Back from hell...

Sorry for disappearing for two entire weeks! I had just survived the hell week yesterday. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we had our cumulative finals in all 6 subjects. Let me tell you... it was outrageously challenging both physically and mentally.

The first exam was on Tuesday and included Histology and Physiology. I actually did not study for Histology AT ALL going into the final, hoping that I really did know Histo as well as I thought I did. Fortunately they were easy on us in the Histo section of the exam. For Physiology I only reviewed Cardiac Phys from last semester and banked on my memory for the rest of Physio. The only reason why I could do that was because I went into the final with pretty good grades in Physio. Our professor who taught most of our Physiology this semester was a really great teacher. He definitely knew his subject inside out, was very receptive to our questions and gave clear explanations. Sadly he is leaving Ross after this semester. I talked to him briefly yesterday as he was rushing to get some things sorted out before his departure. He said he actually liked the island and he had mixed feelings about going back home. Next semester he will come back here for one week to just teach reproductive physiology. My thoughts? It is rare to have professors like that these days - wants to teach, likes to teach, enjoys life, and approachable.

So 8am on Tuesday I sat for Histo/Physio cumulative. Finished the exam relatively early but EXTREMELY tired and hungry afterwards. 160 questions in total - longest exam so far in Ross. Good thing I ate right before the exam so at least I didn't get hunger pangs like some of my friends. That would be an awful feeling especially during an exam. When I finished the exam I went home and ate lunch, not having time to actually take a satisfying break due to the next exam at 1pm the next day. That was a slightly terrifying exam because it was Anatomy. Interestingly Anatomy was not all this scary before but this semester the questions seemed to be more difficult than they were for previous semesters and a lot of students are struggling to stay above the MPS for it. I made sure I slept for 5 hrs the night before and did some final reviewing. The exam itself was alright, with some challenging questions here and there. But Neuro was harder for me than Anat because I didn't allot a lot of time studying for Neuro. Again that was because I went into the final with decent grades. Hoping for the best!

The last exam included Biochemistry and DPS, the most dreaded combo for the entire class! I had about 16hrs between the the second final and this one and I was completely exhausted after the Anat/Neuro final. Even though I tried to study for Biochem my mind just couldn't function efficiently. Fortunately I started reviewing for Biochem and DPS long ago. I decided to goto bed early but was way too excited about finishing the exam that I couldn't fall asleep!! Haha... oh dear. Anyhow, I woke up at 4am after some sleep to do some final studying. I was really calm going into the exam, maybe mostly numb and tired. But the exam was alright. Now I can relax and wait for the grades.

More importantly, I am going home on Sunday :) Can't wait for some family/friends time and SNOW! Hello, Vancouver - ready or not, here I come!

Crunch time x 1000

Just wanna briefly update everyone while I wait for my Anatomy practical exam to start at 1pm today. This is the 4th and the last practical exam for this semester. I never thought I'd say this, but... HOORAY for the last Anatomy lab ever (unless I TA Anatomy next semester)! This week just flew by so fast with one exam per day. I am so numb to it all by now and that is good - I am at least relaxed. You know the feeling of being too tired to feel the stress? That's where I am at...

Anyhow, I gotta get back to studying. After this exam I am planning to actually head to the gym and do some cardio workout. If I don't go today, I know I won't be going for the rest of the semester. Hell week begins this weekend...

A question for your curious minds: Is herbal medicine real medicine?

One step at a time...

This week has been a terrifying week and so will the next few weeks. I would love to say the opposite but I have to admit that I am terrified by what's to come. Next week we have exams on Tues, Wed, Thurs, and Fri - that covers all our practicals. Then we have 3 days before our Mini 3, which is on the following Tuesday. Then one week after that we have our cumulative finals on Tue, Wed, and Thurs - these will cover all our materials since the first day of semester one. In total, that is 8 exams in just around 2 weeks. For once I am actually somewhat discouraged and feeling inadequate in every single way. I am tired and I just want to sleep all day. I have bags under my eyes and I am not taking care of myself like I used to back home. I don't want to have to think about studying even in my dreams. I want to goto movies, goto the beach, and hang out with my friends. I want to see my parents and play with my cat. I want to get back to training for marathons and be my active self. I want to be stress-free and happy. Medical school is hell times 10 and the sacrifices you have to make are endless. I want to give up. Yet, I am fully aware that there is no way I will be happy with my life if I don't pursue medicine. I hate that I am fascinated by medicine. Oh boy... back to studying!

