"A Day on Campus" by MSIH first year blogger Jonathan Sidlow


     Most mornings I walk out the door of my apartment reviewing a concept we learned the day before in class. However, by the time I complete the 15 minute walk to the 6th floor of Soroka’s Internal Medicine building, our usual classroom area, I often find that my mind has wandered.
     The bustle of many students hightailing it to class on their motorized bikes and scooters creates a frenetic buzz and turbulence closely resembling the energy of Beer-Sheva as a city. At first it was disorienting to hearing Russian, Hebrew, Amharic, Arabic, and English spoken on the street in such a short span of time, but after a while you get used to it. The diversity of the cultural milieu here in this little spot on the map surrounded by desert competes even with that of New York City, as does the driving etiquette.
     The approach to the Internal Medicine building involves walking past a small playground adjacent to the Pediatric ward. When the playground is occupied, children of all faiths and nationalities play together. It gives me hope that maybe one day the entire Middle East will emulate their behavior, with Franz Kafka’s words “We live in the world we create” echoing in my mind.
     The central grounds of the hospital include a large plateau of shaded green on which many families have picnics. One time a family offered me tea but I had to politely decline as I was hustling to class.
     As I climb the steps to the sixth floor of the internal medicine ward, I nod to a second year who just got out of class, pass some busy construction workers, and navigate my way around a small family having coffee and biscuits until I finally make it to the 6th floor.
   
In the classroom, many of my friends have already settled in and have their notes in front of them, reviewing for the coming storm. We greet each other with a quick nod and smile. I didn’t expect to be surrounded by people who inspire me during medical school, but many in the room have done humanitarian work in remote areas, high level research, or have already worked in the healthcare field but want the education that would allow them to do more. They would be intimidating if we didn’t study together, hang out on weekends and become as close as we are, in the last few months. I think to myself that if I were to pick the kinds of people I’d want to surround myself with during these years of intense study, it would be this crew.
     
The day goes by fast in a blur of enzymes, histology slides, lunch, DNA repair mechanisms, a few laughs around the water fountain, and cytokine graphs. Once class ends, many of us walk to the “spaceship”, our name for the medical library because of its odd hexagonal angular architecture. An IDF helicopter lands on the helipad just 200 meters off, either bringing in a patient or just as a drill. By the time I take my seat in the library the shriek of the motor is fading as the helicopter takes off again. Just a drill today.

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