My Essential Question

What is the importance of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) performance in our bodies?

I have never personally torn my ACL; however, through my soccer experiences I have been witness to several of my teammates' and friends' tearing of their ACL.  Some of my teammates have been forced to give up soccer due to a torn ACL.  This is a subject that has drawn me closer to the field of orthopedics because I am intrigued to know an extensive knowledge about this ligament and how one wrong pivot has the ability to ruin a career.

The ACL is also exciting because it is such an essential part of athletics and the body.  I am able to relate an educational topic to my personal life and something I am very passionate about.  I adore not only soccer but every bit of fitness and exercises; therefore, knowing important ligaments, muscles, and how the body works is something that I can't get enough of. 

Besides being a competitive soccer player, I run every day and constantly work to enhance my fitness.  If I were to ever injure myself and not be able to workout on a daily basis, I would go insane.  Running keeps my physical and emotional health in check.  The ACL is the most common injury I have seen keep athletes from their fitness.  With this being said, it definitely wouldn't help to know more about the ACL and its functions and maybe some preventative procedures.

Week 11/10

                The mentor ship I take part in at Longstreet Clinic with Dr. Amy Borrow has been a wonderful and enriching experience for me.  The only task I really take part in would be following Dr. Borrow as she meets with various patients; however I am sure to always ask questions and make sure to learn something from every appointment.  Some days are more exciting than others but recently we have received patients with diverse injuries relating to athletics, worker’s composition and even car accidents, etc.  One patient was an eight year old, competitive gymnast experiencing major elbow issues that are typically involved with professional baseball players.  Fortunately for me, I got to see Dr. Borrow analyze her case and walk through the diagnosis and surgical procedures with the young lady’s parents. Another patient was not as easily fixed due to her recent involvement in a car wreck. After this wreck, she began experiencing major knee and back pain, and from an MRI scan we could see this patient had a minor meniscus tear and a bulge in her back.  However, neither were big enough or severe enough to go into surgery. The patient became overwhelmingly upset about this because she wanted it to be fixed and win her lawsuit. 

                Being involved in the field of orthopedics requires a significant amount of background knowledge in order to understand the procedures and what is happening within the body. The most recent full academic school year I took Honors Human Anatomy and Physiology with the lovely Mrs. Terri Barker.  Not only was this class so much fun with a loving yet sarcastic atmosphere but I learned so much! I was challenged to name the majority of bones and muscles in the body but also learn how they work and their significance.  This directly correlates with orthopedic surgery.  Human A&P has allowed me to participate more thoroughly in my mentorship and enhance my learning ability.   

Week 11/03

http://growingleaders.com/blog/first-soft-skill-develop-students/

Being involved in business affairs can be messy for the youth.  The youth, as stated in the article, has a tendency to become too attached to gossip, stubbornness and immature attitudes.  This creates issues for corporations as well as many professional environments.  The young adults fresh out of college sees him or herself as a prime associate and free to do as he or she pleases, when in reality, the young adult needs to prove him or herself worthy and responsible as any new employer should. With this being said, social intelligence is a must. Social intelligence includes when to speak up and when to shut up.  It always consists of being quick to adjust to others’ behaviors and working with a diverse range of colleagues.  This can be important through any endeavor because often relationships have the impact to make or break the associate and even the company.  If an associate were to show up to a company event dressed inappropriately or with behavioral signs of arrogance, etc. the employee would most likely be demoted. 

                “The First Soft Skill to Develop in Students” touched on the fact that past generations’ youth did not have nearly as many issues as today’s youth.  Teens and young adults in the past, treated their bosses with respect and gratitude, whereas today, the youth struts in “many treating the work place like their dorm space.”  If the youth would learn self-awareness and respect, it would be a game changer in the world of business.

Comments on Others' Blogs

Breanna Benton
Post: 10/26/14
http://breannabenton.blogspot.com/

Allison Walls
Post: Week of October 20, 2014
http://allisonwallshmp.wordpress.com/

Write Up

My Profile: I am currently a senior at Flowery Branch High School and an elite level soccer player.  I have played for competitive club teams within the state as well as the country.  In addition, I have lettered every year for the Lady Falcon Women’s Varsity Soccer team.  As a student athlete, I have explored my interests academically that also apply to my athletics.  This quickly led me to orthopedics, as it often deals with athletic injuries.  Taking courses such as Human Anatomy and AP Biology have increased my knowledge on subjects dealing with the body and its functions, further enticing my interests.  My work load can be strenuous as I intern nearly every morning with a renowned orthopedic surgeon, study to enrich academic success and competitively enhance my fitness but I enjoy every minute because I am doing something I genially enjoy

My Mentorship: After realizing my strong interest in orthopedics, I applied to participate in the Hall County Honors Mentorship Program devoted to students serious about perusing a particular career. I was so lucky to be placed under Dr. Borrow, orthopedic surgeon, at Longstreet Clinic Sports Medicine in Buford, Georgia. Nearly every morning, I follow Dr. Borrow as she oversees patients and decides what the next step in each case should be. I see what it takes to be a successful orthopedic surgeon, through the struggles and successes. I follow her as she analyzes x-rays, views patients, diagnoses and determines a way to fix an injury, and other tedious tasks involved.

My Future: I plan on attending a University of excellence (the specific one is still undecided) and majoring in a field that leads to Med- School and so on. The journey that leads to medical careers is a long and hard one with a need for intense focus and determination, but with the right mindset it can definitely be achieved.

