Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Mini 3 Hurdle
First and foremost I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Ross University for re-sharing my blog on their facebook page last week, it was so nice to log onto instagram and see many new followers and about 1,000 new views on the blog! Second, hello to all the new followers! Welcome, welcome :) I hope this blog gives you some insight not only into Ross, but my life journey as well, it has already been quite eventful. To all my usual followers, whattttupppp.
Well it is the evening of the aftermath that was Mini 3 and whoa. That exam was a marathon. It was only 1 hour and 53 minutes and 84 questions, but I am definitely still feeling the effects. I studied at my kitchen table for three days straight and did not see the light of day, but managed to pull a 92% on this one, so I am pretty happy! I usually don't ever comment on marks (yes, in Canada..we say "marks", not "grades") but I was pretty proud of this one. I studied a lot and pretty intensely, as the material was quite dense and the amount was ridiculous. I have definitely found a trend within med school where the professors give you JUST enough where the shear volume of material is out of your comfort zone. The key to this is to just stay on top of it. I have always heard upper semesters saying: "just study everyday"...well..what does that really mean? What are you actually doing from hour to hour? How do you study? To summarize and to let people know my typical day, I thought I would share what a typical 1st semester mediasiter at Ross University looks like:
6:00am--> Wake up/Breakfast
6:40am-7:40am-->Gym
8:00am-1pm--> mediasite lectures of the day and make study sheets simultaneously
1pm-2pm-->Lunch
2pm-7pm-->Review material taught that day
7pm-8pm--> Dinner
8pm-11pm--> practice questions/finishing up material/if have time: pre-read for tomorrow's lecture
11pm--> TRY to be in bed...usually 12am.
Med school is tough. Actually..it is quite brutal..but it is doable. You have to be able to have self motivation, discipline, motivation, and a dash of tenacity because that is what will get you through those long nights. Ross is awesome, and I am not saying that because I go here and that I didn't get into Canadian med schools (*shakes fist*), but they really set you up for success. All professors want you to succeed and their doors are always open and will get back to you within 24 hours with an email response. I am really impressed with their Clinical Skills Curriculum here, as I have had two patient interactions already, and in Canada, that is not until about your third year at the majority of universities. I performed an abdominal exam on a patient where I touched their stomach to feel any abnormalities (palpate), using my finger and a tapping technique to listen to tympanic and dull sounds (percussion), and listened to normal bowl sounds in all four quadrants of the abdomen using my handy dandy stethoscope (auscultation). Actually, the appropriate order should be 1) Auscultate, 2) Percussion, 3) Palpation and EVERY time in that order. Seeing a live patient has made all this studying worth it, as you can be so involved in your notes that you sometimes forget why you are here. Last week's clinical skills sessions definitely solidified my reasons for being here.
I am happy to have more people on this journey with me, and in a weird way, I can physically feel all of you cheering me on. I love writing and telling you all about my experiences, whether they may be good, bad, or both at the same time. I had a moment today where I couldn't stop smiling. I finished my exam....walked to the mail room on campus, and in the corner of my eye I saw all these kids running around on this huge field...and there was Steve (FYI for the newcomers: Steve: boyfriend who is on the island with me) and he was teaching his health class outside. All these kids ranging from 6-9 years old as happy as can be, and him noticing me after my exam with the biggest smile and wave (I probably looked like death), and having the bright sun shining down on us. It such an awesome moment. Theennnnnnn I went to the beach and ordered a strawberry daiquiri. Life is great.
Well folks, as they always say, work hard play harder...which really means I am watching lectures tonight from our lectures on Friday that were not tested on today's exam. I will play hard when I have that M.D. after my name..until then..it's back to the grind.
Next obstacle ahead: Anatomy practical on Monday and Mini 4 in 5 weeks. BEAST of an exam. Let's do this.
Bye for now,
--E xo
