The week

This week I was involved in kicking off a new research project with cardiothoracic residents from four different integrated programs as the subjects. As a result, I visited four cities over five days....here's the story (in pictures)...

Monday morning started at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah for a very important CME Committee meeting.  These stress me out so it's always an adrenaline-filled way to start Monday.

Then flew to San Antonio, Texas...

Welcome to the University of Texas - Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSCA, said "you-tes-ca" by the people that worked there) - where it was very hot...

Then boarded a plane to head to the next stop....but had a short layover in Chicago, Illinois...

And landed late in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Tuesday morning brought a meeting at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

 

Breakfast with a dear old friend who I have been close to literally my entire life (and apparently I felt the need to slouch....?).

Then flying back home....with a short stop in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Woke up Wednesday morning in SLC.....(my front door)

And then back to the airport for this....

Arrived in San Francisco, California.....

Stanford University - beautiful campus!

 Then back home later in the evening....

Thursday morning brought meetings all morning - and then back to this....yep, SLC International...

Landed here.

However, this trip was much anticipated because I had plans with my sister-in-law and niece (baby diva) for dinner too!

After riding in MANY cabs this week, riding next to this little one and feeding her snacks was a much better way to travel from the airport.

Off to Jak's Grill fora delicious dinner....(missed you at your favorite restaurant, Jake!)

Where we had delicious food and entertainment from the diva....

After that it was bedtime so I went back to my hotel (with a cool city view - tough to see in the picture) and they had to go home....and I was blue to see them drive away - what a wonderful evening!

Vanessa, this one is just for you.  This hotel had thought of every germ-o-phobe's desires and compensated accordingly - it was our kind of place.  And when I picked up the remote, what did my wondering eyes behold, but an alcohol wipe for assured cleanliness... :)  You need to stay in this hotel, V.

The trip concluded with a good meeting with the residency program for University of Washington (morning view from my hotel room) and then another flight.  The final flight.

I have now heard the "to fasten your seatbelt, insert the metal tip into the buckle - pull the strap low and tight across your lap" speech 9 times in one week.  That's a lot of seatbelt talk.

Hello Utah.

My work week concluded the same way it started - a meeting at Intermountain Medical Center.

And, after a marathon week, the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Core Curriculum Research Project is officially underway.  Whew!