- Making amazing friends: Becky Snyder, DeAnna Sosnowchik, Michelle Tadano, Pei Yu Lee, PDC brothers, to name a few.
- Placing second in the OTC/Herbal Patient Counseling Competition with Hilary Campbell.
- Working for Synapse (UCSF's student newspaper) as a staff writer & photographer.
- Wine-tasting during the Spring Retreat in Napa Valley with four generations of PDC brothers.
- Collaborating with medical and nursing students to organize UCSF's 10th Annual Integrative Medicine Forum.
- Learning to take better pictures by being the "un"official photographer for the School of Pharmacy.
- Jogging/strolling along the Coastal/Lands End trail with the wonderful views of the Golden Gate Bridge alone and with friends: Lynn Chen, Karoline Tum & Thomas.
- Enjoying heavenly coffee and almond croissants from La Boulange Cafe in Cole Valley, a few blocks from my apartment.
- Getting to know faculty members through social/extracurricular functions: Conan MacDougal & Christy Robinson, Lorie Rice, Dean Mary Anne Koda-Kimble, Mike Winter, Dr. Shetlar, Dr. Shafer, Sharon Youmans, Bob Day, Robin Coreli, Marilyn Stebbins, etc.
- Hearing Dean Mary Anne Koda-Kimble's charismatic & animated speeches at the new student orientation and the White Coat Ceremony.
- Witnessing amazing talents from fellow students: Skit Night, Mr. Pharmacy, Cultural Mosaic Show.
- Providing free/subsidized services to the underserved while volunteering for the Hep B Clinics and Partners in D outreach events.
- Getting over the fear of giving injections and gaining confidence in phlebotemy.
- Being well-trained in insulin injection & the use of asthma inhalers.
- Shadowing a clinical pharmacist, Lenny Chen, at Ocean Park Health Clinic in the Outer Sunset.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Highlights of Year 1
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Summer Pharmacy Internship-Week 3
Today was a crazy day with many insurance and other problems that I couldn't solve. The work was backed up and I kept forgetting to get the medications done for patients in a timely manner. Although working in the front was more stressful compared to filling medications behind the counter, I feel that I've learned a lot by answering patients' questions, counseling them and typing some prescriptions. I learned quite a few things about medication therapy today. The most interesting was the following:
- H. pylori Triple Therapy- A patient with bacterial infection by H. pylori came in the pharmacy with the following prescriptions: Amoxicillin 1g, lansoprazole 30mg & clarithromycin 500mg twice a day for 14 days.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Magic Mouthwash
Today, I compounded my first magic mouthwash prescription with a mixture of 40 milliliters of each solution: antacid, hydramine & viscous lidocaine. It was pretty interesting and easy. I also noticed that the sig was: swish and swallow one teaspoon...oops, forgot how many times a day...
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Summer Pharmacy Internship-Week 3 & Insomnia
I took an antihistamine/decongestant combo for my allergies before going to bed and at I'm now wide awake at 4 am-thanks to the side effect of the decongestant! I figured I might as well make good use of my time instead of tossing and turning in bed.
It was crazy at the pharmacy today, after a three-day weekend. I worked about 10 hours and my feet were so painful (they still are, but I'm glad to not be standing anymore). I felt like a robot, cranking out one bottle of prescribed medicine after another. I filled hundreds of prescriptions, but didn't even know the general indications for most of them, and there was no time to learn.
One particularly interesting prescription that I came across today was the magic mouthwash. It's an easily compounded oral solution with a mixture of three different ingredients in equal portions: 40 milliliters of hydramine, antacid & lidocaine solutions to make 120 milliliters of the final product. The technician compounded the solution using the instructions written by the doctor. Lidocaine makes the solution viscous and hydramine adds a pleasant smell. The Maalox provides a minty scent to the solution and makes it milky in appearance.
From Wikipedia, I learned that the magic mouthwash is used to treat inflammation, infection, and/or pain. It is commonly prescribed for pain related to oral ulcers caused by chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Some formulations may include tetracycline (antibiotic), Nystatin (antifungal), glucocorticoids (anti-inflammatory). Maalox acts as a coating agent and sucralfate can also be used for the same purpose.
Based on my knowledge, the magic mouthwash the technician prepared today must have been used to reduce pain (lidocaine) and inflammation (hydramine). I should have looked at the sig to see the instructions for use, but I'll ask my sister about it later.
There are so many things to learn and so little time. I haven't even completed the first item on my list to do this summer yet! Hopefully, I'll get at least one day off per week in August to catch up on some things that need to be done before going back to school in September. I really miss school and seeing my friends and classmates, but don't look forward to the hectic pace of life.
