A New Career is in Sight!

It's official, I am on my way to a new career! I have been accepted to the Radiologic Technology program at Gwinnett Technical College. I have been in school for a year taking pre-requisite classes, but now, the real fun begins. For the next two years, I will be in class and doing clinicals about 40 hours a week. It will certainly be an adjustment to be doing something full-time again, I have had a lot of free time on my hands.

Regarding that post a few days ago about Plan B - I was actually looking for a Plan B because I was initially rejected from the Rad Tech program. I visited the head of the program to discuss how I might improve my chances for next year. They use an elaborate point system to determine who is accepted (they only accept 34 students out of about 160 applicants). In reviewing my score, it turns out they missed giving me 1 point that I should have received. Since I had missed getting in by only 1/3 of a point, the 1 additional point put me over the top of the cut-off score. So...... the head of the program is a man of much integrity.... the problem was quickly corrected and I'm in! Thank goodness, I went in for that discussion!

School Stuff

For the last two weeks, I have been studying the blood, heart and vessels. Very interesting stuff.

Word of the Day:
(I like the long, weird words)

Auscultation:

Listening to internal organs, like the heart and lungs, with a stethoscope.

Hmmm... why not just say 'listening'...

Did you know?
(interesting or amazing facts)

You actually have 5 different kinds of white blood cells! There's one that fights bacterial infections (neutrophils), one that fights viral infections (lymphocytes), even one that works to fight worm infections (eosinophils)!

School Stuff

A little update...

Public Speaking class - I gave my first speech last Thursday. It was a success, even though I thought my heart was going to shake right out of my body. Lucky for me, it didn't look like it felt. I know this because I am forced to watch the video after my speeches so I can evaluate myself and learn from mistakes. It's weird to watch yourself.

On a more positive note - I will thank my instructor tomorrow for having a video camera that removes 10 pounds instead of adding 10 pounds!

Anatomy & Physiology - I had my first test of the quarter today. I made 101%, highest grade in the class. Who knew? Really, who knew I could do so well?

I do have a friendly competition going with two of my classmates. Last quarter, we sort of took turns making the high grades. A little inspiration never hurts.

School Stuff

The digestive system! It's much more interesting than you would think.

Word of the Day:

(I like the long, weird words)

Crypt of Leiberkuehn:

Glandular pits deep in the surface of the small intestine. They have specialized cells that make enzymes, hormones and mucus.

Did you know?

(interesting or amazing facts)

The only thing I ever knew about the pancreas was that it produces insulin. Guess what? That's only 1% of it's structure, 99% of the pancreas is devoted to making digestive enzymes.

Deglutition is the technical term for swallowing. See if you can fit that into daily use!

Back to School

Spring Quarter 2010 started today at Gwinnett Technical College.

Today, I started Anatomy and Physiology II. By the way, I got an A (That would be an A+ if they used + and -) last quarter.

Tomorrow, I will start a required Public Speaking class. It's just two days a week.

More updates later.

School Stuff

This quarter is almost done, I just have a week and a half left. Unfortunately, that includes 3 big tests: a lab final on Tuesday, lecture test #4 on Thursday and a cumulative final exam the next Tuesday. Focus, focus, focus...

This week, we covered several topics: spinal cord, nerves, nerve reflexes, the eye and ear.

Didn't that look fun??

Word of the Day:

(I like the long, weird words)

proprioception:

The unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself. (In other words, knowing where your body parts are at all times!) There are receptors all over that are continuously telling your brain what all your body parts are doing.

Did you know?
(interesting or amazing facts)

There are touch receptors located throughout your skin, but they are not evenly distributed. In other words, some parts of the body have higher concentrations of receptors, giving you more sensitivity. Try this experiment on a friend: Have the friend close their eyes. Using 2 slightly pointed objects (keys, pencils) touch the person on the back, thigh, hand, face... Each time, ask them if they feel one or two points on their skin. They will be able to tell it was two points on some parts, but other parts will feel like just one!

School Stuff

Well, those aren't the brains I am studying, but the brain was the topic in my Anatomy and Physiology class this week.

Word of the Day:

(I like the long, weird words)

corpora quadrigemina:

This structure is part of the brain stem. It has the reflex centers for hearing and vision. In other words, it initiates reflex responses to visual or auditory stimuli. For instance, when you hear glass break, it's a normal reflex to turn and look towards the noise.

Did You Know?
(interesting or amazing facts)

There's a part of the brain that's in charge of coughing, sneezing and vomiting.

Of the 12 cranial nerves, there is one that is entirely devoted to the muscles of the tongue.

School Stuff

I thought I would share some of my newly obtained knowledge on a more regular basis...

This week, I have been studying the nervous system.

Word of the Day:

(I like the long, weird words)

oligodendrocyte:

This is one of the supportive cells that you have in nervous tissue of the central nervous system in addition to the neurons (pictured above). This supportive cell makes a myelin sheath around the axon of the neuron. The myelin sheath speeds up the electrical impulse, insulates the axon and conserves energy.

Did You Know?

(interesting or amazing facts)

Nerve cells can send 2500 impulses per second! (So, did we really need to speed it up with the myelin sheath?)

I have a test on Monday covering joints, muscle physiology, muscles and the nervous system. I hope I'll get another A.

What I've been up to...

This is what I've been up to this week:



Sternocleidomastoid... Tensor fasciae latae... orbicularis oculi...gastrocnemius... semimembranosus... pectoantebrachialis... xiphihumeralis...

Just a sample of the 130 muscles that I must commit to memory over the next few weeks.

And ---- they must be spelled correctly!

By the way, some of those listed above are cat muscles. I dissected a cat in lab yesterday. They get the cats from the Humane Society, the ones that are being euthanized anyway... at least they are used for a good purpose - my education. I gave my two cats big hugs when I got home after lab.

What I've Been Up To...

This is what I've been up to this week:

I can name and point out 200 of the 206 bones in the human body (we haven't covered the little bones inside the ear).

I love my Anatomy and Physiology class!