NICU and USMLE scores

Today I went on rounds at the NICU with two interns, a pharmacy student, and an attending who didn't seem to be very interested in teaching. Many times I'd be looking at babies that I had no clue what was wrong with them, and I'd have to ask one of the interns for more info. We saw several preemies, two babies with trachoesophageal fistulas, one baby with a PDA (I got to listen to the machine murmur), etc. On the fifth floor, where the "larger" infants were, I saw a baby girl with Trisomy 18. She had the wide-set eyes, pointy occiput, and overlapping fingers, but she was bundled up so I couldn't see her feet. Her mother was with her, and I felt sad knowing that the poor baby will most likely not live to see her 1st birthday.

I was done with rounds before noon conference, so I finished my second H&P and turned it in. My mom called during dinner and told me the news about my USMLE score: I passed. It wasn't an outstanding score, but given how I took it early (and was falling asleep during the exam), it could have been much worse. If I had higher aspirations (radiology, derm), then my score would have shot my dreams to pieces, but since I'm interested in IM, I might be okay.