No Time to Relax!

Throughout spring break and the week of ISM before break, I thoroughly updated my digital and paper portfolios, continued writing detailed mentor visit assessments, researched for my final product, added contacts to my contact list, and gained information concerning professionalism in the pediatric workplace. Currently, I am extremely excited to have had so many mentor visits with my mentor, Dr. Dickschat, because I feel as if I have been learning a great amount of information. As I frequently have questions, I ask her anything and everything possible.

Likewise, I will need to schedule a mentor visit purely for my final product in order to discuss more information specifically with my mentor. I would like to get some more insight on the mental illness aspect that pediatrics deals with, especially considering that the lines between learning disabilities and psychological diseases may blur or overlap. Alongside that, I have a couple of questions pertaining to the overall awareness of mental diseases among children throughout simple, commonplace workplaces in her own office. Since Texas, especially Frisco, is a highly populated and continuously growing area, there may be some vital information to be gained. Additionally, Dr. Dickschat can help me in finding actual patients and patients’ parents to interview. I have already contact counselors, other pediatricians specializing in psychiatry, psychologists, and numerous people who deal with the brain and the sociological aspect of mental illnesses. After I gather the necessary information, I am planning to visit my local library and the school librarian to see if she has any information on how to actually put a book together or if there is anyway I could publish something simple and then elaborate later. My initial thoughts for this was a children’s book, and I was thinking of doing something along the lines of the ABC’s of acceptance because kids could easily understand it, but I am tossing ideas around with friends and family in case I hear something more groundbreaking. In conclusion, I feel as if I am making decent progress on my final product. Sometimes, I believe I am too hard on myself when it comes to making sure everything is perfect, but this project has really inspired me to take my time and make sure that whatever I do does not have to be perfect but convey the ultimate message I would like to get across to my audience. All in all, I am hoping that this final product will enhance my learning about pediatrics and the emotional aspect of what a doctor may deal with, especially since mental illnesses are not very common amongst children. Furthermore, mentor visits and mentor visit assessments will continue to teach me crucial information relating to pediatrics.