Meerkats, Seals, Shadowing and a World Cup Win

Week 4 was more fun than expected, and it was all thanks to the little things. The week started off with learning about bias in the medical field and how to avoid it. Dr. Fajt had some great examples of how certain biases can go unnoticed and have such a negative effect in a person’s research. In addition to pharmacology, on Wednesday we got to travel to Cologne. It was now my turn to visit the Cologne Zoo. The zoo may have not been the cultural and architectural experience like the cathedral, but it was still an amazing time. Kylie decided it was a great idea to drop her phone in the meerkat exhibit at the start of the tour, but it got retrieved a bit after a meerkat almost tried taking it away. We also got to go to the ground level of the elephant exhibit to see where they get fed. Also, we got to see the ape exhibit where we probably learned the most on the tour. Fun fact: bonobos are closer related to humans than chimpanzees. After the zoo we chilled by the Rhine and had a pleasant evening. After cologne, we came back to Bonn and learned about the Nuremberg Trials and the physiology behind holding your breath. Dr. Wasser used the seal as a way of lecturing which was cute and entertaining.

This week was probably my favorite week because we got the opportunity to shadow a variety of doctors at the University Hospital, which is a medical teaching hospital in Bonn. Here, German medical students are making rounds around the hospital. They spoke perfect English, and the doctors were so inviting when it came to watching surgeries. Catherine Kent and I got to shadow several ophthalmologists and watch them perform numerous eye surgeries. We got to see a cataracts reparation surgery, where the lens was replaced. We also got to see a retinal reattachment surgery, where a patient’s retina had disconnected from their optic nerve, so the doctor reconnected it. In addition to shadowing in the ophthalmology department, we got to shadow a surgery where a bone sarcoma tumor was removed from a patient’s lower leg, and a prosthetic was then put in place. All in all, this was an eye-opening experience for me because I am currently trying to become a physician.

This weekend I traveled with my roommate Matthew Gabel to Frankfurt to eat some good German food and watch Germany BTHO Sweden. We went to the Commerzbank Arena to a public viewing for the game. Outside the arena were countless food trucks and hyped fans. This game was crucial for Germany because they were coming off a previous 1-0 loss to Mexico. Therefore, they needed this game to stay alive. The game started off slow, but Germany had control most of the 1^st half up until the 35^th minute. Sweden got a good counter and a lucky goal. Later on, around the 2^nd half Reus got a goal at the 48^th minute, but Germany was cold up until the last 30 seconds of the entire game. Kroos got the game winner off a free kick from the left side. He bent it in and the we got showered with beer.  Here is us at the stadium: 

Now, we are getting ready to go to Vienna, Austria. Afterwards, we will be going to Rome for the weekend. I am really pumped for this upcoming week. I'll keep all yall updated! thanks and gigs.