Football

Our school's football teams had their finals today. The women's team - Powder Puff - totally rocked the game. It was so intense that even someone who doesn't know anything about football (such as me) found it empowering and fascinating. I am considering playing some kind of team sport next semester. But if anything, it will probably be soccer and not football. All in all, I still think football is a bit too violent for me, and slightly terrifying. Some girls are serious about the game and quite competitive. However, it was great. The girls from our semester totally dominated the game - the final score was 26:6.

The interesting part of the day is before the game, however. I sang the Canadian anthem for the teams. Strange, I know - because I never like singing in front of big crowds. It makes me nervous. And it did today as well! But I had to represent Canada because we are the minority here and our club president could not find anyone else to sing the anthem. So it was me... Fortunately it went smoothly. But I was so nervous that I almost forgot to breathe! Thank goodness the Canadian anthem is short, unlike the American one. The girl before me sang the American anthem and she had a beautiful voice - hence why I was nervous! But a lot of my friends came to encourage me and that was very heartwarming :) I feel so lucky.

And now it's back to studying. 30 days till I go home and get cozy with family and friends in cold, rainy, yet familiar Vancouver.

The stars are always bright no matter what!

There was a meteor shower last night, or perhaps I should say early this morning at around 4:00am. But I was told that it was going to happen at 1:00am - so I studied till 2am but saw nothing. Then my body just made me goto bed instead. Anyhow, it's been a while since I wrote here! School has been keeping me nice and busy, more or less. However, last Saturday I did have a really great experience to share with y'all.

The Neuroscience Club had their regular health clinic in Rosseau. Since I didn't sign up for it last semester due to fear of not having enough time to study, I made sure (with the 'convincing' of my friends) that I sign up for this one. I just needed to do something else other than studying. Basically all the volunteers who signed up for this clinic were going to help out at the free health fair for the locals. The bus ride was rough - it took about 50 minutes but it felt like 2 hrs and my stomach was getting upset from all the bumps and turns. But the clinic experience made it all worthwhile. I checked blood pressure, blood glucose, and explained exam results to the locals who came. Okay, I won't bore you guys with the details... There is one incidence though that I have to tell you! I was at the blood pressure desk and two ladies came over with their little kids. One boy really wanted me to take his blood pressure but we were not prepared for children so I only had an adult-sized cuff. Just as I was feeling disappointed a friend took out a cuff for kids from his bag! Oh how excited we were, especially the little boy. I got the cuff on him and explained to him what I was going to do. Then when I started pumping, the needle on the pressure guage did not move at all! It was broken...We couldn't take the boy's pressure after all. The ladies smiled and said it was alright and they left. But two minutes later they were back and the mother said his son would not leave without having his blood pressure taken. She gave me a wink and I knew exactly what she meant... so I took the kids pressure cuff, put on his tiny arm and explained to him the procedure again and took his 'blood pressure'. It was great to see him smile and leave the building happily. When I came back home I could not forget about how such a small gesture made such a big difference :)

Well, now after all that fun is over it is back to studying. Awesome...

You know you are a medical student when...

...you say you are going to eat just to get it over with. (the exact words from a fellow med student)
Our Mini II was rough, a solid reminder of Mini III in first semester. The grades came out today and I regretted checking them right after I did so. Biochemistry was my worst grade, AGAIN, even though I always study the hardest for this subject. Sigh... sometimes you are just left speechless by the unexpected, undesirable outcomes. Effort in vain? Sometimes it feels like that. A professor apparently wrote part of the exam even though he did not teach any part of it for this mini - the reason why some unfamiliar questions were on the exam. The MPS was really low for Physiology (58) and Anatomy (55). In the case of Anatomy, where 55 is the absolute lower range for MPS, it means that as a class we did terrible. But I don't think we are stupid? Maybe that tells us something about the exam itself... A lot of students were dreading the grades update. I saw lots of frowning, sighing, and head shaking since the scores were posted. These Mini's can make or break you in a way - there is a cumulative final at the end of this semester covering all the materials of Semester 1 and 2. A lot of us are banking on doing well on the Mini's to cushion the potential 'fall' on the final exam. But looks like that hope is nearly shattered for many students.

