The Times They Are A-Changin

This may be corny, but I think a song to sum up my time here so far at SHM would be The Times They Are A-Changin by Bob Dylan. I know Practice Management just held a webinar this week with the same title but, I think this song can apply to a lot of things. I also, relate pretty much every Bob Dylan song to my life somehow haha. This is my first actual "big girl" job. At home, I worked in a doctor’s office and at a bakery. This is the first job that will help build my resume and hopefully get me another co op in the future. This is also the first time I haven’t taken classes since first grade! It’s a lot to get used to but I like working way more than being in class.

I love the snow! I think if it’s going to be below freezing, the snow makes it worth it! Although, commuting to work in the snow is going to be interesting. The Drexel shuttles aren’t reliable as it is so we’ll see how on-time they are in the snow.

Songs and Snow!!

So, the only song that I keep going back to that describes my SHM experience is Ice Ice Baby for two distinct reasons. One is a serious interpretation of the musical genius that is the lyrics, and the other is a funny story.

1. Firstly, although 99% of the lyrics to Ice Ice Baby have absolutely NOTHING to do with SHM or my experiences here, there is one line of perfection right in the beginning. "Stop. Collaborate. And Listen" I think that these lyrics expertly describe the Marketing Co-op position. The Marketing department as a whole deals with all of the different "clients" or other areas of the business (such as Advocacy, Membership, the Center, ect), and those areas are split between all of the staff in the department. It is the MA's job to assist them all in some way and jump in on different types of projects whenever needed. This is really where the "Stop. Collaborate and Listen" comes in. One thing I have learned here is that all members of SHM, especially the Marketing department are more than eager to "Stop" and help me learn what they are doing, how they do it, and why the do it. They are also a well oiled machine which is where the "Collaborate" enters. Even though members of the team handle different aspects of the business or "clients" they are a cohesive group and I could not have picked a better "family" to join. The "Listen" I believe can be interpreted in that the Marketing Team is extremely responsive and inclusive to all ideas, including my own! I feel like a valued member of the team, and even though I am only an assistant, they frequently ask my opinion or listen to my ideas or insights.
2. Secondly, I have a funny story related to this song. Often in the mornings the elevator rides getting up to our floor can be a nightmare. They are crowded, hot, and frequently filled with extremely awkward silence. A few weeks ago, I had the best elevator ride of my life. As everyone was filing into the elevator, squeezing every last person aboard, a lady walks in and stands on the corner opposite to me. That was when I heard it. Ice Ice Baby was blasting from her ear buds and she couldn't contain her head-bob to the beat. She was the first successful person to break the awkward silence of the elevator and it genuinely made me feel as though I would have a good day. If this lady could jam out to Ice Ice Baby at 8 in the morning and love her life, why shouldn't I be able to do the same? (maybe with just the loving my day part, not the Ice Ice Baby part...)

Morals of my stories, SHM is an amazing place to work, and one should always joyously live their days, work-week or not. Enjoy this funny and weird song blast from the past!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog8ou-ZepE

Also, I love snow!! I have the firm belief that if I have to suffer through cold Pennsylvania winters, I would rather do it with snow on the ground. Snow can be gorgeous (maybe not directly in center city), but it gives me a sense of purpose for the harsh temperatures.

Summer come back!

As you could tell by the title of this, I am not a winter person at all! I very much dislike this weather even though I am a winter baby (January 2). I don't like being cold and I don't like getting stuck in the snow at all! Although I think it is beautiful and I love to watch the snow. I hate being in it, and getting sick! I am definitely a spring/summer person, and even a bit of fall I don't mind. But I really don't like this time of year's weather, but I love the holiday season, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I was struggling to find the right song that can describe my time at SHM. So instead I found a song that made me laugh but still reigns true to my current state as a college student. The winner is...... I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman by Britney Spears. Since I couldn't find an actual song off the top of my head I had to Google how I was truly feeling and this popped up and when it did all of the lyrics made sense... even if it is Britney Spears. Basically the song recounts the awkward in between phases known as young adulthood. I feel like I am not a girl anymore but I wouldn't call myself a woman just yet, that seems weird. I get called young lady a lot. Especially here, at SHM where I am surrounded by adults with kids mortgage payments, car issues etc. I find my self not able to contribute in their conversations as much because I do not have that type of experience. So I have been feeling more of a kid here and then on campus more of an adult, which squeezes me right in between.

SHM

Lately when people ask me where I work, I respond by saying "Society of Hospital Medicine". Puzzled, they'll respond back "like in a hospital or....".

I'm so used to the response that I have created my own definition for what SHM essentially is. I say that we are a society for hospitalists, physicians and people in allied health. Furthermore, we supply education in the form of meetings, webinars and more. With the launch of HMX we serve various communities within healthcare a place to exchange ideas, ask questions and share experiences. We also offer these resources to students! From what I have gained from working here is insight in all of these avenues and how they operate on the back end. 

Happy Monday!

What is a song or specific song lyric that describes you/your life at SHM and why?! 

Also, it's supposed to snow this week. How do you feel about that? I hate the snow, but some people love it! 

What is SHM?

The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to not only benefiting its hospitalist members, but also the general field of hospital medicine. Having a membership to SHM provides opportunities in continuing education, possibilities for netwroking with other like-minded collegues, and access to conferences and academies based on leadership, subspecialties in hopsital medicine, and much more. SHM produces a monthly publication, the Hospitalist as well as a peer- reviewed journal, the Journal of Hospital Medicine, and its members exclusively recieve the Pulse, a bi-weekly e-newsletter that contains updates about our largest internal areas such as governance, events, mebership, and quality intitatives. SHM strives through these and other outlets to provide quality, current, and useful information to better educate and prepare hospitalists for the future of the field.

SHM in a Nutshell

Society of Hospital Medicine is a network that facilitates research and implements patient centered care in a hospital setting. A hospital is a physician who practices hospital medicine. By creating a community where hospitals from around the country can collaborate and innovate common patient care discrepancies like, medication reconciliation, SHM can create appropriate and effective projects that any hospital can integrate into their system. SHM publishes medical journals, and holds annual meetings that provide educational materials that continue to promote the hospitalist.