Weeks 1 & 2 Review

Alright, so the first two weeks of bootcamp are done; Economics, Sustainability, and Healthcare Economics can be checked off the summer to-do list. I want to give a review of each class.

Economics: Mr. Thomas was such a great teacher! Every now in then in school we get a teacher who really makes a course interesting and exciting. In my opinion, there was no other course better than economics for this to happen. A strong base in business principles is absolutely essential to move on in the upcoming boot camp classes. Mr. Thomas not only took the time in class to patiently and clearly explain the topics of the course, but didn't hesitate to stay after to answer individual questions. the best part of the class was the debate on the last day. I can confidently say that all of the topics I learned during the course were called upon during the debate and I better understood the economics of a market as a whole.

Sustainability:
 Ok so one word: wow. After this course I realized two main things: first, I need to change the way I live my life, and two, this course should be absolutely mandatory for everyone. Mrs. Hanna-West made me question the way I lived, my views on the environment, and why I am not currently practicing the triple bottom line. Hands down, this was one of the most useful courses, though short, I have ever taken.

Healthcare Economics:
This course was rather bittersweet for me. Mr. Pracht was very patient and was willing to explain the topics to us, but the material was rather complex, too complex for my liking. It is not that I am lazy, however, I feel as though the intensity of the material was not useful for me given this small amount of time we have in the boot camp. Learning about healthcare models and insurance on the first and last day, respectively, we the most useful topics for me and my colleagues. I am extremely grateful for the work dedicated to this course to help us understand the topic, however, I feel as though I would have benefited from this class so much more if there was less material.

Respect

I am realizing so many things about business and myself during this second week of bootcamp. First of all, my confidence in wanting to become a doctor has been solidified by these business courses. I miss science classes! I keep finding myself wandering onto BBC health and science, reading the newest articles about science and healthcare, and being genuinely more interested than I was during the medical school year. Basically, I miss science.

Also, I am realizing how challenging it is for doctors to open up their own practices, not to mention becoming successful; and how much harder it is going to be in the future. There is so much work demanded to have a successful private practice! I definitely have a new found respect for those entrepreneurial doctors.

Just a note, this blog was originally written May 25th.