You know that job interview question "where do you see yourself in five years"? Its a good question. It asks about long range planning and the ability to set goals. These thought processes are important to organizations. Planning and goal setting allow them to improve productivity, create new products and services, and maintain a budget and staff.

But right now if you asked me about my five year plan I'd have to say I have no idea. I know I want to keep practicing medicine but where that will be or what form it will take is a mystery. Community health is intensely rewarding but I'm finding myself very good at women's health (which I never thought I'd like). I'd like to be in a position to travel more, learn more, dance more.

I keep saying that I don't know where I'll be in 5 years because I would never have put "live alone and work in Las Vegas, NM" on the plan. I thought I'd be happily married, Katie would be living with us, and I'd have a orthopedic surgery job with a big practice, and we'd be either putting an addition on the house or moving into something with a little more space, maybe in the North Valley.

PA school was the big goal, it was Mount Everest. I got down with just a little frostbite but with all my fingers and toes intact and now my mountain climbing predilections are temporarily quenched. Whats a goal oriented, hyperfocused girl to do? I guess its time to enjoy the warm tent and the abiltiy to breathe without an oxygen tank.