11/27/07

Thoughts \ Developed Thoughts \ Rants \ Raves \ Writing

11/27/2007 00:16 -0600 GMT

Lucky Tea

I slept well and rose late for me, at 5:30. I awoke earlier, but let myself slumber while Maggie rose and got a shower. Once my semiconsciousness noticed the water had stopped running, I got up, thinking of what to read before going in for my interview at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

It started at seven, which is the earliest interview I've had so far. This was my fourth. The short story is that I left the day feeling I had come from a family reunion. I felt that I had a chance to visit with people who I respect, who are exceptional in many individual ways, and who welcome me as one of their own. I left feeling good, better than I have felt at any other interview so far.

It all started because, while I was reading the UAB Internal Medicine residency web site, and checking PubMed for research interests of those who would be my interviewers, I asked Maggie if she would make me some tea.

"Honey?" I waited.

"What," she responded, in a mock irritated way, her tone expressing that she knew I was going to ask for something.

"Would you make me some tea?" I asked in my most plaintive voice.

"Ah...I have to get ready!" I heard the same mock irritation I know so well.

"But honey, I have to read about this program! It's UAB. Pleeeaasse?"

"Ah...how do you want it?" she asked, resigned.

"Could you make it the Zambian way, just like you would make it, but with milk?" I supervised as she got the pot filled with water at the kitchen sink.

"Fine."

I touched her bottom as I left the kitchen, back for the computer screen, reading about Dr. Willett's work on assessing whether third year residents are better at physical exam techniques than interns. (After the first month of internships, they are the same.)