Water (H2O) and carbon (C) are the most basic components of life, the essence of something organic. However when combined together in a simple aldehyde (H2C=O) what remains is the curse of all first year medical students - formaldehyde. I have had to spend all summer surrounded by this substance as I completed an intensive anatomy course and now, one month into the official academic year, I am interacting almost daily with formaldehyde as a facilitate and tutor for gross anatomy. While I've been reassure formaldehyde is only mildly toxic (comparable to EtOH) when inhaled in low doses (as in a well ventilated anatomy lab) the symptoms of formaldehyde exposure are not nearly as pleasant as those following a glass of vino tinto - headaches, irritate eyes, a pungent-lingering odor, and cold or numb fingers. (Aldehydes evaporate quickly taking away body heat). Adjusting to the world of medicine is a process I would guess is not unlike beginning a long sailing voyage - you have to develop sea legs before achieving a sense of confidence and surefootedness. Surrounded by a foreign environment one must quickly immerse oneself in the vernacular and learn the ropes all the while feeling one's worst due to the effects of seasickness. For me formaldehyde brings out the worst. While I'm not over the bow returning my breakfast, I notice myself becoming more irritable and tense after a day in the lab; most likely due to the unpleasant smells, sense of cold and onset of mild headaches. This feeling is juxtaposed by the sense of awe at the human body and the sense of pride being surrounded by a group of peers whom are intelligent, hardworking, and passionate about making a difference in the world. While it is unlikely I can change how my body reacts to the affects of formaldehyde or more broadly, the stresses of adapting to a new environment, I am learning how to navigate through these stressors and take time to decompress and reenergize while still sailing onwards. I hope as time goes by I get better at it and develop my medical "sea legs". Until then, at least I know we're all in the same boat.
