Do you have an undergraduate degree in biology? No. I don't. My undergrad is in Political Science, with two minors - one in Social Welfare and the other in Philosophy. My MA is in Political Theory. But this does not rule me out. Apparently only about 51% of people enrolled in medical school have degrees in biological science.
So, why medicine? I'm interested in women's reproductive health. I didn't realize this interest until my last year of my undergrad, by which time it was too late to change my major.
So, why don't you just go to midwifery school? I've never thought that I would be very good at science. But recently I've realized that I can do anything I put my mind to, and I realized that the place that I can have the impact I want to is by pursuing medicine.
But seriously, why medicine?
I have a number of reasons for this.
1) I'm really, really interested in women's reproductive and sexual health
2) There are not enough obstetricians and gynaecologists in Ontario, especially in Northern Ontario
3) There are certainly not enough doctors in North America who are sensitive to gender issues, including gender non-conformity. This is especially problematic in gynaecology.
4) Sexual abuse is far too common among gynaecologists; according to the college, 17 sexual abuses leading to revocation of licenses happened between 1999 and 2012, but through my experience talking to friends who have visited gynaecologists recently, the number of mild to major sexual abuses by doctors is certainly much higher. People simply don't know how to address the issue and simply choose to switch doctors, or not go at all.
There are many problems with health care in Canada, one that can't be solved merely by training more "baby-catchers". As much as I know that I will try to use a midwife when I am having a child, most of my time spent with my legs open in front of a stranger will not be during child-birth. People need to feel safe when they are with their sexual healthcare provider. That requires that more people who are sensitive to these issues need to pursue healthcare and work the system from inside.
Maybe I won't go to medical school. Maybe I won't even get accepted.
But, my lack of undergraduate science experience does not rule me out of being a good candidate to study medicine. More people like me need to.
Also, happy Tuesday!
Monday, March 30, 2015
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Pre-Christmas goodness and Gluten Free Choc-coffee cookies
Unlike many of my classmates, I am not heading home for Christmas right away, and again unlike many of my classmates, my Christmas holidays started early because every single one of my assignments is already completed, and were completed by Monday the 8th. So, this means I have an entire month (two weeks of which are left) to get started on my reading for next semester, bake Christmas cookies and make tofurkey/seitan, maybe do some housework, finish my Christmas shopping, and start working on my thesis (yeah right).
Also, I have been sleeping. Constantly.
And I should feel worse about it but honestly, I'm so exhausted I feel as though I am making up for three month's of lost sleep.
In spite of all this napping I have managed is to make cookies, have a Christmas party, finish my Christmas shopping and wrapping. This morning VOMD and I had our very own at home Christmas celebration. He has to work Monday and Tuesday and then we are headed to see family and friends from the 24th to the 4th, so we wanted to make sure we get our own Christmas morning experience, especially because it was our first one together!
He, the adorable silly pants, ordered stuff online that did not arrive yet, but still we exchanged awesome gifts (some super snazzy clothes,a couple books, and a Sega Genesis from me to him; and comfy pants, a beautiful scarf and a super amazingly awesome Japanese tea set from him to me; and of course lots of awesome stocking stuffers). We both bought each other a bunch of Lush stuff. If you don't know Lush, check them out. They are super vegan (only some of their products are not vegan, and its because of honey, which we both still eat and use...which is a story for another time), and now we both smell ridiculously delicious.
For Christmas I decided to try some gluten free vegan baking because Eric has developed a bit of a wheat sensitivity. I came up with a gluten free vegan cookie recipe, the base for which I sort of borrowed from the Post Punk Kitchen blog, here.
Gluten Free Vegan Choc-Coffee Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sunflower oil (we only have it on hand for oil pulling and usually cook with coconut or olive oil...but you can use any other veg oil as well)
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar (use Redpath or another guaranteed vegan brand)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp flax seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other vegan milk)
1 cup gluten free flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
2/3 cup good quality cocoa powder
1/2 cup instant coffee (I used decaf hazelnut flavoured coffee, but you can use whatever you'd like)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup crushed unsalted walnuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper
Blend flax seeds until powdered. Add almond milk and blend some more (about 3 seconds). Set mixture aside while you do the next step. It will seem kind of gooey. This is your egg replacer and helps bind the cookies together.
