I struggled to get this week posted for a number of reasons.
I finally got to go back to naturopathic medical school for in-person practical sessions! This included a review of hands-on physical exams, gynecology examinations, manipulation practice, blood draws, and intramuscular injections. It was my first time seeing people in person at school in over 7 months! I was pretty overwhelmed with all of the stimulation but energized and excited at the same time. I did feel, however, that the timing of these practial sessions were poorly coordinated and coincided with a growing public health crisis in Toronto, Canada.
My schooling was abruptly discontinued after 6 continuous days of in-person practicals due to a rise in COVID-19 cases across the Ontario province. After a new lockdown, which contained even stricter guidelines than the previous year, I was feeling pretty deflated.
I quickly decided to jump on a plane and head to Texas. When I found out school would be paused for three weeks, I decided to take the opportunity to travel to Texas. This was no small last-minute feat! I had to drive to Buffalo, fly from there, and arrive with all of my documentation and ducks in a row. I decided to do this since my parents are fully vaccinated, and I hadn’t seen them in nearly a year and a half.
