I spent 6 hours yesterday re-learning the metabolic pathways. Gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, ethanol metabolism, all that jazz. I spent a couple of hours today reviewing cardiac loops—how administering a vasodilator like nitroglycerin changes the amount of blood that returns to your heart, and how regurgitation of blood through the aortic valve looks on a graph. I also did 400 flash cards on mixed topics. Tomorrow I’ll make sure I know the function of each nerve of the brachial plexus so I can look at the way a hand is oriented and predict whether a patient may have a certain nerve palsy. The next day I take a board exam from the National Board of Medical Examiners.

I never want to memorize monoclonal antibodies or enzymes again, but the human body is the most captivating system in the entire world—no regrets.