What would you do?

Came across this video today and got me thinking how a society would change if money wasn't a controlling factor in being able to survive...

Take some time out of your day, watch the video and then ask yourself: would you be working towards the same goal as you are now? Would you spend your day doing the same thing? if not, is there some way to incorporate that passion into your life now?

I know it isn't that simple, but just think about it.

Rumors

I haven't been back online in a while because of studying for Step 1 but I do continue to follow the activity on the blog as best as I can. Unfortunately, recent comments on this blog seem to be focused more on Saba's credibility rather than responses to my journey. This has led me to make the decision to monitor comments. I've been trying to let this space be an open forum and not delete any comments received however, this blog is supposed to be about sharing my experiences on going to medical school in the caribbean and hopefully help those who are in the same predicament I was two years ago. I do not want to be spending my time debating which rumors are true or how good of a school Saba really is.
I have decided that I will be deleting any comments regarding the credibility of Saba University or of any rumors going around... Everyone has their own opinion and experience. Sometimes a caribbean medical school is the only option you have left. And if that is the only way to do what you have dreamt of doing all your life, then that is the road you will have to take.

So, please, for any discussions on credibility, rumors, attrition rates etc go to medical school forums like valuemd.

I will still be happily answering questions about Saba, if they are appropriate. I'm sorry that it has come to this but I hope those of you who have been following my adventure continue to do so.

To end on a more positive note, here is a little inspiration for the rest of the week...

Conversations with myself.

How do you keep studying when all you have been doing for the past month is study 14hrs a day?

I find that by the time I get home I am exhausted. Drained of energy; my brain forgets the simplest things. I know it is time for a break. But how do I take a break without feeling guilty? without staring at the clock, without realizing I could have just read another 5 pages in the last 20 minutes I spent eating and catching up with the world around me. It becomes a viscous cycle. I want to study. No, I need to study. I must reach my goal. What happens if I don't? Have I failed? failed what? myself? I am not sure.  I know putting this much pressure isn't healthy. After-all it's JUST a test, but then I am reminded by my subconscious: it's THE test. If I don't get the score I want on the test would all my sacrifices count for nothing? All the energy spent, money consumed, shutting out my friends (and sometimes my family - I am sorry.)... All this for what?

A dream.
Is it worth it? ...Yes. It will be.

-----------------

I felt like sharing this self-battle as I hope I am not the only one whose felt so strongly about something, someone, a dream....or anything. It's not supposed to be a pessimistic post, just a glimpse of reality.


PS. Thank you to everyone who has been endlessly supporting me with this crazy dream without questioning it - especially my family.

Haaave you met TED?

Well, have you?

I'm talking about TED talks (but I am also a fan of the show How I Met Your Mother :) ). I was home for thanksgiving this weekend -- it was amazing by the way. nothing feels better than to be surrounded by family and food :) --- and my brother & his wife brought up a TED talk they recently watched on "power posing".
Sooo apparently 2 minute of power posing a day can boost your self confidence (via an increase in testosterone), lower stress hormones (like cortisol) and change they way you are portrayed by others... Although a little skeptical on how well this actually works, the idea of changing outward behaviour to shift the way your body works is still fascinating.
watch the talk below and next time you go on a date, go for an interview or take a test, try it ...it can't hurt!

Change

a little change in scenery on my new running route; at least the sunsets are still beautiful... although I don't know how I feel about running in the colder weather. I already miss not having to worry about what to wear when I go outside. The caribbean weather was always predictable: 30 degrees, sunny with scattered showers.

In other news my intense study schedule seems to be getting the best of me. It's been hard to be so focused all day, all the time - especially when I'm trying to fight off this cold that seems to be going around. Wish I could just take a day off to recuperate, read and not think/ feel guilty about not studying. Alright, I think I'm done venting, for now.  Ugh, back to work...

