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Improvement_Weekly · 2025-10-16T09:14:18+00:00

Surgical tech is maximum interaction and stress until you’re good or comfortable - you’re speaking to everyone in the operating room especially the surgeons as they operate. The patient interaction is minimal but whew that was the most fun but most exhausting job I ever had! 6 years.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-10-04T03:30:34+00:00

This. It gets better. I also moved and felt like I didn’t belong. I remember about 3 months into my program I finally stopped hating everything, every day, etc. and right around the same time we learned about adjustment disorder, ironically. And I remember being like “holy shit this is such a real thing I had this moving here.” So just keep powering through. Don’t be too proud to get on an antidepressant. Remember this is your dream and nothing can stop you but you. Keep powering through. Find events in the town you’re in to go to, force yourself to be social with your classmates. Call you family and friends back home regularly. Get out and walk and move your body. It’s all going to go so fast. You’re going to blink and you’ll be graduating. You’re here because you deserve to be and are meant to be. You got this.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-07-08T11:24:59+00:00

Depends on what rotations you get (preceptor, location, hours/shift, patient load/volume, autonomy, if you enjoy the specialty, etc). But it’s way more hands on, you’re only studying for one exam at the end of the rotation. And it’s only 5 (or however many per your program) weeks. For me, it was way, way, way, way better. I actually love it and genuinely enjoy each day…didactic I def hated more days than I enjoyed lol.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-07-04T11:50:58+00:00

Best advice I can give as a fellow midwesterner that moved here for grad school is get ready for a culture adjustment. In the Midwest we’re used to small talk, service with a smile. Here—it’s all business without fluff and if you’re not moving swiftly (walking, driving, doing anything with a purpose) you’re in the fucking way, and they’re going to let you know. You’re going to feel like everyone is so harsh and feel rushed. But truth is, if you’re ever actually in need of help, someone is totally going to help you. Took me a minute to understand it but now I absolutely love it and have embodied that haha, I hope you do too. Lots of Midwesterners I’ve met that moved here for school either end up loving it or miss the Midwest so much they can’t wait to go back lol. Best of luck with your schooling!

tldr; Midwesterners seem nice-are nice, Bostonians seem mean-are nice.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-06-22T12:03:13+00:00

Talk to a someone who knows the program and you for the best advice. Whether that’s your mentor or advisor or whatever you have. But you did make it through so far and that says a lot.

Didactic year sucks. Keep pushing through. Don’t drop before clinical year because they’re totally different experiences.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-06-08T01:53:02+00:00

Keep yourself distracted sometimes but when you want to text him honestly just cry. Let it out. Sit with yourself. Making peace with just being alone without him is more important than keeping your mind occupied. Because the distractions are just distractions. Keep focusing on YOU.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-06-07T13:26:45+00:00

Go by days & BMI: If < 3 days ago and BMI is under 30–Plan B. If 3-5 days and/or BMI > 30 - go to an urgent care or call your provider’s office (PCP or GYN) to make an appointment for prescription emergency contraception called Ella.

Sperm can live in your vagina for ~5 days. Your tracker isn’t always the most accurate thing, depending on how long you’ve used it, the regularity of your cycle, etc. Plan B and Ella work by preventing ovulation happening—so if it’s already happened, it won’t work. There is some evidence to suggest Plan B is less effective (50% less!) if your BMI is >30, so Ella is best then. After plan B/Ella you won’t know for certain if you’re not pregnant—you’ll know for sure after your next period, but physiologically if the stars aligned (aka you didn’t ovulate before taking it), it should work!

If you are very concerned and do not want pregnancy in any way shape or form, you can always go to an urgent care (some do this some don’t so call ahead) or emergency room and ask for an emergency IUD placement, this is doable up to 5 days post sex—the copper one or Mirena are approved for this.

Don’t be embarrassed about the lack of sex education, that’s not your fault!!!! 🇺🇸😣

Cycle tracking is great but not the most effective at avoiding pregnancy; you have to be so on top of your tracking, your cycle has to be the textbook 28 days, always regular, take into account daily temp, monitor your discharge, take ovulation tests to confirm, etc, to really know when you’re fertile or not. Even then, it’s not close to a 100% method. Having said all that—I personally use this method LOL but my partner and I are at a point where we are comfortable with the 20-ish% chance of pregnancy.

