Recovering

I know I haven't post in a very long time. I'm recovering...

Recovering from the 8 exams we wrote in the last 10 days of semester three.
Recovering from semester 3.
Recovering from eye surgery.
But presently, just recovering from christmas food :)

I've got one more week before going back to the rock and this break has been the most relaxing yet.
Semester three ended. That's all I can really say about it. It was the most stressful thing I have ever gone through - I am through and not looking back.
As soon as I got home I had an eye surgery so I was forced to relax, sleep and not do anything strenuous... It's harder than I thought!! After the constant stress of third semester sitting down and dwindling your thumbs for 4 days straight was frustrating. I couldn't really read or watch much TV so I was forced to sleep. (hahaha most people would not be complaining if they were forced to sleep.) Trust me, I wasn't complaining but I needed to get up and do something. It's weird that I started missing school, studying and... the island. I know, I know I wasn't expecting it either but I think it's become my new home and part of my new life. Yes, I admit that I am looking forward to starting 4th semester :)
So until I go back I have a whole list of things I'd like to do: more reading (you probably could've guessed this by now!), watching TED talks - I've come across some really cool ones which I will be posting here - and spending some time enjoying the snow that will hopefully arrive.

wishing everyone merry christmas/happy holidays!

Ramblings about a rant

I came across "Why you should not go to medical school - a gleefully biased rant" by Ali Binazir a while back and found it quite interesting so I thought I would share :)

As a medical school graduate, the author made his own comprehensive list of what it means to go to medical school:

Here are his ten reasons NOT to go:
1. You will lose all the friends you had before medicine
2. You will have difficulty sustaining a relationship and will probably break up with or divorce your current significant other during training.
3. You will spend the best years of your life as a sleep-deprived, underpaid slave
4. You will get yourself a job of dubious remuneration
5. You will have a job of exceptionally high liability exposure
6. You will endanger your health and long term well-being
7. You will not have time to care for patients as well as you want to.
8. You will start to dislike patients - and by extension, people in general.
9. People who do not even know you will start to dislike you.
10. You're not helping people nearly as much as you think.

The ONE reason he came up with for why you should go into medicine was...
You have only ever envisioned yourself as a doctor and can only derive professional fulfillment in life by taking care of sick people.

Definitely recommend reading his rant. Interesting take on the medical profession. Sadly, most of the things he touches on are true... like the fact that you will not have time to care for patients as well as you want to. However I would like to stay the optimist that I am and end with saying that you only need ONE reason to go to medical school. If you want it bad enough the rest become challenges that you want to improve when you become the doctor you envision to be.

During my first semester at Saba, I wrote down the things I wanted to accomplish in my life as a doctor. The things I would like to become or people I aspire to be like. I put it in an envelope, sealed it and is in safe keeping until I graduate my residency. I want to be able to open that letter and feel like I became what the 'naive' me  dreamed of - when I had the future in front of me.

So, yes, there are many many many hardships of going through medical school but you are giving up something for an opportunity to be happy.  I think that's a good enough reason. Fulfill your dreams, don't worry about the stuff in the way.

on that inspiring note,

goodnight

3.4 & a quick word

Block 4 of semester 3 is done. This means 20 days until home for the christmas holidays! I can finally say that these sets of exams went relatively well (much better than any of the previous 3 exams :) ). I might just survive this stressful semester - even though I loved the material we were doing... finally more clinically centred rather than basic details.

On another note, I was reading an interesting article today from the globe and mail (read it here). It touches on the concept of over-treatment in today's medical world.
Are physicians over prescribing medications? should we deal with the common cold the 'old fashioned way' - tea and a couple days of rest? Talk about over treating symptoms with drugs has been present for many years now and is starting to become a serious problem in some cases. (Over prescribing can lead to drug resistance).

I found it interesting how they mention we should regress backwards and limit our use of new technology and innovations in the medical field. I'm not sure how to respond to this. On the one hand, I understand that, in some cases, it is better to do nothing and let your natural immune system battle it out. However, if we start restricting our use of new discoveries and technology, what is the point of research advancements? with new ideas we have to accept their consequences/ side effects.
Do you see where the conundrum lies? When do we say that over-treatment is bad and that regression is good? is it a matter of cost and government spending? do we decide on a patient - by - patient basis where history of medical illnesses is at the forefront?

the dilemma is essential to medical care decision making. As a future physician, I'm not so sure I would skip out on a CT scan for a child with minor head injuries just so I can save money and risk missing something important.

where do we draw the line?  is/ will medical decisions always be restricted by money?
does the scare of being sued have anything to do with over-treatment? (eg. physicians trying to cover all their bases)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and get a discussion going. There are so many angles this can be approached from.