PS. Grey's Anatomy is back tonight. I'm a little excited even though I know thats not what real world 'doctor life' is like. At least I can make myself think that I am being somewhat productive since the show is about medicine; I'm sure I can learn something useful from it.

Space

Study spaces can make or break your flow of concentration and productivity... This is my new space :)

Another thought I wanted to blog about tonight sprung from another one of David Allen's post I read recently. (for those who are new to the blog and don't know who he is check THIS post).

Have you ever sat on a bus or were driving in the car when you randomly remember that you need to replace that one light bulb in the house? or that you really need to call up an old friend? This week David Allen brought up something he calls 'mindsweeping' - a way to de-bulk your mind of all short term memory tasks. 

so what is mindsweeping?

He describes it as making 'to do' lists of things you need to get done - those things you always say you are going to remember to do when you get home... but in all seriousness we ALL forget to replace that one light bulb. I tend to always forget those things that aren't of persisting importance and they don't really affect my immediate life. However, they 'bulk up' your mind of short term memory jargon that you could really do without. solution? Making lists according to a time line (not when to get them done but how long the action will take to do) it is supposed to clarify and organize your mind... that way you can stop reminding yourself of all the little 'to dos'. I've actually been doing this as part of my studying routine without knowing what it was termed; but I think David Allen was referring to do this in all aspects of life. Yes, you MAY end up with 20 post it notes on your wall, all categorized and colour coded. And, yes, you MAY look like a crazy person when people come and visit ... BUT I think you will feel organized and mentally "lighter". At least that is the goal.

I'm going to start this on the weekend; dare you to do so too - and then leave a comment to let me know if you found it helpful.

"rule your mind or it will rule you" - Horace

A little studying pick me up :)

Great song on a thursday evening! From one friend's blog to another...

Can't take credit for it, but its awesome. Hope you enjoy it too

If you like this, check out my friend's blog for more - she's just amazing when it comes to finding new music... I may be a little bit biased :)

Goodbye Saba, hello Step 1.

I haven't posted in a while. The last month has been a whirl wind. We studied like crazy for the final comprehensive exam, wrote it AND, most importantly, passed it!!!! I have officially graduated from the basic sciences program :)

Currently sitting in St. Maarten airport one last time awaiting my flight home. I have spent the last week on St. Maarten as a mini-vacation with my parents who came to visit Saba and attend my graduation. I am ready to go home... Even though I am typing this I don't think I have realized that I will not be returning to Saba. I have gotten so used to leaving the island, going home, and coming back. This time, there's no coming back. weird. Leaving Saba was bittersweet mostly because I will not be seeing some of my close friends for a while - being hopeful to  bump into them during the clinical rotations. The island is beautiful but it was time to move on.

__________________________

Aaannd that was proof that I attempted to post like 3 weeks ago.
I now have finished my vacation, moved to Hamilton and began studying for the USMLE step 1 for the next 2 months.

the fun begins.

long days of hours of studying once again... just the library and weather has changed. Not sure I like the weather change but I sure like the library! we are even allowed to have coffee and non-smelly food at our desk - makes studying so much easier when you have caffeine and sugar by your side. Oh and of course some healthy snacks...kinda. By the way, did you know there is now caffeinated chocolate bars to help you stay awake? Best of both worlds.

My study schedule is a little bit insane. I realized today that I will need to tweak it and add some nights off because I am already tired. I will definitely burn out if I study 12+ hours a day.

for those of you interested how I am studying here is a quick breakdown of my day...
7am - run (the reason why I am excited to wake up; I found a nice trail in hamilton :) )
9am - arrive at library
10am - finish 46 set of Uworld questions
10-7 - Doctors in Training course or pathoma. Lunch is somewhere in here...
7-8 - go home, make dinner, eat
8 - review the material covered that day
10-12 - review answers to question set from that morning.

sleep. wake up. repeat.
I am hoping to write by early November so keep your fingers crossed it all works out! ( I would also love to hear from those readers who have taken the Step 1. Any advice? how did you study?)

apologies for falling off the face of blogworld. I am back and have promised myself to post weekly - or at least not at 2 month intervals.