Now there are positive things to talk about here. Don't let my med school rant fool you! Since this week has been somewhat light, a couple of friends and I went to a local restaurant called Riverside... because it's located by a river, literally! It's got really good food but overpriced (like the rest of Dominican restaurants and grocery stores). I had a grilled chicken sandwich with a salad on the side. Yum! However, tomorrow I am finally resuming my Saturday market routine so I can have my Blue Marlin again. We chatted as we ate about how easy it is to lose yourself and everything that's important to you in your 'previous' life in all the studying here. And we try to make sure that doesn't happen. I can't begin to tell you how many students here - who are smarter than smart folks can ever be - are socially inept and completely lack empathy! It is still shocking to me, as I am usually sensitive to others' emotions and can pick them up relatively quickly. I do admire how smart some of those people are, but I hope they get better at picking up emotions - for patients' sake.

It's 10pm here and there is a Splash Bash party going on. Many friends of mine went. I didn't go because this week is my relaxing week... even though I have been sleeping 8 hrs a night for the past 4 nights. It is amazing how one full 8hr sleep after sleep deprivation makes you realize how exhausted you are. I couldn't drag myself out of bed this week at all without effort. But today I felt great and I am back to the grind! Med school... I am going to show you what I am made of! Definitely not Tofu ;)

Everybody loves Kung Fu fighting!

Ah, a day of no pressing deadlines. Post-mini relaxation, simple as that. After the exam yesterday I cleaned up my room and spend the evening at my friends Andra and Yasmin's apartment. It was quite relaxing. We talked (not about the exam), made guacamole, cooked pasta, and laughed so much! Andra and I both just wanted to stay in and have a quiet night but Yasmin wanted to go out - I suppose the existence of 4 different Halloween parties nearby was a big enough temptation for someone who was not feeling as exhausted as I was. We were helping her trying to come up with a costume idea - but it was difficult due to lack of resources on this island (especially at 9:00pm). But suddenly the idea of Kung Fu panda came up when Yas walked by with an elastic hairband around her head. It was a brilliant idea. I painted her face and in the end she looked adorable with her outfit on! Some of my guy friends dressed up as girls and one of them dressed up as a 'mediasiter'... of course only Ross students would know the humor behind that. Anyhow, we did not forget about Halloween even though we are far away from home.

This morning, despite the absence of an alarm clock, I still woke up at 5:00am. But I forced myself to sleep more. Didn't work hahaha... oh dear. Well I think after checking my email I will head back for a nap. Today is Independence Day in Dominica as well and most stores are closed. However, their festivities started in early September - can you believe that? Dominican people sure know how to party! :)

Time flies here - when all you do is study. That is in some ways really nice because I can't wait to see my friends and family back home. I also miss Chai latte, Kimchi, and the Futomaki rolls... the mere thought of them makes me drool. This Saturday I need to goto the market and fill up my fridge again. Since last week my fridge has been quite empty because I was hermitting for the exam - did not have the mind or the energy to goto the market. But that shall be fixed this weekend. And I will be cooking again!

Well I hope everyone is doing really well. Work hard, play hard.

If I could turn back time...

It's been crazy for the past 2 weeks (or more?). Actually, when is it NOT crazy here? Mini 2 is in 4 days and this one is hurting already... DPS is not on this Mini yet we have never had so much material to study for. Speaking of cramming, I wish I refined that skill to perfection in undergrad hahaha. Oh well. Three nights ago we had a thunder storm at around 1:00am. It was so loud that my house was shaking. The lightning would light up the room completely that for a second it felt like daylight. I was quite terrified by the loud noise, worsened by the fact that I was by myself without Miho to cuddle with me. To calm myself down I just got up and put on some jazz music and cranked it up loud enough to drown out some of the thundering. Then I studied till 5:00am and passed out. Yeah this week has been rough.

Yet, my heart always gets lifted by the rainbow after the storm. Dominica has some big bright rainbows. Here is a photo to share with y'all (taken through my dirty window), though it looked more beautiful and breathtaking in real life.

Two more students in my class went home this week and last. They decided that this path wasn't for them. I don't know about the details but this doesn't surprise me anymore. People come, people go. Medical school is not easy and certainly isn't for everyone. Confession: I have actually wondered this past week why oh why did I so eagerly get myself into this big mess hahaha. However, I am not doubting that medicine is what I wanna pursue. I just whine sometimes about how difficult it is... Despite all the challenges, late-night Monsters, and power naps, I still enjoy it - but it definitely is a love-hate relationship.