Midway reflection

On Saturday night our semester (3rd) hosted the traditional midway party. The whole school is invited to celebrate getting through half our basic science training here on Saba.

I thought this would be a perfect time to link in the reflection post I've been writing about for quite a while now....

Midway. I can't believe it. and then I think again... in less than a year I will be in a hospital as a medical student doing basic procedures on real people. My heart starts beating. Is it excitement? Beating faster. Is it anxiety? A flow of questions start rushing through my head. Have I learned enough to be able to do procedures on real people? Will I remember everything? Did I study the right way? What about the things I didn't really understand?... The more scary part is that some of those questions are answered by "no". The calming thing is that I assume every medical student that goes through this gruelling training has the same questions and fears. Whew! I am not alone.

But what if... what if I'm not ready? what if.

Clinical rotations are also supposed to be educational - hands on education. Putting students on the spot (and of course giving us the grunt work). From what I know about myself, acting in the moment and learning through seeing how it's done is one of my strengths and probably why I loved the lab portion of anatomy. I am hopeful that this will also be true in the hospital setting.

It's just so contradictory: on the one hand this 2 year basic science training is intense and seems soooo long from our final goal. But if you think of it the other way, we've only had 2 extra years than the common person on the street ... you can put a scalpel in our hand and we should be able to preform a tracheotomy because we know the anatomy. That is scary. Is two years enough? is it too much? Throwing ourselves into the hospital will be a steep learning curve, without a doubt. Especially because we will most likely be traveling from hospital to hospital for different rotations so we have to get used to each hospital, their doctors, nurses, protocols etc.

However, it's amazing how much I have learned and picked up in the last year. We had a bench-to-bedside lecture on the current research in brain tumour treatments on friday evening. We were honoured to have guest speakers Dr. Roger McLendon (Chief of Neuropathology and Surgical Pathology, Director of Anatomic Pathology Services, and Director of the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center Tissue Bank.) and Dr. David Reardon (Clinical Director of the Center for Neuro-Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer institute at Harvard where he also teaches as an Associate Professor of Medicine). The 3 hour session went into the genetics, biochemistry, immunology and neurology of brain tumours and how you can apply the integrative information into actual treatments (and even patient tailored treatments). A very informative session which really showed me how all the separate classes I have taken can be combined and applied in the real world. I was amazed at how much I understood... and remembered! I guess all the information is in there - somewhere.

Don't get me wrong, I am not doubting my choice. I am more in love with medicine and more curious about how everything works (probably more than before, if that's possible).

But, that fear. It's real.

Unique

I'm a little disappointed in myself that I haven't posted much this semester... especially the reflective-type pieces. I've had a back log of ideas (and I know I keep saying this) but I can't seem to sit down and write a coherent blog post that is more than just describing my days here on Saba.
So, I'm going to challenge myself to sit down and do it by the end of this weekend :)

In the meantime, as a blogger I love reading and following others in this 'blog world'. (Most of my study breaks consist of this and watching TED Talks!) So, the other day I stumbled across this amazingly unique/ weird art by Matthew Cox -- embroidered X rays. Something about it is intriguing. Maybe because it is so innovative, so different or, most likely, the fact that it combines anatomy and art.

I realize it's an art that will not be appreciated by everyone but,
if nothing else, it definitely captures your attention.

A-lo-ha!

A little delayed, but here is the picture we took at the end of our 2nd week. Love the amount of colour and the fact that we all look so happy (and well rested)!!

appealing to the population

Stumbled on this video.
In theme with my last post on breast cancer, this is a great way to catch attention and motivate women. I think using social media to really expose underlying issues and raise awareness is the new stream of public health promotion - especially when targeting the younger generations.



Even if the number of self-checks don't increase, I think it will become one of those "viral" videos or at the least catch attention... which is what it was meant to do in the first place.
Innovative idea.
What do you think?

Be aware, it's October.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Be aware.

my new necklace.

Breast cancer, unfortunately, affects almost everyone. So why not raise awareness about the importance of noticing self changes and performing self examinations.

