Have you ever had one of those times where you feel like you are at mile 25 of a marathon and just realized that the last mile is up a 10% incline? That’s about how I feel. Today was the last day of class for the second quarter of school. One more to go and I will be done with my first year. However, next week is my finals week.
I already had finals for my OMM class last week. It was a two-parter (written and practical). I did alright. I scored slightly above average, but not what I had hoped for. However, there is some controversy. The final lecture given was poorly done. Worse than the delivery, was the handout. Our exams are primarily taken from our lecture handouts. When they printed them (from the PowerPoint slides) they did a “background print” which reversed the text coloring. In other words, all of the text was white (on a light gray background). None of the notes were legible. We asked the professor about the notes and he indicated that we would receive new notes from the department secretary.
Exam day rolls around and we had not received any notes, so we concluded that that lecture would not be tested on the written notes. Wrong. 10% of the questions were from those notes. In discussing the exam with other students, it turns out that the secretary did print new legible notes and put them in the OMM lab. However, she did not tell the class that they were available or where they were. There were about 5 students that happened upon the notes and got copies. They did not let the other students know about the notes either. The really sad part is that one of the recipients is our class liaison and should have emailed the class to let us know about the notes.
Well, the secretary thinks that the exam is OK since a few of the students found the notes. Of course, that doesn’t sit well with the other 150 students that did not. A few (5) have formed a formal appeals committee (med school beurocracy) to appeal those questions. Who knows what will happen.
This coming week I have 5 final exams. Friday is my last one. Fittingly, it is Anatomy. I have enjoyed the course, but it has been a challenge. Following the exam, we are having a memorial to pay respect to the donors. Then we package the bodies for return to the donor program. We have had to keep ALL parts removed in a large plastic bin under our tables. The donor company verifies that all parts are accounted for thanks to the UCLA scandal.
I have a TON of studying to do over the next week for my exams. I hope things go well. I am in a good place with regards to my grades. I’ve done well enough this quarter so that I only need about a 30% on my exams to pass, but of course I want to do as well as I can.
Wish me luck (or skill, whichever works)!
Friday, February 18, 2005
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
The Court Jester
So, I have decided that I hate lawyers. I’ll admit it, I’m a rabid anti-lawite. Now before any pro lawyer type goes ballistic and sues me, let me say that my sister is a lawyer. Also, may I submit a recent experience for your consideration (lawyer talk for Here’s a little story).
I got drug (as a witness) into a lawsuit filed by a former coworker (from 5 years ago). He supposed that I had some incriminating information about my former employer (which I did not). His lawyers really wanted to depose me, so I was extended an invitation (a.k.a. subpoena) to meet with them as well as the defense counsel. In order to confirm my address for the subpoena, someone concocted an elaborate scheme to trick me into thinking that I was giving my address to a potential client. When I tried to call the individual back based on the phone number on my caller ID, I was connected to this former coworkers’ cell phone. Hmmm, already fishy.
I was eventually deposed and videotaped. I had hoped that that was all. But no, I then got subpoenaed by both sides to testify at trial. A couple of days before the trial, I called to confirm the time to be there and they told me that it had been continued until a later date. Apparently they had no intention of letting me know that. Nice communication!
A few months later I get another 2 subpoenas, one from each side. I called the prosecution to try to find out when I will be testifying. As it turns out, THEY DON’T WANT ME! But the defense still did. That’s irony. The people that took the time to hunt me down decide that they would rather not have my information but their opponents would. It took 4 phone calls to the defense to find out when I would be testifying. It was finally set. Wouldn’t you know it, right in the middle of Finals at school! Of course, my schedule and convenience don’t really matter when there’s cash on the line. I had to get special permission to miss my final anatomy lab (we are required to be at all sessions). I was to be at trial at 1:30 PM on Tuesday.
Then on Monday at 3:30, I got a call from the defense. They now needed me there at 9:30 in the morning. They were anticipating finishing early and didn’t want to have to wait until the afternoon for my testimony. Great, now I have to quickly rearrange my morning to accommodate them. Plus, my wife and I were planning on attending a temple session since the trial was about 5 miles from the temple. That was not going to happen now, too.
So, I get up and drive the 1 hour 30 minutes in rush hour to the courthouse. I was prompt at 9:30. Wouldn’t you know it… I waited until 12:00 before ANYONE gave me an update on when I would testify. “After the lunch break at 1:15 sharp”, they told me. So I went to lunch, fairly put out. I got back at 1:10 and waited around until 1:35 to testify. I was asked a total of 12 questions (including my name and occupation) that lasted 7 minutes!!! The answers that I gave were confirmation of facts they already knew. Then they dismissed me.
I understand that I am not paying their bills, but come on. A little common courtesy would do wonders for their already less-than-pristine image. If this whole experience never happens again, it’ll still be too soon!
I got drug (as a witness) into a lawsuit filed by a former coworker (from 5 years ago). He supposed that I had some incriminating information about my former employer (which I did not). His lawyers really wanted to depose me, so I was extended an invitation (a.k.a. subpoena) to meet with them as well as the defense counsel. In order to confirm my address for the subpoena, someone concocted an elaborate scheme to trick me into thinking that I was giving my address to a potential client. When I tried to call the individual back based on the phone number on my caller ID, I was connected to this former coworkers’ cell phone. Hmmm, already fishy.
I was eventually deposed and videotaped. I had hoped that that was all. But no, I then got subpoenaed by both sides to testify at trial. A couple of days before the trial, I called to confirm the time to be there and they told me that it had been continued until a later date. Apparently they had no intention of letting me know that. Nice communication!
A few months later I get another 2 subpoenas, one from each side. I called the prosecution to try to find out when I will be testifying. As it turns out, THEY DON’T WANT ME! But the defense still did. That’s irony. The people that took the time to hunt me down decide that they would rather not have my information but their opponents would. It took 4 phone calls to the defense to find out when I would be testifying. It was finally set. Wouldn’t you know it, right in the middle of Finals at school! Of course, my schedule and convenience don’t really matter when there’s cash on the line. I had to get special permission to miss my final anatomy lab (we are required to be at all sessions). I was to be at trial at 1:30 PM on Tuesday.
Then on Monday at 3:30, I got a call from the defense. They now needed me there at 9:30 in the morning. They were anticipating finishing early and didn’t want to have to wait until the afternoon for my testimony. Great, now I have to quickly rearrange my morning to accommodate them. Plus, my wife and I were planning on attending a temple session since the trial was about 5 miles from the temple. That was not going to happen now, too.
So, I get up and drive the 1 hour 30 minutes in rush hour to the courthouse. I was prompt at 9:30. Wouldn’t you know it… I waited until 12:00 before ANYONE gave me an update on when I would testify. “After the lunch break at 1:15 sharp”, they told me. So I went to lunch, fairly put out. I got back at 1:10 and waited around until 1:35 to testify. I was asked a total of 12 questions (including my name and occupation) that lasted 7 minutes!!! The answers that I gave were confirmation of facts they already knew. Then they dismissed me.
I understand that I am not paying their bills, but come on. A little common courtesy would do wonders for their already less-than-pristine image. If this whole experience never happens again, it’ll still be too soon!
Double Your Pleasure Double Your Fun
Sorry about the duplicate posts that were there. I email in my posts and there was a delay sending or receiving them. I sent one off and it never arrived, so I resent it. I even sent a test email, but nothing. So I manually posted it. Then a few days later, bada boom bada bing, duplicate posts. I think that they are all cleaned up now.
Please forgive me.
Please forgive me.
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