PS. September is childhood cancer awareness month. Dr. David made a great quick post - see it here and make sure you watch the video!

"Play me, I'm yours"

Ahhh! Such a cool idea!
If you haven't heard about it here is the short version...
41 artist painted pianos are placed in random spots around Toronto as a engaging art exhibit!! It is to mark the countdown to the 2015 Pan American Games and to celebrate art from various cultures. Each piano is designed by an artist picked to represent the 41 countries participating in the games.

Nicaragua, Paul Conlan

 I am so jealous I am not in Toronto to witness it but I hope people take advantage and start outdoor concerts. It would be so uplifting and awesome to witness everyday people sitting down and showcasing their talents.

here is the link to the article. If you are in Toronto, go searching for these pianos!

Cayman Islands, Paul Chin

- I wish they would do projects like these more often... it could get kids inspired (and away from video games :) )

Last!

today is the start of the end.

the last weekend I will be studying for block exams!
the countdown until the final exit comprehensive exam has begun.
34 days!! how's that for an update?

We are officially done learning new material in a classroom. I can't believe that I am finally in the spot where I can say that :).  It's so exciting (and a bunch of other mixed feelings - but I am only focusing on the excitement). I cannot wait until monday after exams!!

so here we go, one last time. studying for block exams....

+

Coincidently,  I came across the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development tonight... ties in great with my post below. Click on the banner to check it out. Don't forget to put in your vote!

Just add water.

Saba definitely has its own unique living experiences. Some of my friends deal with flying cockroaches and some of them with small gecko lizards in their clothes' drawer (happened to a close friend... put on PJ pants without knowing, sat down and felt something crawling on her leg. I think you can imagine the rest of the story). I am having to learn how to live without water for days at a time. The water system on Saba is based on electrical pumps, and mine has a tendency of breaking ( + the 'nearby' construction is affecting the cistern under our house).

(...and by 'nearby' I mean right outside my front door.)

I am a pretty easy going person. When I volunteered in Honduras for 3 months we took bucket showers every day and lived with the bare essentials - it was completely doable, and makes you appreciate the things you have at home a little more. I think having that experience in Honduras is really helping me cope with the water situation here; especially because it happens more than once a semester. When you combine a stressed out, hard working medical student who looks forward to going home to shower to feel refreshed after a 12hour day of studying in the caribbean SUMMER (it's 30+ degrees here everyday) with the lack of water  =   :(

It happened again this weekend. And as I was sitting in my living room/dining/kitchen area and surfing the web as a study break, one of the sites I check regulary is MSF. There it was, front headline: a story about the hardships of fleeing, finding food, getting health care and seeking shelter in the Eastern DRC...

© Emily Lynch/MSF

"I left my village with my family at the beginning of the fighting. On Wednesday, having no food, I returned with some friends to my field to harvest vegetables. We heard weapons fire, and during the shooting  a bullet lodged in my left arm. I returned with my friends who were not wounded to the village where they made a stretcher out of branches to carry me to the main road where we then able to find a motorcycle to the next town. We waited until the next day to come to the hospital because we did not want to travel at night."

- Man (28) with 3 children, North Kivu, May 2012 

read the rest of the story here.

... and there I was complaining about lack of water. It's funny how everything was put into perspective. We take water for granted and forget it is a bare necessity. 

When I came home from my volunteer work in Honduras I had a hard time adjusting back into the 'modern' society I was previously accustomed to; I became more aware/ careful of everything around me. 

Not sure where I wanted to go with this post... but I guess it is about raising awareness. Stop and think. It's unbelievable that such simple hardships still exist in 2012 - even on an island like Saba.

how do I...

How do I get out of my mind? over-thinking, over-doubting...