The women's medical student association (WMSA) held our annual community event today! We walked around 'the bottom' and had a short informative session about breast cancer and how to raise awareness (including a great demo using breast models from the school to break the stigma/ embarrassment around doing self breast exams).

The turn out was great... see for yourself :)

I had a chance to talk to some friendly Saba locals about the impact breast cancer has had on their life.
successful study break?! I think so.

Takin' it easy

Sushi dinner on friday night!

After all the stress and frustration third semester has caused, a group of us caught a great deal on flights to St. Maarten and needless to say we made a trip  of it! Spent two nights in st. maarten and a full day at Orient beach (on the French side). It was so nice to be able to relax and hang out with friends outside of school.



Highlights?
Great food, swimming at 4 o'clock in the morning, enjoying island music, cocktails on the beach, sea-doos,  driving around st. Maarten in our rental cars and many ... adventures :)

finally got all 3 of us in the air!... only took 20 tries 

Amazing weekend. Can't say I came back well rested, but it definitely helped clear my head and de-stress. Ready to jump right back into it for the second half of the semester as long as this cold/flu doesn't get the best of me.

A 2 day vacation can do wonders on motivation.



here we go... 2 months till christmas break.

on our way back to Saba 

3.2

What a hectic day. 3 exams between 8am and 3pm. Fun!

Glad to say this block went much better all round than first. Not where I want to be but it will hopefully get there.... lesson learned? hard work pays off. Second lesson? my body doesn't respond as well to lack of sleep as it did in undergrad. I used to be able to pull all nighters (without the aid of caffeine or energy drinks - so bad for you) and now 4 hours of sleep did not suffice. Probably because undergrad is no where near the intensity and pressure of medical school.

__________________________

As a side note, I've been trying to get a new page at the top of the blog going for posting ongoing hobbies, interesting topics and the like - pretty much anything outside the medical school world (when it comes into existence after each set of exams). However, I couldn't seem to figure out how to do multiple posts.. so if anyone knows please send directions my way :)

Till then, I wanted to share this with you... super cool for a sci-fi reading nerd like me (don't make fun!)

books to read...It's been added on to my bucket list (still in the making but I think I will post a temporary one soon just so I can start checking things off :) )
For those new sci-fi lovers out there I would also recommend anything by Aldous Huxley.

away

I've been away. Hiding in my new found spot... the library. Studying for the upcoming exams on monday has taken up all of my time. (I even realized that I've forgotten to eat 3 meals a day this week... I know, I know. That will change after these exams).

I just wanted to let you know that I am alive :)

.. and to expect lots of postings after exams! I have a back log of topics to share as our classes are getting more interesting - especially psychology. It's started up my curiosity in researching and questioning rather than just rote memorization and learning. BUT, that's going to have to wait.

In the meantime, I would like to send a virtual "hello" to Nemo's mom! I meant to do it earlier and let you know that your hug was transmitted - it was actually the first thing he did ...before introducing himself. Ha ha ha. So, thank you for reading my blog.

3.1 - done!

Don't have a lot of time tonight so I will make this short.
Block 1 exams are done and they just seem to be getting harder every semester. Although not worth a whole lot of your mark, they definitely used the scare tactic on our class again. not fun!
Anyways, they are over and done with so on to the next challenge...

Ethics class is officially done and we started Psychology/Behavioural Sciences on Tuesday. Really interesting class thus far and I love how the Prof. is making it interactive (we have audience participation cards, with numbers on them for choosing an answer. It's kind of like the old-school version of iClickers for those who are familiar with them).
Here is a video to leave you with a glimpse of the class... needless to say that I am wide awake all afternoon :) It's great to have professors that know how to connect with the class.

Friday.

Sorry I have not been back on until now but as you may assume they have thrown us into the deep end once again! Great. Thanks Saba. I would've thought we've proven ourselves by third semester...

A lot of things have happened last week so here is a 'high yield' summary. (hehehe, can you tell I am back into study mode?)

So friday was that time of the semester; we got to meet the incoming class, attend their white coat ceremony and speak to our assigned mentee about life at Saba. I really love this tradition because it reminds you of what you are here for and that you are definitely not alone in taking the unbeaten path. Met some great 1st semesters and I would like to thank those of you who came up to me (or screamed "blog girl!") - really made my day :).
We also had our welcome back party that night and needless to say it was fantastic to see everyone out... I think pictures will give you a feel for the night better.

a local came up dressed like this,
no clue why but it was entertaining

Half-way through happiness

the usual gun show!

potential roomies next semester :)

LASTLY, the construction in front of my house seems to never end. Every morning I literally step out into a construction site full of dust clouds, newly poured concrete, metal bars, drilling and hammering. Awesome! *rolls eyes*. Really hoping this ends soon...

my house is what you see in the bottom left corner. Isn't it a great view?!

