When perfection comes, the imperfect disappears...

OMS-II? Yep, that's me. I'm a second year osteopathic medical student and soon to be third year! In a sense, the time has FLOWN by...although, when I have piles of papers in front of me to study, it can't seem to go quick enough.

It clearly has been a long time since I've blogged. What can I say? Medical school is just not conducive to blogging. In a nutshell, in April 2012, I was elected Student Government Association president at my school. I prayed so much about the decision to run in elections and felt at peace about moving forward. This role has thrown me into the politics of academia and medicine on both the local and national level. It has been interesting for sure. This role has definitely challenged me and allowed me to hone my leadership schools. I very much appreciate the opportunity that I've had to serve my student body and represent them to the administration. Sometimes it makes life a little crazy, but it always works out. I can't believe it has almost been a whole year. In just a few weeks, I'll be finishing my term and I'll spend a month training my replacement!

Other than that, I've been chugging along through my second year of medical school by the grace of God. This is my last real block of med school. The next block (Block VIII) begins April 1st and is our board review block. I'll be taking both the osteopathic and allopathic step 1/level 1 board exams this summer. Pretty exciting, but also a little nerve-wrecking. Since boards are quickly approaching, I've begun a hardcore board study plan with a good friend of mine. Since we're both in school leadership positions, we've found a way to tailor our board study plan around our current classes and leadership/political responsibilities.

In a few months maximum, I'll receive my rotation assignment. As of the end of July, I'll be somewhere in South Carolina or North Carolina doing my third year rotations at a local hospital. I'm really excited to get out of the classroom and into the clinical setting.

God continues to grow in me a passion for medical missions...I've had the opportunity to visit with many of my missionary friends from both Africa and India this year and it has been amazing. It is always such a treat to catch up with them and hear what God is doing in their lives. In November, I had the opportunity to attend the Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, KY. Man! What a privilege to meet medical missionaries from all over the world. It was amazing to hear their experiences and to be poured into by such godly, annointed individuals. I had the opportunity to attend seminars on everything from financial planning to sex trafficking to surgery.

In the last months, I've become interested in facial reconstruction surgery. God has recently opened up doors for me to explore this new passion and I'm excited to see what I'll learn. Fortunately, the path to facial reconstruction is first a general surgery residency and then a plastics fellowship. I still very much love general surgery and have seen firsthand how practical it can be on the mission field, so we will see where God takes this new passion...

That's what's going on in a nutshell. As I said, God is continuing to grow my passion for medical missions and through that he continues to teach me about himself and stretch me in ways I didn't think were possible...I recently read a passage in 1 Corinthians yesterday that can't seem to leave my mind..."But when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears" (1 Cor. 13:9)...There is something absolutely beautiful about the seven words that verse holds. Such a good reminder of how faithful our God is and such an encouragement that his perfect love is able to cover all our imperfection, sin, mistakes, wrong choices, bad attitudes, etc. Although we continue to be imperfect, God continues to cover us with his perfection. It is so awesome to know that our God is a faithful God who continues to forgive, guide and love despite ourselves. So, although I may be an imperfect medical student on a journey to medical missions, I serve a God who is able to overcome my every fault. Awesome.

Sometimes, it takes all the self control I have to stop from purchasing a ticket to India or Gabon...

Into the Heart of India

This is just a brief post to bring you all up to speed on a few things going on since it has been QUITE some time since I've written.

I cannot fully express how incredibly amazed I am at God's continual faithfulness and presence in my life. He is so incredibly faithful; it just blows my mind away. Throughout Block III and this Block in medical school, my relationship with God has grown stronger as I have become more and more reliant upon him. It has become continually apparent to me that no day, no exam, no lab, no medical procedure, no patient diagnosis, no surgery is possible without God. I am and always will be reliant upon God for supernatural wisdom to make it through each tough question on an exam and each patient diagnosis. I am so grateful for a God who not only stands by my side, but carries me through every storm in life...no matter the size. Whether it is a little rain or a monsoon; God IS there.