I've been saving to write a post until after our first block of exams were over. I've been back at school for 3 weeks and it's gone by incredibly fast.  The final semester. Let me repeat that, I'm in the final semester of basic sciences. I honestly still can't believe it. It doesn't feel any different from the other semesters... new classroom with some new professors and a longer class schedule but its still the same: school, home, study, sleep. Not much changed, but everyone came back with their "A game". My whole class is working like never before. Besides having 2 full courses we are also taking the Kaplan course for 2 hours per day to prepare for the big Step 1 exam. Needless to say it's  A LOT of material to keep up with.

I'm not going to lie and say that I wasn't nervous for this set of exams. It's the last semester which brings on even more pressure to do well and obviously pass the exit comprehensive exam in August. I've been more motivated to study and found myself focused all the time. Deep down there was this question of can I do it? I got to this point but can I actually pass? be a doctor?

How do I get rid of these doubts? When will I start believing I can do this?

I think I will always have this doubt. But it pushes me to work harder, so maybe it's a good thing? Not sure if I am the only one feeling like this, nevertheless it worked :) I got a great start to semester 5 and it looks like I won't be going anywhere but home in August (if I keep it up).

comments are more than welcome. Have you ever experienced something like this?

PS. looking forward to some down time this weekend... possibly going snorkelling :)

The Grandest Challenge

Sitting in a Starbucks, sipping on a vanilla latte and starring at this blank computer screen. Thinking. Watching people strolling. No, not strolling walking with a purpose, in a hurry, like they need more time. That's how I know I am back in Toronto. Here I am just sitting. Being in the moment... more like lost in the moment. Lost in my own thoughts. I've been trying to reflect on 4th semester and on my break. Believe it or not this is the first time I have had a chance to just sit and write since my last blog post. I am days away from flying back to school for my last semester at Saba. Time flies. But Saba is not what I wanted to share with you in this post. I wanted to reflect on how I spent last saturday in the Library listening to a engaging talk on Global Health. (I know as soon as you read that you probably went "ugh" and thought you'd rather hear about my observerships in the OR and what I saw shadowing a plastic surgeon, an ophthalmologist and a gynaecologist/oncologist. But trust me when I say this talk was something else).  It was called "The grandest challenge" and consisted of 8 speakers: Dr. James Orbinski, Dr. Peter Singer, Dr. Samantha Nutt, Dr. Abdallah Daar, Dr. James Maskalyk and Stephen Lewis. Each speaker reflected on their personal experiences and told stories.

Stories: make us who we are. They change us and choose us. - James Orbinski

Global Health has always been an interest of mine. What is it?... well, it's everything. From the social determinants to financial planning and innovation. The definition is both focused and encompassing due to the nature of the intercalation of the health spectrum. Finances, policies, supplies, transportation, access - these all contribute to the overall health of a population. And that's what this talk really emphasized.

I have never been the person who opens a newspaper and goes straight to the politics section. Actually, I probably have never read the political section in any newspaper (I am embarrassed to even admit that but it is the truth).This past saturday made me realized how much of an impact politics has on healthcare, especially in developing and war-torn countries. In places like Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, politics is everything - it won't matter if you have the resources and personnel to help maternal health if you cannot get into the country. I have become more aware that participating in Doctors Without Borders deals with these issues all the time (even though they are a politically neutral organization). And as a doctor, the more you know and understand the history of the country, the better you will be able to relate with your patients and those you will be working with. As a result, I have made myself a promise to pick a country every 2-4weeks and spend time learning about it. Challenge myself to become interested in politics and history and make the connections between them and healthcare.

An example Dr. Nutt gave was that of mining areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the incidence of women raped. When these two maps were plotted and superimposed in 2009, you see an astonishing positive correlation... this is how it was discovered that the military personnel around the mines were raping women and then cutting the soles of their feet, from heel to toe, to mark them. Doctors would treat these women day after day but the women refused to reveal what had happened. 