EDIT: still waiting on the Hawaiian Friday class picture - will post once I get it :)

Aloha

Aloha. A-lo-ha. A-lo-haha. A-lo-hahaha. 

This is how we started our ethics class on the first day. Our professor taught in Maui for a while and has really embraced their culture so every time he wants to greet us he says aloha and we respond back!

It means…

Alo – to share an experience

Ha – the breath of life, a channel

Loha – to listen carefully

Oha – spreading, thriving, affection, love, greetings, healthy, something which grows of something else.

As childish and insignificant as this sounds our whole class is laughing and smiling after we greet him back. It really works.

I dare you to try it when you need a boost from a not so great day.

Ethics, so far, has been an unusual class in that is completely different than anything else we’ve had. We have watched an Ali-G clip on medical ethics (hilarious by the way), we will be doing role playing next week, and tomorrow is dress up in Hawaiian shirts day! (he brought us shirts to chose, wear and keep as a reminder!)

Overall, 3^rd semester is a whirlwind of massive amounts of information. We already have 300 slides to go over for neurology and it just seems to keep piling up. It’s been hard to get back into the studying mode… it’s not just me; the entire class having trouble with this concept of ‘studying’. Well we better get it back soon since our first set of exams are a week from Monday!

Break was too short but it’s great to see everyone again. Happy start to the semester.

And look forward to posting a picture of my Hawaiian outfit for tomorrow!

Break

I haven't posted in a while but that's because I vowed to stay off my laptop as much as possible when I was on break at home. I have a little less than a week before I go back to Saba for round 3. I am a little excited, but still worn out and exhausted from last semester.

Who ever thought 2 week breaks would be enough were CRAZY!!!

Home is amazing! It's been great to see everyone and hang out with family and friends. Even though it feels like I've spent my break running around trying to make time for everyone, I've squeezed in a little down time to myself :) and have done some exciting things like camping and going to see Billy Elliot the Musical with a special someone.

Will post some pictures and lots more when I next open my laptop which will hopefully be next week when I am on Saba.

I will stick to reading books and DIY projects for the remainder of my break!

Taking Advantage

Always take advantage of where you are and who you are with. You will miss it when you leave it behind.

As much as this island has made my life more difficult, I can never say I hate it. I am always surrounded by beautiful waters and great weather (most of the time). Living here has always kept me on my toes... it hasn't rained in a couple of days, will I have enough water tonight? it looks like its going to be a stormy night, hope the electricity is still on in the morning! or dealing with hurricane warnings.

Thoughts like this never crossed my mind when I was living back home; makes for an interesting experience nonetheless -- except that when the electricity goes out, you cannot use your water because it is pumped electrically. Not fun when you have a presentation that same day and you need to shower with bottles of water. True story. Happened to a friend :)

So last weekend I took some time to calm down, de-stress and take advantage. A new friend and I went to hike the Sulfur Mine Trail. Here are some pics we took along the way! Great start to a saturday morning.

so green! still don't know what type of lizard it is. Anyone?

Beginning of the sulfur mine. Saba actually exported sulfur back in the early 1900s.

before climbing a massive 

hill so we can hitch a ride back home

the view was spectacular

PS. the new blog header is a panoramic pic taken during this hike. amazing.

2 weeks.

I will be home in 2 weeks.
I will have completed semester 2 of my basic sciences in 2 weeks.
... sigh... just 2 weeks.

Now that I think of it, it went by rather quickly. But quickly doesn't mean it was easy. Who am I kidding? it was one of the hardest things I've ever been through! I don't want to scare anyone who is keen on coming to medical school but I am realistic. (It is medical school after all. If it was easy everyone would get in and become a doctor). In the end, it's a unique and amazing ride.

On wednesday night a group of us got together and went to a 'fancy' restaurant on the island called Eden. It was actually an amazing night. Great food with good company and a glass of wine made the evening just perfect. It felt like we were back in the real (social) world - even if it was only for a couple of hours. We laughed until we cried and then joked that our face muscles weren't used to this much change in expression since studying only leaves you with one great look: 'the blank stare'. You know, the one where you are trying so hard to understand what the prof is saying that you just look like a complete idiot for starring at him so long without blinking. Haha, it was pretty funny and great to be surrounded by people from all walks of life who are going through the exact same thing as you. Being able to relate to someone has helped me get through some tough times on Saba... especially when you are not near your family and close friends.

