Skillz, +/- the "Mad" part

Oh, sure. I've enjoyed the microbiology, the genetics, the neuroscience, even the statistics. But you know what's really fun? Learning actual clinical skill-type stuff. The PA I've been shadowing most recently decided to send me home with some extra supplies from the Urgent Care, and I'm learning to sew. One of my housemates saw the tray full of instruments on the kitchen table, and yet didn't see the grapefruit skin, and got a little... concerned. But it's totally benign. Check it out:

This is a pretty crappy suturing job, to be honest about it. But it's the first time I've ever sewn on a grapefruit skin, and I was primarily happy that I didn't stab myself with the needle.

4-0 nylon is one of your basic all-purpose suture materials. It's a little more bendy than thin fishing line, and way more rigid than the thread I used to fix a pair of jeans earlier today. I guess I'm just in a sewing mood.

I got better with the convex shape of the sections, and learned not to cut through the grapefruit with the suture. And then I did another row...


A better camera (or a better photographer) might make this more obvious, but in general, yes, this is already a superior job.

This is Vicryl, which is an absorbable suture material. It's also way happier to work with, because it's more flexible. But it's more fragile too, and so demands some patience and some style, all at once.

I'm a little geeked out about this. But hey: the next time you accidentally cut a grapefruit and then realize you don't want it yet, you can call me.