In any case, Saturday was eye-opening and made me think which, I think, was one of the goals of hosting the talk. I hear they will be running it on TVO, I can't express how much I recommend everyone watch it!

some quotes that stuck with me:

"Do what you CAN do"

"Resilient people, resilient planet." (also the name of a report by the UN.)

"The definition of trying is having the will to fail in order to succeed"

(Video from Dr. James Maskalyk's blog on his experience in Sudan with MSF.) 

Life on Saba... in 1937

Found this short documentary about the life on Saba in 1937. The island looks stunningly similar to 65 years ago! Pretty cool.

footsteps & a beating heart.

"Burnt out"

These are words well known in the vocabulary of Saba students. It usually happens after the 3rd set of exams. Your body starts shutting down; your brain is not switched on anymore. You are in a daze all the time, just staring at the professor with that dumbfounded look. All you want to do is sleep. All you can think of is sleep. Sleep.

Instead of sleeping after these past exams I pushed myself to go for a run. I was so tired coming out of the exam centre but I knew I felt too jittery to sleep. Residual agitation and stress kept my body wired. As tired as I was, I couldn't sleep. Does that even make sense? Too tired to sleep? Is that even possible?
So I told myself that a short run will help me clear my mind, make me physically tired and allow "the crash". It was bound to happen. Crashing (aka very long naps and blankly watching tv shows) had to happen for me to be able to go to class the next day. I didn't even take my ipod on my run since it was going to be short...

I started running my usual route. Went up the massive hill, took a few minutes to take in the view of the sunset over the water. It was so quite; nothing around. All you could hear were the leaves blowing in a soft wind with that fresh water smell - you know, that smell you get in the spring when everything is in bloom after a long winter? it was THAT kind of fresh smell. Invigorating. I headed  back down the hill  at a steady speed, reached the last hill before entering back into the village of 'the bottom' and going home...and I find myself turning around and going back up the hill. My mind was clear and all my body wanted to do was run. No music, just me, my footsteps and heart beat. It was then I remember why I loved running so much. (I haven't stopped running, but it definitely has been cut out of my schedule much more than I wanted to... sacrifices for studying were needed). I ended up running double my usual distance. I didn't even know I had it in me (probably around 5km... with hills it seems much longer).  That last hill was in sight for the second time I felt like I could do another lap but decided I should stop - I hadn't had much to eat and after 3 exams I knew I must be exhausted. As I got home and took a nap I kept wondering what had kept me going for such a long distance... all I could come up with was stress. Running was my outlet, letting go of all the anxiety of exams: did I study enough? did I study the right way? will I do well? All these questions rush through your head as you enter that exam centre. There's no way of stopping the flood of nerves through your body.


Running is my outlet, what is yours?

How badly do you want to succeed?

I know I haven't been keeping up with my blogging for a while but studying pathology is taking over all my time! Thought it'd be nice to post this motivational video... his speech has kept me going during a couple of long nights of studying. Guess what? it's better than caffeine. So watch it till the end - its worth it.

Maybe it will help someone else too :)

Okay, back to another long weekend of studying for tuesday's exams. Can't believe we are already on block 3. Time is flying by this semester... next thing I know I will be coming back to Saba for the last time to finish 5th semester. Weird.

Post block wave of joy

2nd round of exams are over! I was pretty happy overall ... really glad to see that my 16hr days of studying are paying off :) It really feels good to see some results (unlike third semester).

after exams a bunch of us went to spend the rest of the night at Well's Bay (the place where Saba actually gets a sandy beach when the tide is low... I have yet to see this miracle beach!). We had a BBQ, a couple of beers and a breathtaking view of the sunset with rolling waves. Pretty awesome way to spend the day after 3 exams.

if I went to a canadian medical school I would definitely not be able to see this... isolated islands have their perks, don't you think? 

:)

Block weekend once again...

