[Ask Me Anything] #5: pi

[pi]

When swimming at the beach, do you prefer swimming during low tide, or high tide?

Low tide so I can also enjoy the rock pools. No one likes a HighTide.

What's the best place to eat at the Clayton Campus?

I'm actually a bit out-of-touch here given Monash recently revamped its 'campus centre' (where all the food joints are). Now they have Subway, Guzman Y Gomez, Papparich, Roll'd, Sushi Sushi, and all these regular food trucks. So many options! Back when I studied on campus, we had a shop that sold chips, and other shops with variable risks of food poisoning hahahaha.

Of the new shops, I can't walk past a good Sub!

What's the funniest joke you know? (HighTide doesn't count ayyyyyyyyyyyy)

"I have an EpiPen. My friend gave it to me when he was dying, it seemed very important to him that I have it."

Heard that on reddit a while ago, never gets old hahaha

Other than that one-liner, anything from Russel Peters is great On the theme of jokes, I'm a huge fan of all those late-night American talk shows, so I love the jokes that Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan, Stephen Colbert, and Seth Myers all put forward too haha, esp any jokes relating to Donald Trump. One of my favourite movie franchises, Harold and Kumar, is also a great source of unlimited laughter haha.

I'm a massive sucker for comedy!

Do you think your scary ATAR Notes/online persona differs from your real life persona?

Haha, I'm actually far from scary irl! I laugh heaps, look like a bit of a hobo crossed with a drug dealer (I've been asked for drugs before on campus LOL - for the record I do not do or sell drugs of any kind), and just never get angry haha. I'm a bit more serious on here

Finally, briefly, what are you researching in your Bachelor of Medical Science?

Studying a condition called 'cerebral amyloid angiopathy'. To break it down: cerebral = brain, amyloid = weird protein, angiopathy = blood vessels. So weird proteins get into brain blood vessels! Essentially, this results in the vessels becoming weak and they can rupture causing brain bleeds (ie. a type of stroke). I'm looking at some features of this condition on MRI scans, especially some new types of MRI sequences. I'm looking at identifying these features, seeing how they relate to each other, how they're distributed, etc. The goal is to learn more about them, and maybe translate that into how the condition works. It's an intriguing area of medicine because this condition only really gained prominence in the last 20 years or so, so there's a lot of things we don't know yet!

I'm having a ball and would recommend a research year to anyone and everyone!

[Calebark]

I'm a massive sucker for comedy!

Not for everyone, but you should definitely listen to some Tom Lehrer!

Studying a condition called 'cerebral amyloid angiopathy'. To break it down: cerebral = brain, amyloid = weird protein, angiopathy = blood vessels. So weird proteins get into brain blood vessels! Essentially, this results in the vessels becoming weak and they can rupture causing brain bleeds (ie. a type of stroke). I'm looking at some features of this condition on MRI scans, especially some new types of MRI sequences. I'm looking at identifying these features, seeing how they relate to each other, how they're distributed, etc. The goal is to learn more about them, and maybe translate that into how the condition works. It's an intriguing area of medicine because this condition only really gained prominence in the last 20 years or so, so there's a lot of things we don't know yet!

I'm having a ball and would recommend a research year to anyone and everyone!

How odd, I was just reading about this yesterday It definitely sounds interesting. I'm glad you (and many others) are undertaking research -- I have a habit of asking my teachers questions to be met with "well, we don't know yet", so I heartily support such things.

I daresay I'm out of questions, so cheers for doing this

[pi]

How odd, I was just reading about this yesterday

Question to you: why were you reading about it LOL? How did you even come across it haha? It was World Alzheimer Day a few days ago, so the condition did get a little traction through that (they're related to each other), but otherwise I'm surprised anyone would come across it haha.

[Calebark]

Haha, I tend to go on procrastination reading binges. I was reading this article - how I came upon it, I do not remember, I don't actually follow the site -, so I decided to read about amyloid, from there to beta amyloid, and from there to cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

I eventually went to the history of 2nd wave black metal, and later to ASOIAF theories, so it is weird that I happened to read about it at such a convenient time, when it could've been anything else

[Drewballs]

What experiences have you had working in the Emergency Department and would you consider taking it up as a specialty after you graduate?

[pi]

What experiences have you had working in the Emergency Department and would you consider taking it up as a specialty after you graduate?

I've had limited exposure thus far. I've done a week of Paediatrics ED last year, and frequented the ED on and off during third year. At Monash, we do our major ED rotation in final year, so I'll have a better take on the 'ED experience' next year ED is often a perceived by school-leavers as a thrilling job with unlimited excitement and action (ie. like those ED real-life docos), but my limited experience suggests that's rarely the case, especially if you're not working at a major trauma centre.