Last year at this time, I was in Gabon, Africa, working with the missionary team at Bongolo Hospital. Wish I could be there again...

I've got six weeks, until my year as a first year medical student comes to an end and then I am headed to INDIA. For various reasons, I've decided NOT to keep a blog about my trip to India or during my trip to India. However, I'd be more than happy to give you more information about my trip or add you to my email update list, so please comment on this post or email me(c.regelsberger@yahoo.com) if you are interested in either. If you would like more details about my trip, to receive a prayer letter or support me financially, please contact me and let me know & I will get that information to you.

A long overdue 30 second update

This is a long overdue post, but it will be short and sweet because of the <30 seconds I have to write it.

With the strength that only the Lord can provide, I am surviving the jungle of medical school. What a crazy life! I thank God for the community of friends he has given me, some awesome professors and a an amazing home church here in Spartanburg, SC.

I have 1.5 weeks left of Block 3/Neuro block. I am looking forward to the end of this block! It has been a crazy 13 weeks and the nervous system is not my forte. Here is the run down of the next 1.5 weeks:

- Monday: PPC/OMM Exam
- Tuesday: SP Exam & OSCE Exam
- Wednesday: Anatomy Exam & Anatomy Practical
- Friday: Cell Bio Exam & Pharmacology Exam
- Monday: Clinical Medicine-EENT Exam & Pathology Exam
- Tuesday: SP Small Group Review
- Wednesday: Clinical Skills Lab...and then DONE!

I am constantly reminded of how amazing my God is by designing such an intricate and awesome human body. When I go one break, I will try and write a few more lines, but until then, here are a few snapshots of med school life in Spartanburg, SC including a picture of white coat ceremony, some time with friends, Alabama National Championship (football) Party and the Winter Gala at VCOM:

Medical School

I definitely don't have time for this post now, as I should be studying...but my brain is about to explode, so it is time for a break.

In brief, on July 31st my parents and I road-tripped down to Spartanburg, SC where I will be living as I attend medical school. On August 1st, we got the keys to my apartment. I'm living downtown...just a four minute drive to school! My school is called Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas Campus (www.vcom.vt.edu) and is known as VCOM-CC for short. The school is affiliated with Virginia Tech, so all my email and online school stuff is through the Virginia Tech website. Classes began on August 8th, so this week I am beginning my 2nd week of medical school.

How am I surviving some of you ask? I'm doing rather well. I love it down here. I absolutely love my school and I have really felt God confirm that this is where I am supposed to be. I am so blessed by the opportunity to be here and I am looking forward to all that God will do in the next 4 years. School is great, so far. This term is called a block and goes until mid-October. I am taking Cell Bio & Phys, Microbiology, Immunology, Histology, Pathology, Genetics and OMM. I have my first exams next Monday! Every professor covers 40-60 powerpoint slides in one hour. What I learned in undergrad in three weeks, I learn in one day at VCOM. The amount of information is incredible. I love my classes, but they certainly do keep me busy.

An average day in the life of Christina:
5:45am : Wake-up
6-6:15am : Quick run around downtown
6:15-7:15am : Shower, get ready & leave the apt!
7:20am : Arrive at school early to get a good seat
8-noon : Classes
noon-1pm : Lunch
1pm-3pm : Class (In two weeks that will change and I will have class everyday until 5pm)
3-4pm : Mental break
4-10pm : Study
10-11pm : Get ready for bed & quiet time with God

...I know that all too soon my bed time will be pushed back and I will be staying up later to study, but for now I am trying to get to bed at a reasonable time. I love school, but it certainly is overwhelming and it doesn't leave much time for anything else.

God has really blessed me with some great friends and I am enjoying getting to know the other 161 students in my class. I'm one of the few Northerners, so my excuse for everything has become, "I'm from New York" ...really, I should probably rename my blog "A Yankee Girl in Dixie." I am acutely aware of the fact that I speak without a Southern drawl and sometimes feel quite out of place. The South (although I love it), is vastly different from New York.

