica! Wow. I can not believe that time has come. I am so excited.

All in all, listen to that voice inside your head and find a way to get it to shush up sometimes! Mine was that push to apply to med school one last time and after this program in Toronto, I could not be happier. Honestly. This is the first time in my life my hard work towards something has paid off. I really like that feeling.

Have a great Wednesday guys and a great start to this April month. I have a feeling it is going to be a great one :)

Bye for now,

-E xo

Pics below!

No matter how stressed you are....just know there is someone in the world that would be willing to trade places with you.

The Big Mango in Bowen, Queensland

2/4 sisters :)

Will be going to some games before I leave! Right Jules :)

Meeting the legend himself. Dmitry Klokov.

My professors will stand on anything to be as tall as me!

Actual height difference :)

I love this shot.