I have significantly cut down on my gym time for the last few weeks (once a week only!). Sigh... that I still need to work on. Balance balance balance. If only it is as easy as spelling out this 7-letter word. Ok back to studying... can't wait for my full 8-hr sleep on Monday night. Hope everyone is doing well :)

Chill pill?

I am looking for my chill pills. Perhaps I ran out? Right now they would come in handy when you are facing something like 40 diseases and what feels like 100 enzyme deficiencies to learn for ONE subject in the next 10 days. Oh biochemistry... What have I done to you that you must torture me like this?

Haven't posted for a while - simply couldn't find time. When I did have time I wanted to sleep because I have been so deprived of it haha... medical school... only for those who are crazy. Biochemistry actually is very interesting and I am liking every bit of it. We learned about disorders in Heme metabolism, Purine/Pyrimidine metabolism, and Amino Acid metabolism - a lot of manifestations that we see in those patients are starting to make sense to me! But then... I get sad when I look at the long list of diseases and their causes that I have to memorize... yeeeesh.

We also started renal physiology today. That wasn't bad either. But I must force myself to get off the computer and go study now... Will write more soon! Hope everyone is doing well :)

ps. That is my kitty Miho in the photo. Isn't he handsome?

Hirschsprung

Hirschsprung's disease is due to the lack of Auerbach's plexus in between the two muscle layers of muscularis externae in the bowel wall. It is also referred to as congenital megacolon. Some regions of the large intestine are permanently contracted due to the absence of relaxation signals from the parasympathetic ganglia, forming dilatations upstream of the contraction. This disrupts the normal pattern of peristalsis.

Anyhow, school has been going well. Very interesting material yet a LOT of work. I am slaving away everyday at the books but happily doing so. My Mini I went really well, to my surprise. I actually got better grades than I did in Semester I! Oh boy... of course I am not complaining. Just working away for the next exam this Friday.

My partner that was TA-ing with me officially quit. I told the students that I am willing to do TA sessions for them still if they need me - just need to send me an email in advance. Then earlier this week I received some emails in my inbox requesting for TA sessions. And that is scheduled for today in 2 hours. I really enjoy tutoring and I am so happy about all the positive feedback I have been getting from the students! That is what I wanted - not so much the positive feedback but the fact that I am helping them understand the course material and making their lives easier in med school. It is an amazing feeling that is hard to explain.

Anyhow I'd better get some of my own work done and then go wake myself up some more... Love to everyone! Enjoy life 'cause it is great from just about every angle.

The relief that follows.

Mini one is over. A friend made a very interesting comment today. He stated that he still does not understand why the school refers to the exams as Mini exams when they drain you inside out and cause you so much stress and exhaustion that Monster becomes your favourite beverage. The answer? No one knows. Perhaps these exams need another name.

To recap, last week I did go full speed studying for this Mini and it felt like I was studying for a final. Last night I went to bed at 10pm, making sure that I got enough sleep before walking into the exam hall. But before I closed my eyes I thought about how I still felt as if I didn't know a lot of material well enough. Wish there was more time... if only... if only. Oh well. My brain and my body were tired.

This morning I woke up at 0530am. Quickly reviewed some high yield points and ate breakfast. Making sure I stay calm and relaxed has always been my priority on the exam day, even the week before the exam. High anxiety level shuts down my system and I don't learn anything when that happens. This semester is a big challenge with the amount of information but if stress can be channeled elsewhere I think I should be alright.

The exam started at 0800am today. Quite early compared to last semester - always at 1300pm. Anyhow, the exam was mostly fair, but it was TRICKY. Oh my goodness was it ever! The basic concepts were taught to us but I was thrown off by the way many questions were stated, especially in Physiology and Neuroscience. Most of the questions required backward thinking - aka. diagnosing. And that is a completely new way of thinking for me in terms of academics. I have always been learning the forward way, which is how we were taught. Even the practice questions were not entirely 'backward'. I feel that this exam is a hit or miss. Gotta wait for the grades to come out now. In the mean time I am gonna catch up on some Anatomy that I did not get to really study for this mini - just to make sure I do really well on the practical exam in 2 weeks! No big breaks. Always moving forward :)

This week we'll learn about the GI system. Looking forward to it!!

Brains cut sideways.

