Interview With a Tall Medstudent
Last night I conducted an interview with the Tall Med Student (over Microsoft Instant Messenger). Like me, the Tall Med Student is Canadian although for a while he was an ex-pat working as a postdoc in some lab at Harvard Medical School (as I am now). Currently, he is attending Medical school at the University of Calgary, and has his own blog (Tales of a Tall Medstudent). We talked about the whole US/Canada thing, Alberta, medschool, and aliens ...
Mad Scientist says:How does it feel to leave the US and be back in Canada (in ten words or less)?
Tall Med Student says:It's a pleasure to go see a doctor up here. I guess that is eleven words, technically.
Mad Scientist says:Don't worry, it's like a baker's dozen.
Tall Med Student says:Oh good. Now I am thinking about doughnuts.
Mad Scientist says:Would you ever reconsider moving back down to the US?
Tall Med Student says:Never, not in three years. NYC or nothing, I think.
Mad Scientist says:What is the major issue that prevents you from moving back down?
Tall Med Student says:Health care. And all my tax money going to bomb-making and murder for profit.
Mad Scientist says:Elizabeth Blackburn told me "If I were you I would move to Alberta and get a lab there, they'll have tons of money soon", any comment?
Tall Med Student says:Just got 1.3 billion for new health care facilities in Calgary. Every dollar of oil price represents 100 million in income for the provincial government. This year's surplus will be around 9 billion or something.
Mad Scientist says:It's often said in Canada (and in Quebec in particular) that Albertans want to be American, any comment?
Tall Med Student says:No way.
Mad Scientist says:Could you elaborate.
Tall Med Student says:Bush has stopped all that.
Tall Med Student says:People here are freaking out over the possibility of private health care getting more access to the province.
Mad Scientist says:So is there a movement against all these plans to privatize healthcare?
Tall Med Student says:The government is looking for a 'third way', by which they emphasize that it will remain a public system, just organized in new ways.
Mad Scientist says:As a doctor, are you planning to practice medicine in Alberta?
Tall Med Student says:Maybe, docs are stinking rich here. Unbelievably so. A good lifestyle, low stress.
Mad Scientist says:Why do they call it "practice"? That terminology freaks me out.
Tall Med Student says:'Cause you always need more practice.
Mad Scientist says:As a patient I wouldn't want to be practiced on I need the real thing!
Tall Med Student says:Hmm, then you need to only be subjected to tried and true techniques, like amputation or bladder surgery. Although, I suppose that current doctors don't have much experience with those anymore.
Mad Scientist says:I hear that you've suffered an injury lately - did they have to amputate?
Tall Med Student says:No, they practiced on me. A med student sewed me up after the surgery, actually. The plastic surgeon did his residency here, and has just come back to town after doing a fellowship elsewhere.
Mad Scientist says:Wow, from U of C?
Tall Med Student says:No, U of S. Which worried me a bit.
Mad Scientist says:Did you guys chat about med school stuff?
Tall Med Student says:Yeah, she was a fourth year, here on an elective.
Mad Scientist says:So everyone is flocking to Calgary.
Tall Med Student says:Well, I'm not surprised. People go where the oil is.
Mad Scientist says:I thought it was the dino bones?
Tall Med Student says:The oil is here because of the dino bones, and everyone else is here for the oil, so, I suppose that makes the dino bones the primary reason.
Tall Med Student says:Man, I have been trying to figure out who that alien who visited my blog is. I suspect he or she is a Bostonian.
Mad Scientist says:Hmm. Aliens visiting blogs - are you on morphine?
Tall Med Student says:He or she mentions Salem in his or her blog.
Mad Scientist says:Very interesting. OK Dr. J is yanking on my shoulder - it's Happy Hour. Speak to you soon.
Tall Med Student says:Okay, gotta run. Ttyl.
Mad Scientist says:How does it feel to leave the US and be back in Canada (in ten words or less)?
Tall Med Student says:It's a pleasure to go see a doctor up here. I guess that is eleven words, technically.
Mad Scientist says:Don't worry, it's like a baker's dozen.
Tall Med Student says:Oh good. Now I am thinking about doughnuts.
Mad Scientist says:Would you ever reconsider moving back down to the US?
Tall Med Student says:Never, not in three years. NYC or nothing, I think.
Mad Scientist says:What is the major issue that prevents you from moving back down?
Tall Med Student says:Health care. And all my tax money going to bomb-making and murder for profit.
Mad Scientist says:Elizabeth Blackburn told me "If I were you I would move to Alberta and get a lab there, they'll have tons of money soon", any comment?
Tall Med Student says:Just got 1.3 billion for new health care facilities in Calgary. Every dollar of oil price represents 100 million in income for the provincial government. This year's surplus will be around 9 billion or something.
Mad Scientist says:It's often said in Canada (and in Quebec in particular) that Albertans want to be American, any comment?
Tall Med Student says:No way.
Mad Scientist says:Could you elaborate.
Tall Med Student says:Bush has stopped all that.
Tall Med Student says:People here are freaking out over the possibility of private health care getting more access to the province.
Mad Scientist says:So is there a movement against all these plans to privatize healthcare?
Tall Med Student says:The government is looking for a 'third way', by which they emphasize that it will remain a public system, just organized in new ways.
Mad Scientist says:As a doctor, are you planning to practice medicine in Alberta?
Tall Med Student says:Maybe, docs are stinking rich here. Unbelievably so. A good lifestyle, low stress.
Mad Scientist says:Why do they call it "practice"? That terminology freaks me out.
Tall Med Student says:'Cause you always need more practice.
Mad Scientist says:As a patient I wouldn't want to be practiced on I need the real thing!
Tall Med Student says:Hmm, then you need to only be subjected to tried and true techniques, like amputation or bladder surgery. Although, I suppose that current doctors don't have much experience with those anymore.
Mad Scientist says:I hear that you've suffered an injury lately - did they have to amputate?
Tall Med Student says:No, they practiced on me. A med student sewed me up after the surgery, actually. The plastic surgeon did his residency here, and has just come back to town after doing a fellowship elsewhere.
Mad Scientist says:Wow, from U of C?
Tall Med Student says:No, U of S. Which worried me a bit.
Mad Scientist says:Did you guys chat about med school stuff?
Tall Med Student says:Yeah, she was a fourth year, here on an elective.
Mad Scientist says:So everyone is flocking to Calgary.
Tall Med Student says:Well, I'm not surprised. People go where the oil is.
Mad Scientist says:I thought it was the dino bones?
Tall Med Student says:The oil is here because of the dino bones, and everyone else is here for the oil, so, I suppose that makes the dino bones the primary reason.
Tall Med Student says:Man, I have been trying to figure out who that alien who visited my blog is. I suspect he or she is a Bostonian.
Mad Scientist says:Hmm. Aliens visiting blogs - are you on morphine?
Tall Med Student says:He or she mentions Salem in his or her blog.
Mad Scientist says:Very interesting. OK Dr. J is yanking on my shoulder - it's Happy Hour. Speak to you soon.
Tall Med Student says:Okay, gotta run. Ttyl.
posted by apalazzo at 5:48 AM
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