Why I Blog...

I've been tagged by Liana at Med Valley High in the latest Meme to circulate around the medical blogosphere. As an aside... is it pronounced MEEM or ME-ME?

5 Reasons Why I Blog

5. When I was trying to get into medical school (the third time was the charm) I would often stay motivated by reading books by medical students and residents describing their experiences. Not just House of God (which would be enough to turn anyone off medicine), but also White Coat: Becoming a Doctor at Harvard Medical School by Ellen Lerner Rothman, A Not Entirely Benign Procedure by Perri Klass, and the books by Robert Marion, The Intern Blues and Rotations. Reading these books somehow helped me "keep my eyes on the prize" when my motivation was lagging. I always imagined that one day I'd write a book describing my experiences. I am unlikely to find the time or the attention span to write a whole book, but blogging is do-able.

4. I always loved creative writing in school. As I grew older, I found that my imagination had atrophied to a shocking extent. Instead, I get the same creative outlet writing about the people I meet and experiences I have on a daily basis. No imagination required-- I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried!

3. I have a lot of strong opinions. I find that blogging is a safe outlet for me to rant about everything that rubs me the wrong way, from abuse in medical training to routine infant circumcision and everything in between. I can rant to the general blogosphere (where if you don't like what I have to say, don't read my damn blog) as opposed to alienating friends and family.

2. I want a record of the crazy shit that happens to me through residency. I'll never have these 'firsts' again, and my memory for personal events pretty much sucks. This way, as long as the internet exists and Blogger doesn't crash, I'll have my recollections of these events forever.

1. What the hell else am I going to do while my husband plays World of Warcraft?