On Saturday, my dad and I made the 10-hour drive to Cape Cod in his car, "Red." We arrived that night, and fell asleep watching the classic Halloween movie, Hocus Pocus. For the next five weeks, I will be staying in a hotel along the shore in East Falmouth. A hotel stay was not in my original housing plan (or budget) for this rotation, but the student housing had recently downsized, so I was forced to seek other options.
My dad and I woke up early Sunday after gaining an extra hour through daylight saving's time. It was already light outside at 06:00. We spent the morning exploring the area, walking along the coast and through downtown Main Street. It was a bit chilly and rainy, but I could not complain with the ocean breeze so close. After our walk, my dad and I drove almost two hours north through Boston to the small town of Salem. We had missed the Halloween festivities by one day, but I could still sense the excitement from the aftermath of the town's famed holiday. Setting out on foot, we walked through downtown and the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. After stopping for a fish-filled dinner, I dropped my dad off in Andover at the northern Massachusetts border, where he would be working for the week.
Now it was just me and Red. Two hours laters, I was back in Cape Cod, absolutely exhausted. So much had happened in just two days; South Carolina, Pittsburgh, Massachusetts... I knew that I needed a good night's rest to let my mind shut down for a while. Despite the exhaustion, I couldn't hide the excitement. I feel so alive when I'm in a new place, as if there's a fire inside of me. Jenny's company in South Carolina was awesome, but I was looking forward to the independence and solitude that awaited me. I fell asleep that night feeling nothing but grateful.
Monday morning I awoke to a warming costal sunrise, anxious to start the first day of my ambulatory care rotation with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). Similar to my last rotation, the USCG is part of the PHS. Unlike the IHS, however, the USCG is part of the military. Without any prior military experience, I had no idea what to expect.The enormous base is a 20-minute drive inland, and is home to multiple branches of the military--not just the USCG. I luckily left early enough to complete the process of obtaining a guest pass at the main gate. Once I finally made it through, I had no idea where to go. Eventually, I found my way to the Kaehler Memorial Clinic, where I met my preceptor, CDR Jenalyn Greenwood. She gave me a tour of the clinic and introduced me to some of the staff. The ranking system and military lingo was foreign to me, but I was eager to learn the system. The pharmacy is extremely laid back because it dispenses medications to active duty members only. Previously, they also served military dependents and retirees. Additionally, insurance and payment are taken out of the equation. The pharmacy technician, Liz (or HS-1 Coombe), introduced me to the workflow, and I jumped right in with medication dispensing and counseling. At lunch, Jenalyn asked me if I wanted to go on a run, and I didn't think twice. We went on a brisk 4-mile trail run, learning more about each other along the way. Apparently, there are 30-some miles of trails on base, which gives you an idea of how big it is. I could easily get used to having optional work-outs built into my workday. I appreciate being in a setting where my co-workers value physical fitness as much as I do. That afternoon, Jenalyn assigned me a few projects for the week, and told me that we would be going to Boston the next day to inspect a USCG ship. Best first day of rotation ever.
On Tuesday, I joined Jenalyn and her nine-year-old daughter, Kahmala, on a day trip to Boston. What should have been just over an hour drive ended up taking much longer with the infamous Boston city traffic. However, we eventually arrived to the Boston harbor base and boarded the USCG Seneca clipper. My head was spinning between the uniforms, salutes, and remembering to use the proper titles. While Jenalyn started her inspection of the pharmaceutical inventory, one of the petty officers kindly gave me a tour of the ship. It was much bigger than I was expecting. Afterwards, I rejoined Jenalyn as she was finishing the inspection. It was then that I confirmed that I wanted her job someday. After the inspection, the three of us ate lunch at an Italian family-owned restaurant downtown--a USCG-favorite, apparently. It was nice to spend time with Jenalyn and her daughter. This was the first time that I became friends with a preceptor--a welcomed change from the mundane student/mentor relationship. Looks like my month of solitude won't be quite so solitary after all.
The rest of the week went by quickly. My days started at 07:30, I worked in the pharmacy and on projects throughout the day, and went on midday runs with Jenalyn. I attended various meetings and presented a short drug use review of a formulary drug at the Pharmacy & Therapeutics meeting on Friday. I really enjoyed my first week at the clinic, feeling comfortable both with my role and the staff.
Although I typically leave the clinic around 15:00 everyday, the sun sets by 16:30, which makes it difficult to get to know the area after work. Nevertheless, I managed to catch a few stellar sunsets. On Wednesday, I watched the sunset at the beach across the street from where I'm staying.
The next day, I stopped at Old Silver Beach in North Falmouth for another perfect sunset. One of the perks of being here in off-season is the lack of crowds.
I also ventured to the nearby Spohr Gardens and Coonamessett Farm.
My first week in Cape Cod was more than great. Now to start the weekend!