It was crazy at the pharmacy today, after a three-day weekend. I worked about 10 hours and my feet were so painful (they still are, but I'm glad to not be standing anymore). I felt like a robot, cranking out one bottle of prescribed medicine after another. I filled hundreds of prescriptions, but didn't even know the general indications for most of them, and there was no time to learn.
One particularly interesting prescription that I came across today was the magic mouthwash. It's an easily compounded oral solution with a mixture of three different ingredients in equal portions: 40 milliliters of hydramine, antacid & lidocaine solutions to make 120 milliliters of the final product. The technician compounded the solution using the instructions written by the doctor. Lidocaine makes the solution viscous and hydramine adds a pleasant smell. The Maalox provides a minty scent to the solution and makes it milky in appearance.
From Wikipedia, I learned that the magic mouthwash is used to treat inflammation, infection, and/or pain. It is commonly prescribed for pain related to oral ulcers caused by chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Some formulations may include tetracycline (antibiotic), Nystatin (antifungal), glucocorticoids (anti-inflammatory). Maalox acts as a coating agent and sucralfate can also be used for the same purpose.
Based on my knowledge, the magic mouthwash the technician prepared today must have been used to reduce pain (lidocaine) and inflammation (hydramine). I should have looked at the sig to see the instructions for use, but I'll ask my sister about it later.
There are so many things to learn and so little time. I haven't even completed the first item on my list to do this summer yet! Hopefully, I'll get at least one day off per week in August to catch up on some things that need to be done before going back to school in September. I really miss school and seeing my friends and classmates, but don't look forward to the hectic pace of life.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
My Thousand-Dollar Camera Lens
After days of reading reviews, researching and much anticipation, I went to Samy's Camera, spent twice the amount of money I made in one week, to get the ultimate multi-purpose, super fast and low-light shooting lens from canon: EF-S 17-55mm IS USM f/2.8! It's such a big purchase that my credit card company had to wait until I called to confirm the charge before removing the hold. The charge more than doubled the price of my Canon Rebel XTi and the salesman was trying to convince me to upgrade my camera, saying that the lens was too good for it. Although he was probably right, but I am quite happy with the camera right now and plan to use it for at least two more years. I would rather spend more money on a macro and a telephoto lens right now (if I could afford it!). I am seriously considering getting at least another lens before the end of summer. A good carbon-fiber tripod with a ball head (the cost is about $500) will complete the number of items to fit in my newly purchased camera backpack!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Fourth of July
It's 1 AM and I still hear fireworks going off around my neighborhood. It was so smoky earlier that I could smell them during my ride home on the new apple-red Vulcan that my husband recently bought.
Our dog, Marley, has been really anxious for the past week because of all the noise they create. We were seriously considering putting him on lorazepam but decided to keep him calm by letting him come into our room tonight. Poor thing! He was so shaking so hard when we got home.
Why do people spend so much money on fireworks? Kids are so spoiled nowadays! All these illegal air-born ones and the noise at such hour really annoy the heck out of me.
Our dog, Marley, has been really anxious for the past week because of all the noise they create. We were seriously considering putting him on lorazepam but decided to keep him calm by letting him come into our room tonight. Poor thing! He was so shaking so hard when we got home.
Why do people spend so much money on fireworks? Kids are so spoiled nowadays! All these illegal air-born ones and the noise at such hour really annoy the heck out of me.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Summer Pharmacy Internship-Week 2 & Paycheck
It feels good to be on the positive side of finance again after I got my first paycheck this week. Even though it wasn't much, b/c it had only been one week since I started work, but it's better than having to pay out constantly without making any money.
Work continues to be interesting but really tiring after about eight hours of standing. I find myself falling asleep soon after dinner every night and not having the energy to review more of the OTC topics. So far, I have only managed to read a portion of the heartburn & dyspepsia chapter in the OTC Handbook. The review was much needed and the knowledge helps when I counsel patients on the OTC & prescription antacids, H2RAs, & PPIs.
Counseling continues to be a challenge but I feel fortunate to have a chance to practice. It keeps me on my toes in reading up on certain medications on a nightly basis and asking questions about them so I can do a better job.
Work continues to be interesting but really tiring after about eight hours of standing. I find myself falling asleep soon after dinner every night and not having the energy to review more of the OTC topics. So far, I have only managed to read a portion of the heartburn & dyspepsia chapter in the OTC Handbook. The review was much needed and the knowledge helps when I counsel patients on the OTC & prescription antacids, H2RAs, & PPIs.
Counseling continues to be a challenge but I feel fortunate to have a chance to practice. It keeps me on my toes in reading up on certain medications on a nightly basis and asking questions about them so I can do a better job.
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