I am giving myself 5 mins to write something on this blog before my mind gets filled with cranial nerves and steroid hormones again. The library is full with students - everyone's faces are hidden behind either laptops or stacks of papers. Finally I have calmed down after an hour of gym time this morning. Up till last nite the stress had taken over my mind and body and I could not get rid of the anxiety I was feeling every second. So much to do, so little time. But the workout this morning had helped. I am not exactly relaxed but I am no longer anxious. Tonite I am going to try to finish up Neuro as we have a practical exam tomorrow. Then after the practical I will go full-speed for the Mini exam on Monday! I will just do my best... and try not think about how much I have to learn in the next 3 days. Sometimes I think those who attend medical schools are truly crazy. And of course, I am one of them. Gotta get back to studying now. Will update everyone after my exams! :)


ps. You can always tell from my pictures whether exams are approaching! Awesome...

Crunch time to the n^th power!

This week is going to be pure insanity. Two exams coming up in a row in 8 days and I can feel it inside my bones. Anatomy is a bit frightening this semester in terms of content. I just came back from the Anat lab actually, after a long review session with my lab partner this semester. He is so smart and a really awesome study partner! We quizzed each other and that really helped.

Now I am back at the library and hoping today will be an extremely efficient day... I think I am a little stressed even though I am not fully aware of it. The reason why I think that is because I haven't slept well for the past four nights. I kept waking up every two hours or so, thinking it was time to wake up and goto school. I hope tonight will be different...

Alright back to studying. I wanna nail this first exam!

Little things, big impact.

I got a bit caught up in the school work since classes started that I hadn't posted for a while. But today is Research Day and that means no class! And here I am writing away. Finally I am back in my study groove, full on. It did take me a little more than a week to shake off the vacation laziness. Semester 2 is so far so good, much more interesting than Semester 1 yet the load is heavy. Neuroscience is the new challenge this semester - we have to know the brain and spinal cord inside out, wet and dry. It is amazing how such little structures control EVERYTHING we do. The spinal cord itself is about the diameter of your fingers, give or take. I held the human brain to study it and was amazed by its solid texture. It did feel like hard tofu - maybe slightly on the softer side. All the gyri and sulci are beautifully carved in. The cranial nerves were a bit of a pain at the beginning, as it was almost pure memorization of their origin, the foramina they pass through, their route, and what they innervate. But then it became sorta fun to trace them (or I am MAKING it fun so I could focus and learn). I have most of the stuff down. Just gotta repeat repeat and repeat more. My favourite cranial nerve right now is CN VII - facial n. It has several functions, including innervation of muscles of facial expression, salivary glands, lacrimal (tear) glands, and detect taste from anterior 2/3 of the tongue. Oh and what is more interesting is learning the muscles that control all the facial expressions! For example, orbicularis oris is your 'pucker' muscles and together with buccinator they allow you to make the 'blow-fish' face. I could go on and on about this...

We also had a dissection of the orbit, which contains the eyeball. It was neat. We got to take the eyeball out of the socket and look at the socket from the front and fromt the top. We also learned about the 6 muscles that control the movement of the eyeball. It was so interesting! I wish I could take the eyeball out and show you guys how each of the muscle acts. You would be impressed by the intricate organization of our bodies! The stalk behind the eyeball that connects it to the brain is the optic nerve. And the 6 muscles are: superior/inferior oblique, superior/infereior/medial/lateral rectus.

Earlier this week we also had a lot of endocrinology lectures and those were interesting as well. We focussed on hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, stress hormone cortisol, and epinephrine (adrenaline). I am so excited for the rest of the semester! Anyway I should get back to studying as there is a LOT to study.

Guess what I am holding in my hands in the photo? AVOCADO! Yes they are as big as my hands/face and so delicious! I remember how small the avocados looked back home. So pathetic compared to the Dominican ones! Right now it is avocado and orange/tangerine/grapefruit season. I am going to gorge myself with those before the season ends! Have a good weekend everyone :)

Crack a skull like an egg?

On Wednesday we had our first Anatomy lab for Semester 2. I must say that I am very excited about the rest of the lab. Our first session was to dissect a human skull and remove the brain. I was one of the dissectors of the group (of course I would volunteer to do anything that is even remotely morbid haha) and MAN was I happy that I did it. My lab mates were awesome and we really worked well together as a group. Alright, so to give you an idea of what sort of amazing things happened in that lab here are the steps of what we had to do with our body (cadaver...):

