Apparently I've got Required Reading

Ah yes. This brings back fond memories of summertime in high school.  Somehow we were always supposed to read like 4 books, fill out that huge packet of math problems and even write a short essay or two by the time school resumed in September. August was never a fun month for me.  But required reading in medical school when peeps haven't even set foot in a classroom in years? That's tough. I've been out of school for a year and half now and I can't even imagine what it's like for those people who are like 30, married with kids coming to the island who currently have a full-time job.... and... yea... I feel like a jackass.  After writing that last sentence, I realize I shouldn't even be complaining.

I stopped working and now I spend my free-time obsessing over fantasy football and go on TV marathons of 24 with my boyfriend. Yea... clearly far too busy to read one book spanning 304 pages. Nothing I can't get done in 2 months.

Cover via Amazon                                 

The book we have to read is called "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach and it looks like it has a lot of great reviews and is "uproariously funny." The author describes the productive roles cadavers have been used for and even includes a chapter examining cannibalism. Mmmm yummy.

Why require us to read this book? In conjunction with the anatomy department, the Student Judiciary Committee (SJC) believes this is a good way to help us get into the mindset of becoming medical school students. For many of us, this will be our  first encounter with a cadaver and the SJC hopes this book will be an enjoyable introduction to the privilege of dissecting a human body. Once classes begin, we will be broken down into small groups to discuss this book and participation will constitute a whopping 1% of our first block lab grade.

Related articles

• What I've gotten out of "Stiff" so far- 75 pages in (medschoolcaribstyle.com)