Getting to know my classmates has pushed me into going back to some old habits - like fuelling my curiosity, getting inspired, finding new interests and creating dreams of what I want to accomplish in life. I have come across some fantastic sites and blogs that inspired me to create a page where I can express and continue to explore my MANY interests and hobbies!
So keep a look out for a new page on the blog which will essentially act like a side blog! Really excited to be starting this and I look forward to your feedback.

(I wil obviously continue to post about Saba and medical school)
Oh, 4th set of exams were difficult and caused our class size to decrease even more which is really sad to see. Fortunately, I survived and am really excited to be moving on to third semester (neurology, immunology, microbiology, psychology and ethics).

The study diet.

Weekend before block 4 exams.

My diet and eating habits have been flushed down the drain.... Tea and chocolate is what studying is about. You have to enjoy it somehow right?

Promised myself I will run extra hard next week. For now enjoying the guilty pleasures of milk chocolate with almonds in the middle :)

Twenty Three. Bonfire Weekend.

Twas a memorable birthday weekend. A bunch of us headed down a rocky trail - lit by the full moon and scattered flashlights - to make a bonfire by the waterfront. It was a secluded, peaceful and gorgeous view; but most of all it was away from school! Such a nice way to celebrate with so many friends. Truly grateful to those who made it (and to those who tried to find the trail... sorry!)

Productive weekend? not so much. Starting strong tomorrow for the last haul of 2nd semester.
Let's go energy and motivation!
T-minus 3.5 weeks.

Grand Rounds.

Studying in a caribbean medical school has its down falls. I think the biggest one is the lack of exposure to patient-doctor interaction and the hospital setting. The local hospital acts as our training resource in our last semester on the island, but its rarely enough (or so I've heard). To accommodate this, Saba is really trying to integrate as many opportunities for students as possible. On sunday, one of the 5th semester Physical Diagnosis professors - along with 4th semester students - organized 3 mock scenarios presented in a grand-round manner that residents, interns and medical students participate in as part of their integrated training. I thought it was really well done and explained. The professor would allow the students to act out a set problem and stop them in the middle to discuss and open up questions to the audience of what you should be looking for with the given information.
Personally, I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of information that was linking together from various classes. BUT it really was such an interesting experience to witness. At least it showed that our studying really has a purpose in the long run! I'm hoping they keep these 'mock grand rounds' a tradition from now on as many students found it useful ... or at least interesting!

On a different note, I wanted to address my last post. As I received a comment about it, I realized that for  the incoming students it may have come off a little scary to say that half our class failed the 3rd block. Although very true, that block is known to be one of the hardest and most stressful in all 5 semesters. With that said, Saba is known to have a high attrition rate and I know some people are influenced by that when deciding to come here. In my opinion, you came here to study and if you get through the Saba curriculum you WILL be well prepared for the USMLE step 1. Our results on the test are consistently great - I know that recently one student scored a 260 (which is amazing!!)
This just shows that the hard work you put into getting through the Saba classes will be worth it in the end as you are working to set your career in the right path... at least that's how I look at it.

In terms of how to prepare... get yourself mentally ready for TONS of studying. I wouldn't recommend starting ahead of time because you have sufficient time to adjust and learn the material like everyone else did. Enjoy the time you have at home, spend it with friends and family because you will be reducing that communication time once you reach the island. So relax and do anything but school work while you have the chance! :)

(Saba policy on failing a course: 1 course = academic probation. You will have to repeat that course. I think failing more than 1 requires the student to withdraw from the program. Although your best bet is to talk to academic advisors about this matter - I've heard they are pretty good in terms of dealing with personal matters.)

that's it, I'm moving on.

Needless to say, the third blocks of exams in 2nd semester are the worst. Too much material in too little time, along with the tests being difficult and testing the little details which you thought were not important given the amount of material. I was warned by friends from upper semesters so I studied like I've never studied before! I actually didn't leave my apartment from Friday afternoon after classes until monday morning (the day of 3 exams!). I admit I was scared and nervous... and then disappointed when I didn't see the results I wanted. It felt like I studied for nothing! BUT my whole class was in the same boat. Half the class failed genetics and biochemistry (a fail is below a 75). So I guess that's supposed to make me feel better - but not really. I set my standards high to begin with so that I work harder to get where I want to be. This definitely didn't happen this block...

