My name is Alexa Yanosky and I am one of many 2018 Pinhead Interns from Montrose, Colorado. This summer I have the amazing opportunity to take part in a medical internship in the United States Virgin Islands, more specifically the beautiful island of St. Croix. My fellow intern, Abbie Link, is joining me on this four week journey to discovering the astonishing work of our host-father and medical mentor, Dr. Gregory Moorman.
Day 1 (July 8): The adventure to St. Croix began at 4:30 in the morning as Abbie and I headed to the Grand Junction airport for our 6:11 flight to Dallas/Fort Worth airport. Along the three connecting flights, from Grand Junction, to Dallas, then Miami to finally St. Croix, we met very nice people on the flights and got to catch up with each other as the 17 hour travel day passed smoothly. Once arriving in St. Croix at 9:16, Dr. Moorman was there to greet us the gates and even though it was too dark to see much on the way back to the Moorman house, Abbie and I could still see the damage from the previous hurricane that hit the Virgin Islands last summer. Many telephone wires still lay across the roads and signs/roofs were still needing repair almost a year later. We settled in and ate dinner with Dr. Moorman’s two sons, Andreas and Stefán, then went to bed because of the early day we had tomorrow.
Day 2: We woke up the next morning, with the power out and WiFi disconnected, resulting in a delay in our first rotation day. Instead of heading to Dr. Moorman’s office in Gallows Bay at 7:00, Abbie and I relaxed and got familiar with our apartment underneath the Moorman’s top floor. After a swift nap, we headed out the door to meet our first patient around 4:30. The patient was an eight year old boy, with multiple abscesses on his left thumb that Dr. Moorman numbed then cut open to release pressure and fluid. Once learning about the filing system for Dr. Moorman’s office, Andreas, Abbie and I came home to change then saw a movie at the new theater on the island.
Day 3: Abbie and I silenced our alarms at 6:30 and got up for our first day at the office, leaving around 7:30 to assist 33 patients. From greeting patients, to assisting in consultations with Dr. Moorman, Andreas, Abbie and I saw over 40 patients in the eight hour work day. Most of the patients that came into Dr. Moorman’s office were for skin tags or melanomas, while only seven were for preoperative or postoperative reasons. Overall, the hectic day resulted in a relaxing evening at the Moorman’s pool with Andreas and a few friends because Abbie wasn’t feeling well. Stefán had prepared a delicious meal and after we ate we went to bed for an exciting day in the OR (operating room) for a mammoplasty reduction (breast reduction) the next day.
Day 4: As we climbed into the car at 7:30 the next morning, the three of us were nervous yet excited to see the first surgery of the internship. Once arriving at the Plesson Surgical Center, we changed into hospital provided scrubs, signed some confidentiality paperwork and eagerly waited outside of the OR for Dr. Moorman’s wave into the room. The OR was 65 degrees and calm with the nurse anesthetist, OR nurse and surgical assistant roaming around the room prepping the woman on the table for a breast reduction. The plan was to cut out about three pounds from the chest area to help with neck and back pains the woman was having. After the meticulous and fascinating surgery, Dr. Moorman was finished with the reduction and fat tissue was removed successfully from the patient. The four of us came back to the house to relax and clean up the apartment for the rest of the evening.
Day 5: Thursday’s are known for cosmetic day in the office, meaning that many of the patients are there for Botox injections or a juvederm injections (Botox filler). Botox is a protein that relaxes muscles in the face that causes wrinkles and folds; while juvederm is a filler that is injected in places there’s lines are present and fills out the facial skin again. Although there were other patients in the office, many of them didn’t feel comfortable with having observers or interns in their rooms so Andreas, Abbie and I weren’t very involved during that day at the office. That night we all came home, made homemade pizzas and relaxed by the pool.
Day 6: Two surgeries were lined up today at the Plesson center again, so the three of us were up and out of the house by 7:30, excited for the hernia removal and face lift we were about to observe. Dr. Moorman talked us through the two procedures on paper and answered our simple questions. The hernia was a quick one hour procedure (the left) and he narrated most of his cuts and tactics while the face lift was more meticulous and required more of Dr. Moorman’s attention so the OR was silent. Andreas, Abbie and I headed back to the house around 1:30 and helped Stefán make dinner for Dr. Moorman and Andreas later that evening after their pickup game of soccer.
Day 7: This morning I rolled out of bed around 9:30 and relaxed until 1:30, then Dr. Moorman drove us to the beach where Stefán, Abbie and I tanned, swam, and hung out for a few hours. Overall, it was such an amazing week and I’m so excited to see what this next week brings Abbie, Andreas and me in the OR and in the office with Dr. Moorman.
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