February 2019
This month brought about the final two blocks of the year for Medical Pharmacology and Principles of Pharmacology. Neurology and Psychiatry were the final two topics discussed before heading into the final NBME exam at the end of March. I particularly enjoyed the Psychiatry block because of the light it shed on mental disorders. As I learned about the positive and negative symptoms that people with depression, schizophrenia, and other disorders, I felt a sadness growing within me. Millions of people worldwide struggle to cope with these issues on a daily basis yet so much is still unknown about these diseases from their causes to a proper treatment protocol. And the little aid we have for patients incurs such drastic side effects that make life even more difficult for any and all affected. These patients suffering from psychiatric disabilities are left to choose between fighting with their disease every day or tolerating the brutal side effects that accompany any drugs given to them to