One week and three tests ....

.... is all that separates me from summer vacation! I'm sorry, but having a one week break between first year and second year just doesn't cut it. Now I know why we DO have summer breaks - you need about 2 months to recover from the trauma of first year medical school, and to forget just enough about how much work it is to actually get excited about starting things up for second year. With my one week break, I had just enough time to remember how sweet it is to have time to yourself (I mean time not overshadowed by "I should be studying guilt") and not nearly enough time to FORGET how crazy hard school was.

So, I can't tell you how happy I am to have the summer off - my last summer as everyone at school keeps reminding me. Of course, now that I am in med school, I am never really free. I am conducting a research project (physician survey, plus presentation and write up) this summer, and of course I'll be shadowing, sitting in on an autopsy, helping out with the weight loss support group that I've been with all semester, and other random activities. But no exams, no lectures, no homework. And this is the last time I will experience that. After second year, we study for the first step of the board exam (USMLE), then jump right in to clinical rotations! Then we pretty much do that until we graduate. Then residency, where the REAL work begins!

Can't wait for summer!