Monday, September 3, 2007

First official day of school

Last Friday was my first day of school. I think they're easing us into a routine because it was only one class. All we really did was learn our way around the lab, wash our hands, and reviewed a syllabus. I think I'm really going to like this school. It seems like a good fit for me. There are a couple doulas in my program as well.

I was mildly irritated when I told my "mentor" group that I was a doula, my mentor was like, "A what?!" She's a cardiac nurse...so I'm sure my birth opinions don't really interest her. But I did meet one of the coolest girls I've met in a long time. I didn't really pay attention to her until I realized she had the *entire* female reproductive system as a "logo" on her hoodie. Awesome :) She told me she used to volunteer for a free clinic. She's going for a public health nursing degree but is in the same "program" as myself. Another woman who introduced herself to me is working on her degree while she works for Planned Parenthood.

So that makes a couple of doulas (more are in the nursing class ahead of ours), someone working for a free clinic, and someone working for Planned Parenthood. I suppose I can breathe a sigh of relief to be somewhat surrounded by women's health advocates. I was extremely afraid that I would be thrust into an overwhelming pro-life group.

Which brings me to the question, what organizations should I join? There's a Feminist Health Center in Atlanta which looks like a pretty interesting place to volunteer. Perhaps practice my new skills? But there's another organization, Health Stat, which focuses on important issues in the local area. One focus of this group is discrepancies in access to health care which I'm sure some women's health issues fall. I also want to look into a feminist organization on campus. College political group? And our student nurses' association -- perhaps run for office. I really just want to throw myself head first into all of this stuff.

Anyways -- I must run the pups outside and get started on dinner. Mac 'n' cheese for Beloved. I'll write more later.

2 comments:

Em said...

The Feminist Womens Health Center is a great place to volunteer. I have a friend actually that worked there for a year as an "abortion options" counselor and loved it.

Other organizations in the area that I'm particularly fond of are the Dekalb Rape Crisis Center and the Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative.

Please excuse all typos - I'm a little sleepy and a little overwhelmed with pharmacology right now.

Amy said...

The Feminist Women's Health Center is where Ryan's old babsyitter worked for a while before she left to go to Med School in DC. She LOVED it so I suspect it's a good place. We're back in town so let me know if you want to meet at some point and we can give you more insight about Atlanta. Congrats on all the exciting school stuff!

--Amy (http://raz.blogs.com)