1. Make 4 cuts in the scalp of cadaver and peel/reflect the scalp as if you are peeling an orange. You may need a tool to help you detach the scalp from the cranium. I just took what was closest to me - a chisel.
2. Once you have reflected the scalp just below the supraorbital ridge, which is where your eyebrows are, stop. We then put an elastic band around the head of the cadaver just 2cm above the ridge. Marked it. And reached for the sharp-looking saw.
3. Yes, then we were sawing away at the human skull. It was hard! Our body had an especially hard head. Because sawing was a draining task, we got the only male in our group, Ray, to do it. He was good at it but sweating like mad nonetheless. He even had to take a few breaks. The burning smell of bones were everywhere due to the friction created. My eyes watered from the formaldehyde in the air.
4. So now we made a nice dent with the saw on the frontal area of the skull. How do we get to the sides and the back of the head? We tried turning the neck of the cadaver like other groups. Nope, our body had a stiff neck. Great! So we had to turn the entire body! It was dead weight and what a workout it was! Elisha gave an awkward laugh when the cadaver's hand poked her in the ribcage (and stayed in that position for the rest of sawing process). As we were trying to flip the body over to get to the occipital bone, something interesting happened. The body bag under the cadaver folded and made a crease angling downward aiming right at my right leg. The next thing I knew was the sensation of a cool liquid hitting the side of my right knee and flowing downward all the way into my shoe. Then I felt it cooling my toes down. Yes, it was the juice from the cadaver that had accumulated in the body bag. Oh well, what could you do? It was only half way through the lab haha!
5. Finally we made a dent all the way around the skull. Put down the saw and picked up the hammer and chisel. The anatomy lab sounded like a construction zone with all the groups hammering away at the human skulls. Yanking, chiseling, pulling. Eventually with a nice sound of tearing a bone away from the tissue attached, we opened up the skull of our cadaver. There it was - the beautiful human brain. It was breathtaking - not just because of the smell but because you could see all the complex gyri and sulci that directed everything we were able to do as human beings.
6. Then with much effort, we took the brain out and studied it, washed it and soaked it in a bucket.
7. As soon as we finished the lab I ran home to wash the cadaver juice off my body. Oh, did I mention that my gloves broke as well and my arms were covered in splatters of body fat.

It was an awesome lab. And it will only get better (or worse, depends on how you look at it) as the term goes on - can't wait for the labs on the gastrointestinal tract! Wooot! The photo above was taken when I borrowed a real human skull (and the rest of the skeleton) from the lab for studying. I never thought skulls/brains were amazing till now.

Today is the last day of week 1 of semester 2. Lots of things to study already but I feel calm. Before school started I made sure I had my share of island fun and went kayaking (1 seater) and sailing on a catamaran twice! Oh so much fun in the beautiful ocean! The water was warm and royal blue. The sky was wide and open. The sun was blinding but its powerful rays were masked by the wind blowing across the surface of the ocean. At the end of each day during the break I was tired but happy.

Ok this post is too long and y'all are probably falling asleep reading this. Anyhow I gotta get back to studying. Ciao!

Nature's Artwork

Finally I found time and energy to hook my out-of-battery camera to my laptop and upload the overdue photos I took on my flight back home. The beauty of nature never ceases to amaze me and I have to share a few with y'all.











And of course, my baby Miho is also a nature's gift to me :)

'Don't know why there is no sun up in the sky' - as Natalie Cole sings. Stormy weather, it's been like this for the past few days. My landlord lady Sara calls it 'September weather'. Hurricane season is definitely here.I picked up my course packets today from the offices, surprised that they were open. Only Biochem and Physio were ready. I flipped throught the notes briefly. This semester will be interesting and I am quite excited about it. Just a few more days and the pace will quicken once again. Ran into some friends from last semester who just returned from their vacations - it was nice to see that most of the people I know are moving onto second semester.

This semester I am going to try to TA some courses, if it's possible. This way I can keep my mind and knowledge fresh at hand. We'll see. I talked to Cathy the coordinator and she said she'd get back to me about it. Hopefully it goes through and she gives me a green light to be a TA. Other than that I am just excited about the new semester, especially Gross Anatomy!!

Love and kisses to all my friends out there!

5 more days till Semester 2 begins!

This has been the longest no-blogging period for me. I spent a brief week at home (Vancouver) and spent some precious time with my lovely parents, my kitty, and my friends. It was good to be home, even though it was a short stay. However, I didn't get a chance to really relax during that week because there were so many things packed into my schedule - no regrets though, obviously! Vancouver will always be my favourite food source - mmm yum yum! The neverending plates of fruits and veggies, Sushi and Kimchi, Thai and Pho... you name it. Yes, perhaps I was a pig in my previous life.