I don't have much time tonight but I thought I'd share some pictures of Kim (my physical diagnosis partner) and I, smiling happily, after doing very well on our second clinical skill assessment exams (CSAs)!  This semester we get to 'play doctor' and learn some basic examination skills on actual people :) 

By far my favourite class.

Alright back to studying... long weekend ahead. wish me luck on tuesday!

Speechless

I loved last weekend. I felt the surge of curiosity and pure joy of exploring new places. I was left speechless...

My friends and I decided to take the challenge of climbing Mount. Scenery, a potentially active volcano and the highest peak in the Netherland Antillies Islands. It is one of Saba's tourist attractions and now I know why. 2877 feet up in the sky - literally - you can see the whole island of Saba and if you are lucky to get to the top when the clouds have cleared you can even see St. Eustacius, a near by island.

 starting our hike in the morning and we see this sign... only 1064 steps :)

 We came across some orange trees early in the hike. I decided to put my childhood tree climbing skills to use and get some fresh oranges for the road (thanks big brother for perfecting those when I was little!). They were pretty tasty, although my friends weren't too fond of them - I guess I'm not a picky eater OR I was just too excited to be spending time outside of the library

The actual trail to Mount Scenery was half under construction so we ended taking 'Bud's Mountain' back around to the Bottom village until we reached the mount scenery trail again... downfall of all this? Bud's mountain was sooo muddy.

This was on the Bud's Mountain trail looking up at Mount Scenery. Our goal? that tower in the distance at the very top of the mountain. The weather wasn't looking so promising at this point but we were all glad it wasn't fully sunny for the way up - it was hot enough!

It's funny though, I somehow still got a tan. Yay! UV radiation through the clouds. haha

We reached the rainforest/jungle part by this point. It made me feel so small. It was nice to be able to be part of nature again... its something about the smell of fresh vegetation and dirt.

You can see how high we were by now... almost in the clouds

...and the dreaded steps began...

and didn't end until the very top. Our thighs got a very good workout!

up in the clouds now :)

Climbing the last stretch to the highest point. This was the funnest part :)

 we made it! Mike was ecstatic 

.. and then it started to clear up and it was an unbelievable view

my hiking partner, Simi, and I enjoying our accomplishment. Climb Mount Scenery? Check.

Great spot for reflection and taking in nature's beauty. I will have to do this again before I leave the island

 the green lushes of saba. It is quite beautiful

back in the muddy trail on our way back down. Ankle deep. Mud is good for the skin, no?

we took the shorter, but under construction path back down because we started slipping (*cough* Mike *cough*) going back down. It was a fun route, trying not to fall through the cracks.

we made it back down and we were ready for some food!

So... if I haven't convinced you that I loved our hike last weekend here is a video I took at the very top.  

... I hope you are now packing your bags. Be adventurous.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

Reflecting in paradise

People find it strange when I tell them that I was looking forward to coming back to Saba... I really started to built my life here, calling it my home (away from home) and getting back into my school, study, eat, run, sleep routine. I've settled here and I love the experience... it's my paradise.

Since being back I've had my mind set on some school specific goals. My mom sent me an email a few weeks ago about reflecting on the past year and moving forward. It's a list of things from David Allen, the founder of "GTD: getting things done". An organization which talks about ways in managing your life the way you want to. He has some great ideas if you feel in reflective/goal setting mood. Anyways, I wanted to share his questions for the new year with you....