In a medium sized bowl sift together all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, coffee, baking soda, baking powder, salt).
In large bowl cream together sugar, vanilla, and oil. Because you are using brown sugar it will seem a bit thick and not as creamy as it would be were you to use regular white sugar. Then add flax and almond milk mixture and mix thoroughly.
Start adding dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. You might have to use your hands. Its fun. Do it. It will be dense and not very sticky.
Then fold in walnuts and chocolate chips. It will seem pretty crumbly.
Using your hands form about one inch balls (you can make them as big or as small as you want, really, just be careful to slightly adjust your baking time) and then smoosh flat(ish).
Place on cookie sheets with a fair amount of space between them. I could fit about 10 on each sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. They will be puffy and very squishy when they are ready, so do NOT over cook.
Take out and let sit for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. No joke, I use a cheep dollar store cabinet storage rack as a cooling rack--simple, cheep, and multi-purposed. Once they are a bit cooled you will see that they harden up a bit but are still chewy and delicious and full of coffee-chocolate goodness.
These, along with left over seitan, mashed potatoes and carrots from our dinner party last night, were our breakfast. Yum!
Overall, best day ever.
Happy Sunday!
Also, I have been sleeping. Constantly.
And I should feel worse about it but honestly, I'm so exhausted I feel as though I am making up for three month's of lost sleep.
In spite of all this napping I have managed is to make cookies, have a Christmas party, finish my Christmas shopping and wrapping. This morning VOMD and I had our very own at home Christmas celebration. He has to work Monday and Tuesday and then we are headed to see family and friends from the 24th to the 4th, so we wanted to make sure we get our own Christmas morning experience, especially because it was our first one together!
He, the adorable silly pants, ordered stuff online that did not arrive yet, but still we exchanged awesome gifts (some super snazzy clothes,a couple books, and a Sega Genesis from me to him; and comfy pants, a beautiful scarf and a super amazingly awesome Japanese tea set from him to me; and of course lots of awesome stocking stuffers). We both bought each other a bunch of Lush stuff. If you don't know Lush, check them out. They are super vegan (only some of their products are not vegan, and its because of honey, which we both still eat and use...which is a story for another time), and now we both smell ridiculously delicious.
For Christmas I decided to try some gluten free vegan baking because Eric has developed a bit of a wheat sensitivity. I came up with a gluten free vegan cookie recipe, the base for which I sort of borrowed from the Post Punk Kitchen blog, here.
Gluten Free Vegan Choc-Coffee Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sunflower oil (we only have it on hand for oil pulling and usually cook with coconut or olive oil...but you can use any other veg oil as well)
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar (use Redpath or another guaranteed vegan brand)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp flax seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other vegan milk)
1 cup gluten free flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
2/3 cup good quality cocoa powder
1/2 cup instant coffee (I used decaf hazelnut flavoured coffee, but you can use whatever you'd like)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup crushed unsalted walnuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper
Blend flax seeds until powdered. Add almond milk and blend some more (about 3 seconds). Set mixture aside while you do the next step. It will seem kind of gooey. This is your egg replacer and helps bind the cookies together.
In a medium sized bowl sift together all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, coffee, baking soda, baking powder, salt).
In large bowl cream together sugar, vanilla, and oil. Because you are using brown sugar it will seem a bit thick and not as creamy as it would be were you to use regular white sugar. Then add flax and almond milk mixture and mix thoroughly.
Start adding dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. You might have to use your hands. Its fun. Do it. It will be dense and not very sticky.
Then fold in walnuts and chocolate chips. It will seem pretty crumbly.
Using your hands form about one inch balls (you can make them as big or as small as you want, really, just be careful to slightly adjust your baking time) and then smoosh flat(ish).
Place on cookie sheets with a fair amount of space between them. I could fit about 10 on each sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. They will be puffy and very squishy when they are ready, so do NOT over cook.
Take out and let sit for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. No joke, I use a cheep dollar store cabinet storage rack as a cooling rack--simple, cheep, and multi-purposed. Once they are a bit cooled you will see that they harden up a bit but are still chewy and delicious and full of coffee-chocolate goodness.
These, along with left over seitan, mashed potatoes and carrots from our dinner party last night, were our breakfast. Yum!
Overall, best day ever.
Happy Sunday!
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