Yesterday was the first day we really got into the EWH lab, putting together a makeshift extension cord. That was pretty basic, though I can't say I've ever done it before! We worked together in our hospital groups, meaning the people we will be working with at the hospitals in the second month. Most groups are only 2, but I got lucky and will be working at St. Elizabeth hospital with both Charlotte (my current roomie), and Laura, a girl who goes to California Polytechnic Institute. I say lucky not only because they are both really nice, but they also seem to know a lot more practical skills than I! I was really glad I had such patient partners when we did our first soldering practice today. For those of you who don't know, soldering is how you "melt together" electrical joints. I've never even picked up a soldering gun, but Charlotte and Laura were both very proficient. After I spliced my first two wires together, Laura told me I was a natural. :) Not sure if she was just trying to make me feel better, but I definitely feel more comfortable with the equipment now! Our only complaint is that the gun we were provided with is, well, pretty crappy. We figured we'd look around for a nicer one next time we head into town! It would be nice to have something workable if we're going to be using it in the hospitals. Anyways, I can't wait to learn some more new skills in the upcoming weeks!
Looks like you're learning more valuable skills (including the importance of proper tools)! I'm glad you're having fun and learning not only about technical things, but also about the vast differences in cultures.
I noticed your extension cord wire looks pretty flimsy. Please make sure you match your wire size to your load if you need to do this in real life. Otherwise you could start a fire! Here's a table: http://lugsdirect.com/WireCurrentAmpacitiesNEC-Table-301-16.htm
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I'm a recent Biomedical Engineering grad from Duke University. I love to explore, and I want to make an impact on healthcare in developing countries.