Seizures, Epilepsy and Birthday Cake

Seizures occur when aggregates of neurons fire excessively, uncontrollably and hypersynchronously. It's kind of like what happens when you are at a restaurant and the waiter brings out the cake to particular table. Everyone at the table starts singing "happy birthday" (hypersynchronously, excessively and uncontrollably). That's just like a partial seizure. And if the rest of the restaurant joins in- you've got a secondarily generalized seizure. See, seizures are not that difficult to understand.
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Last night was the dress rehearsal. Today, I performed in front of thirty classmates, teaching my first MSP lesson. As one of the sixteen MSP (Medical Scholars Program) teachers, I have the privilege of leading sessions for my classmates this year and for first-year medical students next year, to help reinforce key concepts introduced in lecture and in the syllabus. I develop a handout to accompany my lesson.

Tonight I focused on Seizures and Epilepsy. To open, I dropped my first joke- "get ready for not just an exciting, but a hyperexciting lesson." I think it was funny. At least, I thought it was funny when I said it in my head (which does not say much).

In presenting seizure and epilepsy from a new perspective, I reviewed the basic construct of neuronal networks and factors that determine excitability. To explain how seizures develop, I used the example of a birthday cake being served in a restaurant. It makes sense and was my favorite part of the lesson.

In stepping back from the complicated science and medical terminology, I was able to use a simple example to teach a complex concept and reinforce the salient points that are buried in pages of text and hours of lecture (at least this is my goal and I certainly hope students got the point). I must thank my professor, since he came up with this idea and actually uses the analogy to explain seizures to his patients.

I have taught in the past an undergraduate and it was something that was central to my life. There is certainly a great deal of preparation, rehearsal and energy that goes into designing each lesson. All in all, teaching tonight was truly enjoyable and reinforces my desire to stay in academic medicine.

Returning to the front of the class takes me back and brings me joy. I am looking forward to the lessons to come and teaching first year medical students next year.