Well, that's all for now, because I really need to study.

VCOM-CC Class of 2015 Celebration Dinner:

Angela, myself & Cheree

Moving Forward

Marina by my house:

Well, I've decided that I'm long overdue for a post...What have I been up to since Africa you may ask?

1) Shortly after my arrival home, my parents threw a welcome home/grad party for me. I got to see lots of friends that I hadn't seen since the end of school and had a great time...the party was a blast complete with a giant cake that had little chocolate monkeys on it (in honor of Africa).

2) After the celebrations came to a conclusion, I began to sort through all my clothes, school stuff and the paraphenalia that I have accumulated over the years...I'm moving to South Carolina for school and I'm unlikely to ever move back home, so this is the grand organization/cleaning out of everything from children's books to college textbooks.

3) My grandparents came up from Florida to visit! It was great to see them since I haven't seen them since January. We celebrated (belatedly) my grandpa's 80th birthday and my parents' anniversary, so it was a good family time.

4) Because not many (or any) places will hire you for 5ish weeks, I haven't been working...that has been a huge blessing because I've been able to spend the summer with my family and enjoy them before I move away to SC. It has also been great to hang out with friends and see them one last time...r...So, I guess I'm trying to really enjoy summer and my family and friends. I haven't had a summer like this in quite a while. Most summers I have spent working or studying or both, so it is a real blessing from God to just rest in between all the packing...I know that med school will be hard enough and so I'm trying to just enjoy my last moments in Rochester.

My friend Dawson & I after church on Tuesday nights:


Out with some school friends to Applebee's:


4th of July bonfire & fireworks with my friend Alicia:


Garbage plates are a DELICIOUS Rochester specialty composed of cheeseburger patties, mac salad and home fries:


5) Naturally, because I am moving away, I have had to do lots of apartment shopping...The spare bedroom at my house is filled with stuff for my apartment. It basically looks like I got married. Since there is no on-campus housing and I am setting up a whole apartment, I have the equivalent of a wedding shower...everything from dishes to sheets to pictures. Absolutely insane!

6) Lastly, I'm finishing up some stuff for Campus Crusade at St. John Fisher College (my undergrad school). I did the graphics/publicity and so I'm doing some last stuff and then I have to teach my replacements how to do some basic graphic design stuff.

That's the report on my summer...I still miss Gabon alot. I sit in church and I miss the joyous chorus of African voices singing praises to God in French. I miss the simplicity of life and simply throwing on a shirt and one of my African skirts every morning. Most of all, I miss my African and missionary friends...what I have learned is that when you are in one place for a prolonged amount of time, you build relationships and that's what makes it hard to leave a place. I've been making Skype phone calls and emailing when I get the chance. Honestly, I cannot wait to go back! My new apartment will be covered in pictures from Gabon. I am so glad I had the privilege to go back to Gabon this summer. God really confirmed my calling as a medical missionary while I was there and it reminds me that all these years and years of schooling are worth it!... If you are reading this and are across the ocean in Africa, know that you are missed and prayed for!!!

It's strange to think that I won't be going back to Fisher in the fall. I'm really excited to move to SC and make new friends and face the challenge of med school, but I know that it is going to be hard...The only way I'll survive is by holding onto Christ...

One thing that God really has impressed upon my heart is the concept of moving on. In Genesis 19, God calls Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah. As Lot and his family leave, his wife stops and looks back and turns into a pillar of salt. So many times, I think this happens to us (in a sense). Sometimes, God calls us forward or into a new place, but we don't move on and get stuck in the past. I think it is so important to not just look forward, but move forward when God calls us into a new place...Lot's wife never saw what was beyond Sodom and Gomorrah because she was stuck in the past. If we don't look forward, we may miss out on what God has for us!