I was devastated after exam #3 (physiology). I wanted to curl up and just forget about it. Easier said than done. Couldn't nap, couldn't study for the exam the next day; I couldn't do anything but think of what happened. I think we all get to this point at one time or another. You know, the one where all you want to do is hide from the world and eat (or whatever you do that makes you feel better). Unfortunately medical school doesn't give you time to recuperate. We had an epidemiology exam the next day along with 2 classes that started teaching new material. 

So what did I learn? I think I learned how to move on. Pick up the shattered pieces of disappointment and anger and keep going. I actually went to the gym and had one of the hardest workouts ever. Ran longer, lifted more weights than usual, did more reps of everything. I could barely walk out of the gym but it I felt better afterwards. I slept like a baby and got to de-stress... even though I took it out on my own body. That's okay, right?

well, that's it. I'm moving on from the nightmare of semester 3, block 3.

PS. even with this disaster, I survived all three exams which puts me in a good place for the end of the semester. I can safely assume that I will be moving on to 3rd semester :) (but let's not jinx it!)

The little things... and other ramblings

I'm sorry I haven't been so good at posting this semester but they are really working us to the bone! It's block weekend once again. #3. This one is supposed the be the hardest of the semester and they weren't kidding! I haven't even had time to go for my regular runs this week. 

Studying and class = sleep deprivation! Meaning naps ruled over running this block (which is VERY rare if you know me!).

Anyways, this post is a little all over the place but I wanted to share something about the little things in life; the ones that make your day. Living away from home really made me appreciate some things a lot more. For a healthy-conscious person I'd never thought I would see the day when getting a free donut would make my day. But it happened today! yep. I was walking through a rain created river down the hill, all wet and sticky from the humidity and decided to go to the student coffee shop for some snacks. Since it's friday and they were closing soon he decided to through in a free donut with my purchase of muffins :) -- yes I know I really have to run my a** off next week, but it was totally worth it!.

I'm hoping this is a sign that the weekend will go well...I need it to go well as this is what I will be looking at for physiology. 

YOU try to figure it out - let me know when you do! (by the way, this is only ONE of the 20 slide reviews. (Trust me the others are just as confusing)

On a good note, I am officially a certified open water scuba diver :) Last saturday's dives were amazing. We went to a new reef this time. Saw some sting rays, parrot fish and spotted puffer fish! I'm hoping I can get an underwater case for my camera so I can post how gorgeous it was. For now, you are going to have to settle with our group photo! This is us and our 2 awesome scuba guides. 

PS. Happy Canada Day!! ... or Happy block weekend to those who are writing with me next week. really wish I was at the cottage celebrating rather than studying. Okay. I will suck it up, stop complaining and get back to work!

Study, Study, Scuba!!... Study, Study

Scuba diving was amazing!! I don't have much time to write tonight but I thought I would post some pictures tonight and tell you all about it when I become fully certified on Saturday! I can't wait to go back... only way I have gotten off the island and its a wonderful feeling to get away from school :)

with no more anticipation, here they are... it was an amazing day! I'm hoping to get a water proof case for next semester so I can capture the amazing world under water. Did I mention I kneeled on the bottom of the Caribbean Sea and was at an arm length from nurse sharks?! Incredible experience. So if you ever have the chance DON'T hesitate!  Do it!

Part of the gang hitching a ride down to the dock after a half day training session in a freezing cold pool! We couldn't wait to get into the warm caribbean water.

back of the truck

My scuba diving buddy and I :) We could also become puzzle buddies in the near future! Yes, we were both those nerds that LOVED puzzles as a kid. Had the sticky roll-up mat and everything. Seriously.

Scuba gear ready to go

'The Rock' that I live on... 1 more year.

Scuba buddies! Right before our first dive.

Back to the books - too soon!

One more block over and another one began. The scheduling for second semester, well, sucks! We’ve had 4 exams and 2 new lectures within the last 30 hours. 3 exams in one day and then go home to study for the fourth. Wake up at 8am for a new lecture in biochemistry, take exam at 11-12, lunch for 45min and go back for a 2 hour lecture in physiology!

Apparently this next section is the hardest of the 5 from second semester. We are learning renal and respiratory physiology in 2.5 weeks plus THIS for biochemistry!