With all that said, I'm not particularly keen on ED. There are two reasons for this:

1) I prefer engaging in continual patient care. I like to see the full story of sick -> better, not just manage the acute situation before hand-balling the patient to another unit. Building long-term patient relationships is something that I enjoy, and the nature of the ED job doesn't make that possible.

2) ED jobs are hard to come by. Why this is significant in ED, is that to be an emergency physician... you actually need an ED. To have an ED, you need to have a hospital. You can't just start up your own ED like a cardiologist or a GP could start up their own clinic. Hence, the job is based around the limits of the infrastructure. There are too many people wanting to get in to ED compared to the annual rate of retirement, and this compounded with the reliance on infrastructure which also isn't increasing, means these jobs are going to be extremely hard to get in 10-15 years time.

[Calebark]

I have another question, this is something I've wondered for a while

Has med school changed your visits to your local GP?

[pi]

I have another question, this is something I've wondered for a while

Has med school changed your visits to your local GP?

I legit have not seen a GP since I got into med school hahaha, only had the standard bouts of coughs, colds, etc.

[HughMungus]

I legit have not seen a GP since I got into med school hahaha, only had the standard bouts of coughs, colds, etc.

Was this thanks to the teachings of the great Craig Hassed

[AngelWings]

Questions for Pi:
1. Can we please have a motivational quote of the day from you?
2. When do you think we'll have a lady do an AMA on here? (So far, I think they've all been guys.)
3. If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why? (Just because.  )

[HighTide]

A man is looking at a portrait and says:
"Brothers and sisters, I have none. But this man's father, is my father's son."

Who is he looking at?

Spoiler

You may remember this question from a few years ago  can't remember if it was before you graduated

[pi]

1. Can we please have a motivational quote of the day from you?

"Study today for an easier tomorrow" - pi, 2k16

I'm not good at being wise hahahaha

2. When do you think we'll have a lady do an AMA on here? (So far, I think they've all been guys.)

Hopefully sooner rather than later! We've all kinda volunteered for the opportunity (and keeping it to mods for now), so far no females have stuck their hands up, maybe bug some via PM

3. If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why? (Just because.  )

I'd be some kind of large bird, just to enjoy the different kind of view for the day. Also to poop on some people who annoy me LOL

A man is looking at a portrait and says:
"Brothers and sisters, I have none. But this man's father, is my father's son."

Who is he looking at?

Spoiler

You may remember this question from a few years ago  can't remember if it was before you graduated

Alrighty.

Let's start from the back: "...this man's father, is my father's son". This suggests there are three people here: man's father -> man's father's son (could be the man or his siblings) -> man's father's son's son (could be man's son, or nephews)

Then we apply: "Brothers and sisters, I have none". This means he's an only child. Therefore the three people are: man's father -> man -> man's son (can cancel out the double negative now)

Thus, he is looking at a picture of his son.

[Butterflygirl]

*Put hand up* I have questions!

How did you feel on the first day of university? and did you know anyone in med from your school? (Probably yes haha but curious)

[pi]

*Put hand up* I have questions!

How did you feel on the first day of university? and did you know anyone in med from your school? (Probably yes haha but curious)

School and uni... were nearly the same I had 25 other lads from my school get into med, plus I knew many others from city schools (Mac.Rob, MGS, Scotch, etc.). The demographic was also familiar, a strong representation from the Asian continent So I felt pretty at home in all honesty haha, no problems at all with finding friends (in addition to those I was already close with)

As for my first day, I only really remember the morning, but I remember it vividly. It was raining, and I was running on "Indian time", which for those unaware, means I was running "fashionably late" to my first morning lecture. Of course, I had no umbrella and was decked out in shorts and a hoodie. To make matters worse, I was also thoroughly lost haha, and went to the wrong building and had to ask for instructions. So when I ended up finding the lecture theatre, not only was I 15 minutes late, I was also drenched. Safe to say, the Professor taking the lecture was less than impressed and a lecture-full of judgemental eyes followed me as I ran up to the back of the theatre. Luckily, I wasn't the only one in my predicament so I had a few people around me to have a laugh about it hahaha.

[HasibA]

Few qs
Do you ever question why we as humans live and the meaning of life ? Very simply, not so much philosophical ly but more so just "why"

What are you thoughts on social phobia, anxiety, and mental illness in general, from your newfound medical experience (and perhaps , if you remember , your thoughts prior to med) ?

Final one: what are your thoughts on  comparing yourself to others ? In terms of looks, academics etx. Frivolous or something we all just do subconsciously?

Thanks heaps really like to read your insight