The "Graduates"

Michael Reese Hospital celebrated the graduation of its last ever class yesterday. It was a great occasion. A happy one. A sad one. A proud one. A beautiful one.

As part of the outgoing intern class, I was perhaps amongst the people with the briefest association with MRH at the graduation party last night. The gamut of emotion that many were going through was very palpable to me nevertheless, the open bar not withstanding.

As all of us leave Michael Reese, we all take with us a small part of the institute, a small part of each other, the people we worked with, and the people who were friends, practically family for the last 1 year. We also as a corollary, leave behind a small part of ourselves with this place and with these people.

Its been pretty much a roller coaster ride during my internship - I apologize for using such a cliche. There've been times of joy, times of sorrow; Times of sheer frustration and agony, somewhat outnumbering the times of ecstasy (its a residency - thats about par for the course); Times of nerve wracking stress (I never, ever want to hear the words 'business' and 'lunch' used together again.) and times of complete relaxation (the last couple of months have been pretty easy).

As the party came to a hesitant end last night, after all the music and dancing (yours truly danced as well - most people who know me well know that happens even less often than a sighting of the Halley comet - to underline how special the occasion was) one could tell that many of us were reminiscing on such moments (the open bar was a help this time around). Everybody looking back on the time they spent here, with each other, lasting memories they would have of each other, of themselves, of the hospital. The education they received here, which would of course serve as the foundation for most of their careers. The relationships they forged. The laughter they shared. The quarrels they had. The things they shouldn't have said but did, the things they should have but didn't. (I know thats what I was doing, at the very least.)

Now that the serum alcohol levels are tending towards zero, I can think clearly and realize that I was thinking pretty clearly last night anyways. In about a week, all of us will move on to our lives at other programs and hospitals. The hospital, too, doesn't have too much long left in terms of operation. At this point in time I would just like to thank everyone I've had the pleasure of working with over the last year and wish them the very best of luck.

If any of you guys are ever in Cleveland, give me a shout out. It'll be great to catch up.