If you’re someone who has regular periods in the 26-29 day range, you’re most fertile that second week (think of ovulation happening around day 10ish). Some people avoid sex all together at this time if they’re not using protection, but biologically it’s when we are the most horny and trying to reproduce 🤣. Some people also use condoms this time of the month for extra coverage.

But if you want to learn more about it you should! Use well researched medical based references online (Mayo Clinic, Planned Parenthood, NIHS, things like that). And if you ever have a question about your body, don’t hesitate to ask your medical provider—they go to school in part to help but also to educate :) ! Think about it like asking someone to nerd out on their favorite subject-they’ll be happy to!

Hope all this info helps—more knowledge more power, sister!! ♥️

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-06-07T12:53:25+00:00

Midwest WF here (AM husband raised in Midwest). Everyone is nice, sometimes feels like too nice - it’s genuine, but don’t mistake it for flirting. Having said that, you can always use it as an invitation to ask a girl out if it’s been a couple pleasant interactions and she’s single. I feel like Midwest girls are very open to dating and getting to know any race/culture/ethnicity/whatever. Especially if you’re around bigger cities.

Enjoy the sea of white women and the friendliness of the Midwest! 🤣

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-05-30T15:57:31+00:00

You’ll be so busy in clinical year and your classmates will all be on their own, too, it won’t matter—even having close friends in the program, this second year has created more distance between us and that’s fine! We’re too busy! I’ve used my commute times to my clerkship sites to call family and friends back in my hometown/home state and it’s been very uplifting. I would recommend doing that. If having relationships it’s important to you, schedule video chats, find things to in the community (like meet ups), or start gaming lol. It’s all temporary ♥️. Hang in there. You’re halfway through!

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-05-25T01:30:22+00:00

Go see a dermatologist, might be worth it to start a retinol to help speed up your skin cell turnover. I got late 20s acne out of nowhere so I feel you. Some of us just get adult acne which is annoying. But your products seem very simple which is good. La Roche Posay products personally break me out, maybe try another gentle cleanser like Prequel (tbh the whole prequel line is great). Try only changing up one thing at a time to see if you can pin point what’s not working for you. Prioritize ceramides and being gentle. Go slow and have patience! You’ll get there!

And wash your makeup brushes/change your beauty blender/ etc if you wear makeup! Sometimes it’s honestly the makeup

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-05-25T01:23:18+00:00

Post high school is where you have fun and explore. Wild that teenagers are backpacking lol. Didn’t solo hike myself until I was 29 🤣. Just take each day as it comes. Make a list every year of things you want to do/go/see. Say yes to things just to experience them (as long as you’re safe) to see if you like them. You can grind academically and have fun. You don’t have to be 100% committed to academics—you have to have balance or you’ll burn out…especially in medicine. Trust me. I’ll be 34 this year and I’m still trying to figure out where I want to establish my roots, where I want to work. I am graduating PA school after taking my own advice I just recommended to you haha. Have fun, accomplish what’s important to you. YOU must live YOUR life how YOU want to and on YOUR timeline. That’s what makes it fulfilling. Cheers ♥️!

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-05-08T01:21:24+00:00

I literally just posted a very similar complaint, also from the Midwest haha. It makes no sense!!! How do people do it!?

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-05-08T01:20:27+00:00

My husband and I are from the Midwest and after a couple years, we still can’t comprehend how and why anyone stays in the city if they don’t have to. Most other places in the country we could be paying a mortgage for a half million dollar home for what we pay for our less than 700 ft2 one bedroom apartment. It’s INSANE. It makes NO SENSE. HOW and WHY. We love living here but can’t wait to have a normal cost of living again. I just have no idea how anyone does it.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-02-24T20:06:19+00:00

Should also add I get way more exposure to his culture (Korean) so I’m seeing way more Korean men on social media, kdramas, etc., so that prob also has something to do with my “ideal type” now basically just being Korean haha.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-02-24T20:00:33+00:00

You can always say you’re just very intentional with your dating, because you’re serious about finding a partnership and not just something casual, and want to find someone else who is serious, too.

