General question. Where's a good, reliable source for the images for the posts? I mostly search on deviantart.

Apologies for delays. I got a little under the weather + birthday + medical issues with my dad.

Well, since we have several people with two characters and this position hasn't been filled yet...

George Strand: The Doctor's Apprentice [+]

G E O R G E S T R A N D
G E O R G E S T R A N D

^{“This wasn't the life I desired, but it's the one I have. I will not desert those who rely on me.”}

C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T _________________________________________________________ C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________ George Strand is a thirty-three year old trainee doctor in his last year of residency. He serves in the local clinic under the aging Dr. Jason Reinhold, his mentor who is only a year or two away from retirement. George was born and raised on the island, but had always hoped to go someplace else, be someone important. Instead, he's found how much even a local country doctor can be important to those he serves. He still sometimes fantasizes of serving in some first world country where he'd save thousands. Personality wise, he tends to be strict and assertive. He will not let others boss him around and he will make sure his patients take their medication and follow his orders, even if he has to scare the living daylights out of them to do so. Yet, he also will listen to those that need to talk, comforting those that need it and seeking to give advice that would truly help. He never wants to fail anyone under his care, nor wants to see them suffer unnecessarily. When not on duty, he tends to keep to himself and read in one of his favorite haunts. Sometimes, he reads pure fantasy and adventure. Other times, he's going over travel guides and various sources of life and cultures around the world.

C H A R A C T E R B I O G R A P H Y C H A R A C T E R B I O G R A P H Y ________________________________________________________________________________________ George was among those born and raised on the island, exploring every inch he could when he was young. But as he grew older, the island seemed less magical and more, ordinary. So he dreamed of recapturing that magic by traveling all around the world. He saved every cent he ever got, took on what odd jobs and part-time work he could, all to see the world. But then he started learning about the suffering that happened, the various peoples that suffered from disease and other ailments with no one to help them. Wasn't his dream a little selfish then? Did one kid from Starlight Cove and his dreams matter in the grand scheme of things? After much reflection, he decided to become a general doctor. That way, he could travel but also save lives and make a true impact on the world. The money he saved ended up helping to pay for his medical degree, with his parents helping as they could. Unbeknownst to George though, Dr. Jason Reinhold, the local doctor for over thirty years, also helped in paying his tuition, wanting to encourage George in pursing his goal. And through hard work and persistence, George made it through the eight years of schooling with a high average all throughout and passed through the first stage of exams. However, he now needed to serve a five-year residency under another general doctor for five years. While his grades were high, they weren't outstanding. Nor did he have any personal connections to the rest of the medical field. And so his classmates that were either stand out students or had connections went on to snap up the available residencies. George desperately sought for anyone that would take him. But in the end, only one person would: Dr. Jason Reinhold himself. George at first rejected it, seeking for anyone else. But it was truly his only option. So he took it, telling himself he'd only stay the five years needed then leave. Yet, as the years went by, George couldn't help but find himself caring more now for the old ladies and elder men that had watched him grow then he'd ever expected to before. Some many stories they were willing to share if one simply took the time to listen, some many pains and troubles he'd had no idea before. Yet there was also such tenacity and strength of will in them all. It made it all the sadder whenever one of them ended up being taken out of their homes to be sent to a care center on the mainland to eventually pass away, far from the gentle breezes of home. He tried to see if there might be a way to at least set up some sort of care center on the island itself, but Starlight Cove was itself seen as being in its twilight years, consigned to quietly drift away. Few seriously considered setting up such a place there. The one who did, business tycoon Cassias Potter, planned to wait until after the town was dead then buy the land for cheap and bulldoze everything that the town had built so he could make the island into 'a true untouched paradise'. Needless to say, George was quite enraged by this answer. But there was little he could do as a resident doctor. Only take care of his patients and use the clinic's limited resources to help as many to continue living in their own homes for as long as possible. Perhaps find some way to spring new life into the community so that there would be no chance for Potter to remake everything into his own image, but that would take a miracle. Complicating matters is the fact that Dr. Reinhold is older himself, and nearing the point where he'll need to retire. However, if Reinhold retires and there's no one to take over the clinic, there's a good chance that the clinic will shut down and the nearest other one will be a boat's trip away, requiring more people leave if they want to receive the medical care they need and practically dooming the island immediately. However, if Reinhold makes it through till George finishes his residency and passes his final certification exams, then George would be able to take over the clinic and Reinhold could retire in peace. The real question remains if time is on their side. George has been taking over more and more of the daily operations of the clinic, but Reinhold's has been deteriorating slowly day by day. It is now George's final year of residency, and Reinhold has started suffering severely from dementia, all timers, and arthritis. He still has good days occasionally, but they've gotten fewer and fewer. George is basically the town doctor now in all but name as he starts his final year of residency. If the two of them could make it till the winter time, then everything will be alright on their side at least. He just has to do what he can then continue pushing on.

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Merry Christmas

I'm around, I didn't want to get too far ahead of everyone else though. Sorry Cyrania, maybe I should have said something in the OOC about it...

I think we all just got overwhelmed by the holidays.

I know I did, having to work in retail.