• What would you like to be your biggest triumph in 2012?
• graduate from the basic science program at Saba feeling that I have tried my best and feeling satisfied with my efforts for this part of my medical school journey.
• What advice would you like to give yourself in 2012?
• "when you think you've reached your maximum potential, you haven't. Keep pushing."
• What is the major effort you are planning to improve your financial results in 2012?
• hahaha. Try to stay as much out of my loan as possible. Student living is a pretty big priority
• What would you be most happy about completing in 2012?
• well I think this one goes along with the biggest triumph but I also would be ecstatic to finish a half marathon (one of the goals I've set for myself - will be running in October if all goes well!)
• What major indulgence are you willing to experience in 2012?
• traveling. Traveling is my addicting fascination. I love immersing myself into a different culture and experiencing different ways of life. I think it's an essential opportunity to learn about interacting with people and opening up to understanding the world. (I know this is a vague answer but I am thinking of doing a post after exams about traveling and what it really means to me -- I've been thinking about it quite a bit lately)
• What would you most like to change about yourself in 2012?
• become more aware of my surroundings and less clumsy in day to day tasks - I think they go hand in hand haha. I think I will keep the more personal ones to myself :)
• What are you looking forward to learning in 2012?
• integrating all my science knowledge with clinical diagnosis. I'm loving the application side of medicine!
• What do you think your biggest risk will be in 2012?
• hmmm. I think I will substitute risk with challenge. Soooo that will definitely constitute of taking the USMLE Step 1 test which will determine the rest of my life. Not scary at all, right? 
• What about your work are you most committed to changing and improving in 2012?
• more efficient study habits. I'm definitely getting the hang of "smart studying" but there is still a lot of work to be done.
• What is one as yet undeveloped talent you are willing to explore in 2012?
• I love the sound of an acoustic guitar but I don't come from a musical family so as a kid I grew up with sports and physical activity rather than music. I've given up on singing (trust me that's a good thing!) but maybe playing the guitar will be a thing I can try?
• What brings you the most joy and how are you going to do or have more of that in 2012?
• pursuing my dream...
• Who or what, other than yourself, are you most committed to loving and serving in 2012?
• 2012 will be about being selfish. Yes, I know this sounds like the 'wrong' thing to say but for those of you who know me will probably agree that it is a good thing. I've always been the type of person to go out of my way to help someone out - even if it interfered with some of my plans - so this year I am dedicating myself to myself. I need to focus on my goals... this one is going to be tough.
• What one word would you like to have as your theme in 2012?
• Passion. (strength and motivation with a pinch of zeal.)

Your turn to start thinking.

Think with your heart

I've been working on a more reflective post but until I wrap my head around how I want to phrase it I thought I'd share this interesting art work.

Take it as is. Intriguingly ugly-beautiful is the way I can think of describing it. Tristan des Limbes is an artist from Paris, France.

see for yourself

I wonder what the message really is...

I owe you - Responding to comments

First off, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has kept up/ discovered my blog. I have received so many comments awesome comments! So I am dedicating a post to YOU!
Here goes my attempt to responding to those who wrote to me... please acknowledge that the best way to get specific answers about Saba is to call their office in the states.

"Hi! I love your blog! I was wondering if by starting in January and if one is able to schedule to schedule rotations back to back if they would be able to make the match in March 3 years from when the started and essentially graduate in 3.5 years, instead of having to wait for the next year's match? I know Saba now has the 8 week Research Module and I was wondering when one would complete that, at Saba or the US, before or during or after studying and taking Step 1, and does it significantly delay when one can start rotations and prevent them from making the match and graduating in 3.5 years? I'm trying to choose which school and would appreicate any advice. Thanks!"

From my understanding, starting in January 2012 would mean that you would finish basic science in August 2013 (assuming everything goes as planed). Usually people take ~6-8weeks to study for step 1. The research paper is to be completed before starting clinicals - we have been told that they will not place you in a clinical if you have not completed the research module. Assuming you work on it until December 2013, the best case scenario would be to start clinicals in January. IF you do back to back placements (which would honestly be unrealistic because you want to have some kind of say on which hospital to go + moving from place to place) you would be able to finish by the end of 2015 and match to the July 2016.... I think. From what I have heard from upper semesters, I wouldn't recommend doing the clinicals back to back because you need time to settle in the new placement and you want to be a little picky with hospitals or location to get the best possible experience.

