I'm Lily Hong, and I am a first-year student in the Master of Science in Anesthesia Program at Case Western Reserve University in Washington, D.C.
I am at Washington Hospital Center, where I am practicing all of the skills I will need to manage a full case on my own. In class, I am learning about the types of surgeries I may be involved in, the comorbidities patients may present with, and how to safely keep patients comfortable in surgery.
My favorite thing about Washington, D.C. is that it has a variety of different things to do. There's a local restaurant that hosts Def Poetry night, which I love to go to, and there are a lot of craft markets and festivals. Running around and seeing the local city is always freeing and helps me forget my stress. My advice for surviving this program is to be prepared mentally. The hospital changes last minute so you might be ready for a healthy patient, but then you're asked to manage a trauma patient. In one day, you may be researching, doing homework, going to class, or working at the hospital—and each thing is a different topic for you to focus on and learn about.
TLDR? Be prepared!
About this post: The Student Spotlight series highlights MSA students in their second year of coursework in Cleveland, Houston, and Washington. The series is a student-led initiative, and is designed to share current student experiences with prospective students.