Semester 4.. half ways there..?

..I kid myself. Halfways through the didactic portion of my D.Sc, which is now in conversion to a Ph.D program. At the very best, I will complete the last on-site session in May 2011 and complete the associated work by September. Then the fun begins, with a comprehensive exam and final defense before the IRB prior to the launch into the dissertation phase.. And the final end point? The RMUoHP program allows a student to take up to 7 years from intake (for me and my OS4 cohort, that would be last March 2009) and the majority complete within 5 years, the average is 2.5 years following the exam and IRB defense. Eeek.
Not to get to bogged down with the future, here is the present line up of heavy hitters:

CC 612 Biostatistics 3 Dr. Stephen Allison (thank God for him, what a treat)
CC 626 Directed Independent Study: Case Report. Dr Darlene Sekerak.
CC 635 Case Report Methodology: Dr Sekerak
OS 4 604 Ankle and Foot: Dr Cheryl Maurer
OS 4 605 Hip and Knee: Dr Mike

This past week in Utah, we spent many hours sitting, compressing the Gluteii into flattened shadows of themselves, but after prosections and classroom lectures I tried to shake the booty loose and clear the brain with some fun bike rides  into the canyons to Bridal Veil Falls and around Provo. There is a cool bike trail along the Provo river that goes the whole way from Provo Bay into the mountains, totally sheltered from car traffic, it was the perfect way to unwind. At the top of the canyon is a girlscout ranch, complete with trefoil logo. After 15 miles mostly uphill, in 90 plus degrees, I could've downed a handful of GS cookies for the return trip!

So, the requirements for this session, in order that I think that I will complete them:

1.  Biostatistics: Article reviews
2.  Biostatistics: Homework submission
3.  Case report methodology Exam
4.  Case report article critiques
5.  605 Technique paper/ case study paper
6.  Biostatistics Exam
7.  Case report outline
8.  Case Report reviewed + final submission
9. 604 Article critiques 2 x 5
10. 604 Opinion paper x 2
11. 605 Exam

Somewhere in this, I will continue with my full time, full-on MSPT work, find time to train for TransRockies and have some hang time with the wonderful Dennis..without whose support I would be a quaking glob of jello. 

Bring on the caffeine, I am ready for the next semester..

Next Utah trip, November 2011..