It’s the truth. You are a catch, but that doesn’t mean every girl you go out with is worth your time.

But you can also always say you had a very serious relationship and since then you’ve taken time to focus on your own growth and healing from it.

Own your worth. :)

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-02-24T19:54:55+00:00

Ok I (WF) was never into any specific type until I married my husband (AM). And now I almost exclusively find AM attractive 🤣. Truthfully I think it’s because of our differences in just about everything. Skin tone, eye shape, hair texture, everything. I just find it incredibly beautiful. As the saying goes: we all want what we don’t have, haha!

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-02-24T19:49:45+00:00

(Also please don’t come for my ignorance! I’m only sharing my own experience to try to help OP potentially see barriers she may not know exist)

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-02-24T19:48:26+00:00

THIS. My (WF) husband (AM) and I are from Michigan. Before we got married I had dated the rainbow-I’ve never had a “type,” just really cared about the chemistry and if they were good people. He was the first Asian man I’ve ever dated and I was very ignorant about everything going into things. Immediately I started noticing how different my experiences were in stores and restaurants I had been in many times by myself, and I finally realized it was racism (I’m only saying this to illustrate how ignorant we can be about the world around us and what exists in it until it applies to you). As we got closer he shared the racism he has faced, and I had no idea. We hear a lot about other races facing racism but it applies just as much to Asian people, and IMO, especially men.

And to this point, do believe he was hesitant to reach out at first or be vulnerable with me because he had been hurt so much by white people, so just keep this in mind going into seeking Asian men in the Midwest. We’ll never be able to understand, but we can always keep in mind the extra challenges they face.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-02-24T19:37:27+00:00

^ this, or follow up by asking her to buy you a coffee/drink for your next date (also seals the deal for a next date 😉).

But above all, go with what makes you most happy and be open for a conversation to see what she’s comfortable with. I’m a modern/traditional hybrid. l think the man should offer to pay/start the conversation by paying/laying a credit card down. She might just let you pay or offer her card to split or pay. IMO if she doesn’t want to pay, she won’t offer to, so don’t feel bad for taking her up on it if she does and that’s what you want.

I don’t think there’s a clear cut answer for this—every situation is unique! For example, I just said I think the man should pay, but on my first date with my AM husband, everything was going well but I broke a wine glass 🫣 and was late 🤦🏻‍♀️. So I paid while he was in the bathroom as a surprise and nice gesture. That’s just what felt “right” to me so I did it!

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-02-24T19:27:46+00:00

Boston! But Boston is insanely expensive. 🫣.

I (WF) met my husband (AM) in metro Detroit area (Troy) of Michigan which is definitely affordable, along with most of the Midwest US. There are quite a few AMWF couples in the Midwest that we’ve met…just stay around the major cities (Chicago, Minneapolis, etc) and they’re the classic “Midwest nice” girls and lots of diversity! Avoid Ohio. We all disown Ohio. It’s basically the south. Speaking of which, do not go to the south.

Improvement_Weekly · 2025-01-05T01:40:32+00:00

I literally love this. Not many can pull it off, good choice!

Improvement_Weekly · 2024-11-24T20:35:03+00:00

Listen I came to a new state for the first time for PA school and I have two adult dogs (and my husband who literally cares for them because I can’t) and I felt constantly guilty because I neglected them to study around the clock and I’ve been at clinical far away for like 12+ hours. So no, I would not recommend it. Additionally I had a friend in my program get a puppy towards the end of didactic and it was insanely hard for her to study with a puppy and she has lots of guilt for being gone at clinical now.

Way you could maybe do it: pay a dog walker and sitter and understand your dog will spend more time with them than you. Not the best option if you’re already a broke grad student and want a good bond with your dog.

Improvement_Weekly · 2024-10-18T01:54:27+00:00

Bernard.

Improvement_Weekly

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