FDA recalls blood pressure medicine over cancerous chemical

EXACTLY! I remember we had to go to the library to use some reference materials for another assignment in that same class. These reference books couldn't be checked out, they had to stay in the library. I couldn't find the books and asked the librarian. She grimaced and said, "Someone must have hid the books again!" She searched the whole library until she found them.

Yes! I didn't care as much as I should have about grades. I just really loved learning.

The more complete story is that I was still planning on a biochemistry major after the class, although I was much less enthused. I got materials from UC Berkeley a few weeks later and discovered that to complete a Biochemistry major it would take me an extra quarter or two because of class prerequisites. I was paying for everything myself and became very concerned about how I would pay for it all. Especially once I got into grad school. So that along with the pre-med students being most of my fellow classmates in biochemistry made me look for a new bachelors major that wouldn't require any grad school.

 

One of the great challenges in this world is knowing enough about a subject to think you're right, but not enough about the subject, to know you're wrong"

This is 100% and it doesn't stop in medical school or isolated to med school (PA's and NP are even more ruthless). Healthcare is a gladiator sport, a matter of survival of the fittest, and it's all about connections to learn about actual research. Remember, most research is funded by the Pharmaceutical Industry. If a study fails to produce the expected results, the research is often buried and never sees the light of day, and every insight gained is subsequently lost.

On a personal note, I've always enjoyed the high-stakes game of healthcare. It's never about your previous accomplishment but what you have done lately to maintain your gladiator status.

 

I hear it from time to time that the competitive side of healthcare training can be intense and sometimes discouraging.
But I have so much respect for those who stay in it for the right reasons.
Especially during the pandemic years, we saw just how much heart, endurance, and sacrifice it takes to keep showing up for patients day after day.

 

Very wise words indeed.

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The assignment needing the reference library books from over fifty years ago, I think were Nuclear Magnetic Resonance signatures(?) that we were supposed to identify by looking in the reference books. That was over 50 years ago. Do they still use NMR?