Peter & others..."why saba? as compared to other caribbean schools."

My reasons for choosing Saba were quite varied so I am just going to list them.

• small classes; better prof to student ratio.
• it is known to have many Canadian students (~70%) so my colleagues would be going through the same obstacles as I would be when we get to clinicals and possibly applying back to Canada.
• the island is small (I know many people would not consider this an advantage, but there are no distractions and its really safe) 
• if you are a nature junkie this island is paradise!
•  I had a really good friend attend here and heard about the school from him. Also having someone you know is nice to have at the beginning to help you get acquainted with the island
• they have a 98% pass rate on Step 1 AND a great record of getting higher than the average 220 score (I think the recorded average of the step 1 from Saba students is around 227)
• lower tuition (probably one of my top reasons) + it is OSAP approved for those of you in Ontario
• the application turnover/response is fairly quick if you had a last minute decision to apply
• although the attrition rate is high, once you make it through the basic sciences you are WELL prepared for the Step and clinicals
• Most canadian doctors I have spoken to have heard of Saba and have said good things about the students they met from there. (Saba also has the most Canadian placements out of all the other Caribbean medical schools)
• the smaller classes also make it easier to bond with your colleagues as well as upper semesters -- makes for great moral & academic support.
• it is accredited in all of the US (the other ones I know that have this is Ross and St. Georges)

Comparing Saba to other schools is really what you, as an individual, need to do. What is your life style? How is your ability to adjust to a small island life versus going to St. Georges where you have 200+ people in your class? The atmosphere on Saba is that of a small community. Everyone gets to know you pretty fast and you always run into your professors outside of class - gives you a great chance to get to know them and for them to get to know you as a social person rather than a student. Also, having such a small community allows for community development projects to be implemented fairly easily. Just last semester we started a program called 'Saba Girls Run' where we incorporate fitness with small interactive lectures on nutrition, self esteem and sexual education for the local teenager girls. A great opportunity to keep involved in community health.

"would you be able to give some advice on maintaining a long distance relationship?"

I'm not sure how to approach this one... I think that long distance relationships are never easy. Good communication, strong foundations, understanding, flexibility, caring and compromises are definitely key. I know quite a few of my good friends who have been able to keep a relationship while here on Saba. Long distance definitely accentuates a relationships' weaknesses and as long you and your partner are willing to put in the effort, you will not have a problem. At the same time, I have to say that compromises from their end will be more than from your end. Their understanding is important because your time will be taken up with studying - but as long as they know you came down here to achieve your goal (to study, to do well, to become a doctor) it will be fine! I know many significant others who have come down and visited for a week or so at a time and they probably understood our way of life down here much better. So, all in all, it is hard but doable! Hope this helps a little.
PS. Skype will become your best friend.

Vanessa said...
I was wondering if you could answer some questions:
Are there enough students who get accepted and complete their BS while earning their MD? (pre-requisites met, average MCAT, average GPA)
Is it possible and a good idea to bring your pet w/ you to the island? (dachsund)
Thank you

I have not heard of anyone completing their BS while studying at Saba. I personally wouldn't recommend this as you have enough work here as it is. I know of one person who did not complete their undergraduate degree and came straight here. Other than that I'm pretty sure most people have their Bachelor degree or more. As for the pet, there are a couple of students who have brought them. With that said, most are here with their spouses who can help take care of them. You need to consider that you are at school from 8-3 everyday and unless you live within 5min of the school it will be hard to go home at lunch and take them out (if it is a dog). Cats are probably easier. Also take into account the hot climate here and that it would limit your housing options -- you will not be able to stay in the dorms in first semester (this can be accommodated if you talk to administration but you will lose that bonding experience with the rest of your classmates). My opinion? they are probably better at home. I love my dog but I wouldn't bring it here because I know I will not be able to take care of it as it deserves.

well I think that is everyone! If I missed your question please leave a comment on this post and I will reply back, promise :)