Orthopedic Perception (10/16)

The field of orthopedics is filled with interesting concepts, and I have been fortunate enough to take classes such as Biology and Human Anatomy to enrich my knowledge of these subjects. However, after starting my internship with orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Borrow, I have learned something new everyday.  My perception of orthopedic surgery has changed in the sense that I know more concepts and how orthopedics actually work. I was surprised to see how interactive Dr. Borrow is with each of her patients and how she genuinely she cares about their improvement and well being.  From spending nearly every weekday with Dr. Borrow and her associates I have learned that even through the more tedious tasks such as scheduling and paper work they are extremely crucial for the surgeon and PA to perform with ease.  For instance, one patient was scheduled for an appointment dealing with her shoulder under a certain insurance company, but she also had knee issues.  However, she had been dealing with her knee pain and injuries under a different insurance plan and due to hospital and state regulations she needed to make a different appointment to discus her knees.

An Internship in Orthopedics

An Internship in Orthopedics

Through my experience with orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Borrow, I have realized that in this particular office the behavioral protocol is simple.  As an intern, I am expected to be polite and respectful at all times. I follow Dr. Borrow around as she sees patients and I am to observe.  My job is to follow and help Dr. Borrow and other associates with any task needed. There is a clear hierarchy system in the office as well.  Dr. Borrow is the head of the business, followed by the PA, Sam, then the nurses and other associates, and lastly me, the intern!  As the rank of personas in the office is recognizable, it is in terms of leadership; however, everyone is free to speak and suggest advice, etc. regardless of rank.  Communication is free in the orthopedic office as everyone talks about their children, family, plans and other things involved outside the office.  This is free for me to talk about as well.  Everyone cares about each other and their well being.  Dr. Borrow and the other associates talk freely on matters concerning patients as well when it comes to how to treat or diagnose the patient.  Everyone has and gives respect. In my great favor, Dr. Borrow also informs me of specifics on certain injuries and explains with detail how the injury occurred, what happened to the body, and how to fix and treat it.
Each associate dresses in scrubs everyday; however, the PA and Dr. Borrow wear scrubs on certain occasions and other occasions they wear professional attire such as nice pants, closed toed shoes, and a nice shirt.  The professional dress demonstrates the that the two take their job and their patients very seriously. This dress does not really affect much of the behaviors in the office because the majority of the associates are in scrubs.  There is always a high level of respect for the PA and Dr. Borrow.
I constantly follow Dr. Borrow as she sees patients, determines how to treat them, views X-Rays and many other tasks involved in orthopedics.  I have been able to apply my skills by being able to recognize malfunctions of each patient and see how Dr. Borrow acts and treats them.  This further develops my knowledge and helps me understand the body on another level.

Choosing a College

Choosing a college or university to attend can be a very difficult decision. This is why every student needs to take into account the kinds of professions he or she would like to pursue in the future in order to narrow down the search. Here are a few universities that interest me in the field of orthopedics.

University of Georgia: Degree in Pre-Medicine

Athens, GA http://www.uga.edu/

Florida State University: Degree in Pre- Medicine
Tallahassee, FL https://www.fsu.edu/
Auburn University: Degree in Pre- Medicine
Auburn, AL http://www.auburn.edu/

The criteria I would require for a valuable degree would include one that takes on the bones, joints and muscles of the body and how they work and how to treat and diagnose malfunctions in each.
Each of the universities listed above would do a wonderful job with explaining the criteria I need because Pre- Medicine across the board deals with all doctors, surgeons, etc.
In order the pursue orthopedics I would not just need a degree in Pre-Medicine.  I would also need to attend and graduate Med School as well as residency for other surgeons before being a full time orthopedic surgeon.
Outside of having a program dealing with orthopedics, the type of colleges and universities that interest me are big schools with a diverse range of students, big time athletics, and Greek life.
The ranking for each of the schools I listed is not very high on the national rank, not even in the top 100 in fact.  This is based on academic status and successes. However, I value to level of education in general of each of these schools on an extreme level.  UGA, FSU, and Auburn are prestigious schools and failure does not seem likely.
Scholarships I can apply for:
1.Tommy Aaron/Charlie Aaron Foundation Scholarship
2.Northeast Georgia School Superintendent's Scholarship
3.Jim and Dee Snow Optimist Scholarship

Summary based off the blog "The Lies We Tell Our Kids" by Tim Elmore.

Many adolescents going through the motions and performing with excellence in high school are finding themselves in more difficult situations outside of these overly helpful environments.  Throughout the early portion of many kids' lives, they are led to believe he or she is the king of the world and everyone should bow at his or her feet.  This misconception is put on by the adults in the children's lives.  The adults lie to the kids for multiple reasons, whether it be to keep everyone happy, to avoid being disliked, or multiple other reasons. However, the fact is these kids are growing up believing that they don't need to work as hard or if they go by the cookie cutter ways of the world everything is going to be okay. They are soon to realize, the world isn't as simple and a harsh reality may be waiting. 

In order for this to help me in my mentorship, I need to take in every advice and experience I receive from my mentor.  The more I can learn, the more likely I am to succeed and I should also try to go above and beyond.  On a more mental note, I need to remember that there will be setbacks from time to time and instead of quitting or becoming immensely upset, the proper response is to work harder next time.

I found the reality of secondary education and what lies there after to be most relevant because many teenagers do believe that everything will just be OK if he or she just follows the rules.  However, there are always going to be challenges to overcome no matter how perfect a child's GPA is or how many clubs he or she is involved in.  Success doesn't come easy.

When meeting your mentor for the first time, it is critical to be prepared, profession and prompt.  Always have topics of conversation concerning your mentorship ready, and be prepared to answer any other questions concerning your future.  Also, remember names and faces at your mentorship.  I envision gaining a further knowledge of my field and having the opportunity to experience first hand what this career entails.  I will definitely work my hardest at every task given to me in order gain the most experiances and opportunities as possible while at the mentorship.