Happy 2007! First of all, I wish everyone an enjoyable and rewarding new year. Although the transition from one year to another is essentially an artificial designation, it is accompanied by near-mystical fanfare. Celebrations include fireworks, music, and champagne galore. The new year also compels the general human psyche to reflect on the past and make resolutions for the future.

For many of my colleagues, work continues without skipping a beat. EMS still drives in the gunshot victim at 11:59 PM on New Year’s Eve. Two minutes later, a patient complains of sharp substernal chest pain that radiates to the shoulder. For admitted patients, hospital day 2 becomes hospital day 3.

As for myself, I was lucky to have gotten the day off. This gave me time to reflect on a myriad of thoughts, including the future of OnTheWards. The project is nearing its one-year anniversary, yet the amount of content here is only worthy for a month-old blog. I have not become the prolific blogger as I had originally hoped. Given my myriad of professional and personal responsibilities, I have also had to reassess whether this would be a worthwhile project to continue. And the verdict is … yes.

OnTheWards started as an experiment of sorts. It was my first entry into the blogging world. With some reflection on the past and inspiration from the future, I feel that it will continue to be a fun and educational endeavor for a long, long time. I look forward to sharing useful and interesting tidbits, while working to enrich this blog. Happy New Year!