March 21, 2010

When I spoke with Rakib today I asked how he was doing. He said he was doing well but it was very hot in his room on the seventh floor of his hostel.
Rakib said he got the results of one of his exams this week. Out of a possible ten marks he got seven. Only two other students got ten marks. I believe this was an anatomy exam. He went on to tell me he had finished the study of the structure of the breast and all of the bones and structure of the arm and hand.
Rakib said he had also completed an area of study about blood. He learned about methods of blood transfer and transfusions. He also studied blood cancer. He asked me if I knew what leukemia was. I assured him that I did. He said he also learned about jaundice, anemia, and blood clots.
He is now studying for an exam on the back of the body. He informed me that there are two triangular areas on the back that doctors use to examine patients. He went on to explain that doctors use a stethoscope at these locations to hear the lungs. He said these areas have little or no muscle and they can clearly hear the lungs and detect any problem with them. Rakib was hesitant to use medical term, stethoscope, he did not know if I would understand it.
Rakib told me that there were several additional medical books that would be very useful to him to prepare for his upcoming exams. They contain updated information about the subjects he will be tested in. I asked Rakib if the other students in the hostel had them, and if he could borrow them from them. He said the students often share books but since they are all studying for the exam at this time it is difficult to borrow the books at this time. I asked how much the additional books would cost. He said about 6500 taka ($88 U.S.). He said he had about 600 taka in hand, left from the misc. expense money we sent him last month. I told him I would send an additional 6000 taka when I sent the money for his April school expenses.
Rakib said he called Dr. Ahmed’s sister to inquire how Dr. Ahmed was doing. Dr. Ahmed’s sister is Dr. Mohsin’s wife. Dr. Ahmed is the doctor from Maryland, he and his wife are helping Rakib with the cost of medical school. Dr. Mohsin is the doctor who lives and practices in Dhaka Bangladesh and is Rakib’s mentor. Dr. Mohsin informed Rakib that Dr. Ahmed will be coming to Bangladesh on 28 March. Rakib hopes to meet him when he is in Dhaka.
I ended the call by whishing Rakib good luck on his upcoming exam. He asked me to give the Scouts and their families his love.