Or at least this is what our yesterday's lecture opened up with! remind me again why I want to do this?!

Guess I should be getting ready for lots and lots of "fun"!

But all joking aside, I am super excited about the coming weekend. As I briefly mentioned before, the medical students hold an annual health fair for the community where we get a chance to interact with the locals and practice simple skills like taking blood pressure and administering/reading ECGs. I think it will be a great way to get some hands on experience and to do something different for a change.

AND Sunday I will be starting my scuba diving certification J Can’t wait! The first half of the day will be in a pool learning simple techniques/ procedures and after lunch we have 2 open water dives scheduled.

Look forward to some pictures being uploaded from both events.

PQRST...UVWXYZ?

hahaha. for those of you who don't know, we learned how to read ECGs in my physiology class for this section of exams. Today is my physiology day to prep for the upcoming exam on monday. I have been staring at ECGs all morning trying to distinguish between all the different PQRST segments for various diseases! - at least I know my alphabet really well by now :)
I have to say this is one of my favourite things I have learned in medical school. It's so applicable and important to be able to do on the spot. (It is a little scary though. Reminds me that I am actually going to become a doctor and people will depend on me to diagnose these correctly. Good wake up call!)
Referring to my post below I am definitely at the Q wave stage...

Exams are around the corner and its crunch time again. The past week went by as a haze; everyone is anticipating this block to be a good one. I hope they are right.
Go block weekend!

PS. The upcoming week is going to be crazy busy (in a good way!). Exams monday and tuesday. Health fair preparations wednesday and thursday -- I will fill you in on the health fair next week when I have more time to write --. Health fair Saturday AND Scuba diving certification on sunday. So excited :)

PPS. I will be home 2 months from today

PPPS. Over 5000 views. Thank you!

Knowing when to stop

Part of medical school and learning is to know when to stop.
to stop studying.

*picture taken from our physiology TA review. 

I think it's pretty accurate :)

Forcing yourself to study when you are mentally tired from 6 hours of class every day and then studying at night is not productive!! AND it makes you more tired. Knowing your limits is important in getting through medical school. Most students feel guilty sleeping 8 hours a night... because you can get by on 5 hours of sleep and gain 3 extra hours of studying right?
Sleep is crucial. Unproductive studying is a waste of time and energy. So tonight, a friday night, I will not feel guilty that I am taking the rest of the night off to hang out and have dinner with some friends. I will wake up early and be productive all day tomorrow. - I hope.


Stress gets to all of us, but being able to control it and clear your head is as important as passing medical school. (at least in my opinion)

signing off for the night,
IDL

The week's end.

Time for a quick post.
How does the weekend go by so fast all the time? This weekend I tried to relax, catch up on sleep and study as much as possible without tiring myself out. I think overall, it was a success :)
I went for a walk on Saturday afternoon and got caught in a summer downpour ... it was actually quite nice because the air was soooo humid that the rain was refreshing. So instead of going all the way down to the ladder, I explored the road near by and got some amazing shots to remind me why I actually like this island.

hiding out in a gazebo, waiting out the rain.

sun still shinning strong. I love these kind of rain storms

Hand break. - the Saba way

vibrant

such a calming view. Times like these I actually get to appreciate that I live in the middle of nowhere in the caribbean!

1 down. 4 to go

Monday was one of the longest days ever.

6am: wake up, review biochemistry notes
8-9am: write biochemistry exam
9-11:30am: @ the library reviewing genetics (I actually think this was my first time studying in the library!)
11:30-12:30pm: write genetics exam
12:30 -3: stuff my face with cafeteria food and LOTS of candy/ pop to get energy for the last exam (Oh and back to the library to review for physiology)
3-4pm: write physiology
4:01: DONE!!

3 exams, 1 hour each may not seem like a lot but when you have to be completely and utterly focused to give 110% for each one its draining!! Luckily the sugar kicked in right on time :)

As monday night was our only night off, some of us got together and celebrated... although we couldn't stay too late since we had class at 8am today! So much for our 'break' after exams. (I now understand why upper semesters told me to enjoy the free time in 1st semester)

well, 4 more to go.

PS. they went well :)

enjoying our night off :) very many people in one house without air conditioning = VERY HOT! (did I mention we are in the caribbean?!)

Amazing view from their house. The moon across the water was a stunning view.. Unfortunately this is the best my camera can do!