Saturation point

This is what I call saturation point. I've reviewed all of the material except for the Pediatrics section. I haven't done many practice questions, and hopefully I"ll have time for those tomorrow.

Not too excited for this scary test. I don't know what it means to feel prepared for it either. 

"The hardest part (about CPD practical exam) is to overcome your fear"

~ Clinical tutor

We’ve had some good advice-giving tutors. He also said to be nice to ourselves, and trust that anything on the test will be something we have seen in lab….which is comforting.

So what about fear? It's still present, still haunts me and works together with anxiety to block my frontal lobe thinking. Sucks. But work is in progress.

Ritual

"The occupation of a student is to study." ~ My dad, my clinical tutor's dad, and others (other dads?)

That phrase is nice to hear, and to be reminded of, but in practice it's very annoying. It's hard to keep studying all the time. How does studying even become an occupation?

After cleaning my desk tonight with packets of Pathology, CPD lab notes and tons of colorful highlighters and post-its, I've realized studying has become a ritual to me. Every day I wake up looking at a bright morning with a clean desk, ready to study (And yes, I get a nice view of the ocean and the waves coming ashore). The timings are not all set in stone, but the ritual is still the same. Wake up, get ready, eat, study. Take a break, socialize a bit, eat more...back to studying. More studying....and finally wind down for the night. Rinse and repeat.

I've also noticed a pattern in what I do in my break time. Listening to a song or two, talking to my roommate, grabbing something crunchy and maybe, if I'm lucky, visit the dock. It's really nice actually. I have actually come to liking the act of studying. Each time, I've begun to perform this ritual with more care, and I work towards learning better each day. Also, I've been more efficient with my time. It's okay to take an extra 10-15 minutes to relax. It's okay to stop studying Micro because nothing goes into my head. And it's okay to go on Facebook to keep in touch with people.

Well, I never thought this day would come where I would actually like studying. So huge leap for me? I think so.

October light

Today, it's been a downhill since Pathology lab ended in terms of productivity. I had a plan or was going to prepare for one, but I just got mentally and environmentally disturbed. Shouldn't have let everything affect me so much. 

So I went to the gym. And shot some hoops for a bit in the hopes of recovery. Which helped, a bit. I finally have my focus on (except for now, I had to make this short post).

I did sit down on my bed and ponder for a good while before I started studying about lymphomas and leukemias (which are still a puzzle to me). I kept questioning myself - what is most interesting to me about studying? Why do I want to study this material? What is the purpose of studying it?

....eventually, I got to why am I here? why am I in medical school, trying to be a future physician. After a LOT of digging through, I realized I have NO IDEA. And that's fine. I used to be confused about what I'd do as a physician, and develop wonderful ideas which inspired me. But honestly, I have no idea why I chose this path over others. Why didn't I become an engineer and help the world in that way? Why am I in medical school to study this material? Well I know why they teach us these particular courses....but I have no idea where this path is going to take me. 

I guess this whole time, I've been making up a TON of rationalities. And none of them are satisfying and convincing enough as "I have no idea" at this point. So hopefully I'd like to figure out why I'm here.

Fourth term

I am extremely nervous about starting this term. Mostly because I know it's going to push me to my limits...mentally, physically (I dunno about this), and basically disturb any internal balance I have with myself.

Bracing myself with this post. Here's to a good start to a difficult, horrifying, scary, challenging semester.

1 final down

Just finished my final for Neuroscience and I have to take notes of a couple of things:

Before I write more about this studying thing...please take note that I have been getting by with cramming a lot of information closer towards the exams. All the information we're learning is fascinating but to do well in medical school (at least here), there is certain information you just have to memorize. Yes, understanding definitely helps. But when there is a minute and a half given for each question, it really helps when you can recall things off the top of your head. So I have made a new regimen to studying that has helped....not sure about working but it definitely helps on test questions

- Look at objectives, they really do make test questions from them...holy smokes.

- Practice questions are just to test yourself, but in no way resemble the test

- Review ALL of the material once (better yet, twice) before the test day or two

- Go back to material you're weak on...and if you don't get it, go over it again....and again, until it sticks. Do whatever you need to - draw it out, color it, make stupid symbols and ridiculous explanations. 

Pray to God and hope that you'll get through....with this amount of pressure to pass these tests and get through, sometimes I need luck and some blessing.

That's all for now. Now for a good nap....

Halfway through Term 2

Haven't written anything in a long time here because I've shifted to using Tumblr...which seems like a viable blogging medium during the semester. But, do not fear, I'm here to update on Ligamentum Flavum.

Term 2. What can I say. It started out so well, with just Parasitology and CPM. Parasitology was really interesting to me...maybe the professor did a great job at keeping things interesting. But I had a great work ethic going for the first two weeks. After the classes finished, everything went downhill. Everything except for the workload.

I had lost my motivation for a long time...and my only saving grace at this point had been Cardiophysiology. At one point, I went to classes only for the Cardiophysiology lectures. The professor had a great sense of humor and all of the material just seemed to compile in my head really well. I could connect to it, apply it and explain it inside out. Neuroscience was the completely opposite case. It had too many overwhelming lectures and the focus of what to study was just a jumble.

As for Genetics and Immunology, two random classes in my opinion. Immunology started to make sense towards the end but Genetics is just a lot of information that doesn't connect very well. The diseases presented in class, however, clicked with diseases we learned in Neuroscience or from Anatomy/Biochemistry last term. But in my opinion, they could have done a better job with how the lectures were organized.

Overall, the semester has been much more relaxing than last term. One big thing I've learned is how to ask questions. And this continuous questioning and filing of information in my head organized information in my head better. Midterm studying involved a lot of studying the 2 weeks before the test. But I think critically judging the information I had at hand improved my reasoning skills.

Another thing I've noticed throughout the semester - all of my friendships have blossomed. In some form or another. Maybe I've spent too much time on this. But living in this new dorm with different roommates and neighbors helped me cope much better with stress. Sometimes, I forget that we're on an island away from all of our individual worlds. School, classes, struggling for our own routines is bringing us together, to a certain extent.

There is so much more to write....but I will leave it there because of 8am lectures....

Adios for now.