Pathology wound up to be a quick overview of all the pathology that we won't be really covering in organ systems in second year and focused mainly on inflammation, cancer, and some of the hallmark signs and symptoms of histology that all seems more like a blur. Our teacher, Dr. Grande, also our dean in the medical school did a great job accommodating our needs and taught the block exceptionally well with the help of some upper class men that helped us review and study from resources such as typed lectures, video recorded lectures, and even review podcasts to listen to. It was resource overload, but I appreciated the abundance of resources as opposed to a dearth thereof.Immunology on the had was a little bit fresh in its organization. Three teacher taught the new course for the first time and they did a great job despite some quirks in the integration of all the materials. The medical school provided us with a textbook that ended up much too elementary and the board review books ended up to be my main text for the class although I wish I had read an immunology textbook proper for the block as it would have solidified my understanding a little better. Immunology was interesting in the sense that there is still so much unknown about the human immune system and in another sense so fascinating that our bodies have such intricate defense systems against the tiniest of organisms - some of which as I found in later in microbiology will drop you dead.
Allergy really was an extension of immunology with IgE and histamine release as the central focus. Interesting how allergy spins off clinically as such a vital differentiation from immunology, but the basic concepts were the same. Clinically I think a lot more people will see allergy as something they have experienced first hand as opposed to immunology that for the most part is passive and less acute than say the rash you got after eating the crab you just got (true story of my 9 year old crabbing experience... I think it was less the crab and more the industrial waste absorbed in the crab that I was allergic to).
The block ended in a most eventful way with a catastrophic internet failure Mayo network wide the day of our NBME (online) shelf exam final. So far our class has had the worst luck with test administration ranging from computer failures, mac incompatibilities, to now this. Who could complain with Dr. Grande though who waived the final and gave us the chance to take it electively after our selective? This was the most refreshing and low stress didactic block by far.
