Adam, after writing my previous comment, I realized there was more.

I spent seven years working in hospitals as I was in and out of college. Worked as a nurse's aid, house orderly, psych tech on a psych unit. And later on an adolescent substance abuse unit. All of it was often harrowing, seeing life and death up close.

Looking back I would never change a thing. The experience informs me to this day. Nurses also make interesting lovers. I was even married to one, at least for a while.