After cramming the previous night with lots of packing and planning, I was happy to travel to Omaha, Nebraska, and arrive at my much anticipated destination: SMDEP @ UNMC (University of Nebraska Medical Center). So far, I have been welcomed very warmly by my assigned RA (resident assistant) and fellow SMDEPers. My dorm room is cozy, but not super tiny and the food at Scott Cafe (where the SMDEP scholars eat) is terrific. It definitely doesn't taste like the infamous dorm food I've always heard about...
Upon arriving, we were given copies of the interesting book, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." She was a poor black lady who had her cells taken from her without her permission. As worded by the back cover, Lacks's cells "became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, clothing, gene mapping...Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet...her family can't afford health insurance...a riveting story of the collision between ethnics, race, and medicine." Can't wait to read it all!!!
The above pictures illustrate the living space. The dorms have a twin size bed, a desk area with a shelf, a desk, and some drawers, a spacious closet, and three big drawers near the closet. The room has two power outlets, which are very useful, and windows that open to let in air!! The small kitchen is also useful, and there's also a loung area with chairs and a table. Fairly comfortable, and pretty easy to adapt to.
Later today will be a dinner and orientation to launch the program. There are 80 scholars, and I've only met about ten people, so I hope to meet more people! Next week, we start learning about health care disparities and job shadowing! So exciting!! I really hope to job shadow a cardiologist! Stay tuned ;)