DocDarm

DocDarm has this to say about himself:

"I'm Todd. 35 years old, although I feel (& look?) 28. Suburban california upbringing. Very secular, probably liberal family (dad was a Haight/Ashbury hippy, partied with Janis Joplin & Grace Slick). Got my real estate license at 18, and studying nothing in college until I was 20. Hated real estate. Then grandma had some heart palpitations, & I was the only one available to run her to the E.R. I looked around, saw all the beeping machines and blinking lights, guys in white coats WHO MADE HER BETTER, and I was intrigued. Didn't know if I could be a doctor, or even stand the sight of blood.

So, I volunteered at the UC Davis ER. Liked it. Then tried Biology. Liked it. Then Chem. Liked it. And so on.

Left California. Went to med school. Had my first trip to NYC during a six week psychiatry rotation. I had never been to NYC before, had no interest in NYC, and figured I'd hate it. I mean, I was an earthy-crunchy surfer northern california boy. Well, I had the funnest, most action-packed, interesting, phenomenal years of my life in NYC. It really has something for everyone. Had I just visited for a weekend or week, I probably would have hated it. But actually LIVING there, falling into the lifestyle, and seeing the world from a New York Centric point of view changes your life. You learn tolerance. You learn to accept other ideas as just as valid as your own. You learn to see the world as a much, much smaller place.

Anyhow, I liked it so much that I only applied to medical residency positions in New York City. I was a senior resident there on 9/11/01 (gone golders might remember my posts). They asked me to stay an extra year as chief resident. I then went on to do a two year fellowship in endocrinology.

I love endocrinology because it's the one area of medicine where EVERYthing is treatable or curable. I can actually make people better 99% of the time if I can motivate them to follow my advice. I enjoy it.

Moved to Florida last summer with MzDarm. NYC is fun & lifechanging, but after about 5 years of it you're ready to move on. After moving to Fort Lauderdale, I found out there's a severe shortage of endocrinologists here. I was able to easily fund a private practice for myself.

My office opens March 1, 2006. I just spent an enormous amount on computers/software that boggles my mind. I hired my first employee. Banks want to talk to me. My professional life is finally starting.

(Oh, and while I was waiting for funding for the new office, I spent two months working in Talahina, OK working for the Choctaw Indian Nation. It was VERY rural. Town had a single stop sign (no stop lights!). But Indians came from 100's of miles to visit that clinic. I ran the Diabetes Wellness Center. It was amazing.)

I just bought a Prius Hybrid. The technology amazes me. It's a great car. We're averaging 50 MPG on highway/city driving.

I'm happy. I'm intolerant of intolerant people. I think Prez Bush is moving the country into a really, really bad place and a good section of America doesn't see it/ignores it. I look forward to the melding of biology/technology in the very near future. I like alternatve rock, goth, industrial, & Drums&Bass.

MzDarm scares me sometimes, but in the best possible ways.

I love life, and never want it to end."