I took these classes because they are prerequisites to become a Physician's Associate, but I really enjoyed these classes, more than I thought they would.
Considering we are still living through an ongoing pandemic, it was quite applicable to real time. Honestly, all I think about is:
1) Did I wash my hands for 20 seconds?
2) What types of bacteria in my normal microbiota are going to turn opportunistic on me? —don't you dare Staphylococcus aureus (if you know, you know)😉
3) WASH YOUR HANDS!
I really enjoyed 301 because even though I found needing to memorize some bacteria, antibiotics, and other stuff tedious to do, it made me realize how applicable it is to our human bodies but also during the pandemic right now. I found myself constantly matching my real world events to what was happening at the microscopic level.
When I got my booster shot, I was thinking about my immune system and how it was fighting and building immunity at the cellular level—I felt proud.
When I wash my hands, I think about what types of bacteria I am washing away—get away norovirus!
When my food spoils, I rethink my decision to actually eat it. Yes, before this class, I would actually consider eating it. I know, gross AND bad for me. Yes, NOW I know... Thanks professor!
AND not to mention lab was SOOOOO cool!
I especially loved the epidemiology lab where we got the chance to contact trace and have a "mock epidemic". Fun fact, I was infected in the lab!
Honestly, this quarter my classes found a really nice blend—epidemiology, microbiology, and anthropology.
Epidemiology focused on the side of infectious disease, health outcomes, using calculations and quantitative methods to predict outcomes and patterns. The data side behind the scenes, which is interesting to apply in the midst of the pandemic especially when the CDC gives us data.
Microbiology, like I dedicated this post to dives deeper into the science. The science of our bodies and how we react to good and bad bacteria, vaccines, antibiotics...
Anthropology, understanding how our society works and people interact with each other—how do these connections affect the larger systems and set the boundary for the health care system?
Here's a super cool pic of cultured bacteria from my throat on blood agar:
In this lab, we swabbed our throat and grew on blood agar to see if S. pyogenes was present—because it would turn out to be beta-hemolysis. This would be indicative of possible infection of strep throat.
Luckily, my plate did not have that.
Folks, I am strep free!
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