The flights back to the island were really tedious - I had 3 to 4hr breaks between all my flights. Thank goodness my friends from Ross came to pick me up from the airport. Truthfully, part of me wanted to come back to Dominica. I love this island and its beauty. And I have made some amazing friends here. I felt like I was returning to my second home.

Second semester is coming up. I am quite excited about it. Study hard and there will be satisfactory results! Most of my friends made it to second semester. Some did not, unfortunately. The new incoming class has arrived, even bigger than our class - some are saying there are around 600 students. That is crazy because Ross is probably going to try to fail half of them... Buckle up because this ride is not going to be smooth!

There was a Welcoming BBQ for the first semesters today, and obviously I went. FREE FOOD - always welcome. The ocean view with sunset was gorgeous - I was so astounded by the nature that I went for my second plate of food! It was delicious - burger plus more! But I am getting tired now and will try to get back into my regular schedule - early night and early morning.

Promise to post pictures soon! :)

Seattle... not too impressive.

But I am almost home and nothing can stop me now - except the fact that Greyhound was sold out for the earlier ride. And that unfortunate fact is making me spend 4 extra hours in the States before I can head home to Vancouver. So the flights were not bad. I met three really nice ladies/girls on two separate flights and learned some Spanish that I soon forgot. But that is alright - I was running on 3 hrs of sleep and lots of excitement. From the plane I took lots of beautiful photos of the landscape, which I will upload once I am back in Dominica (I left my camera cord there).

Ah, it feels so amazing to finish the first semester and feel like a survivor. All these hours spent sitting down and bending over the books suddenly seem so trivial. The important thing is that I did it! And if I was to use one sentence to sum up my feelings right now, it would be - the world is mine to conquer! Okay you may think that is a bit silly...

I am sitting in a coffee shop in the WestLake Mall in Seattle (as shown in the photo). It is one of the few places that closed at 9pm. Everything else, including all Starbucks, closes at 6pm on a weekday. What a joke! I am used to having coffee shops open till 11pm, or even better - 24/7. That was frustrating - I did not want to sit at the dirty and creepy Greyhound terminal for 4 hours with a bunch of sketchy people. But I guess I have to spend a whole hour with them before I could get on the bus and pass out. I am so exhausted and not feeling so well. I think the AC on the planes are to blame.

Oh well. I am almost home :) My holiday begins!

Uncertainties

The campus closed down yesterday at 6pm because of the tropical storm warning, 2 days before the final exam. And they told us that it would re-open on the morning of the exam day. For students who always study on campus - that was a disaster. The next thing you know, everyone was rushing to shop and stock up on groceries like it was the end of the world. I thought about doing that for a second. Nah... didn't do it. Had my butt planted in the chair for a few more hours till the campus was closed. If the storm was gonna hit and all the stores were closed I would just run across the street to my friend's apartment to beg for food and shelter hahaha.

Tomorrow is my exam - 1pm. I can't wait to write it now. No I am not completely ready and no I don't know everything I should know. But my brain is exhausted. I could almost hear it protest against having more information funneling into it. Prayers are welcome! Today I took two big breaks and packed one suitcase. I was planning to move tomorrow but decided to do part of it today - because tomorrow I will be going OUT right after the exam and actually live a little. How exciting! Something to really look forward to.

I am at my friend Lila's place right now and she is out hunting for food :)
Last haul. Fingers crossed!

ps. I just found out that my webcam actually has those crazy ugly frames so I decided to get creative while I slack off! Excuse my tired look...

Bad news?

So there will be a tropical storm hitting Dominica tonite. Then 2 hurricanes - Bill and Ana - coming Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. That sucks. My flight is on Aug 20 Thursday right between the two storms!! :( Looks like there is a high chance that I won't make it home this break. But I am still hopeful... or in denial. Apparently Bill is hitting us with a Level 3. Great! Right on the day of the final as well when all we wanna do is party. Maybe I can fly myself home...

This is messed up.
I can't focus on studying now...

What just happened?

Yes what just happened? I think I have just written the hardest exam by far in my life... I know I complained about Mini 2, which - compared to this Mini 3 - was A PIECE OF CAKE. Oh man. A friend's words precisely describe the effect of this exam: 'Mini 3: 122, Student: 0. This is the first exam that made me feel like all the hours I put into studying had just gone to waste.' The repeating students who had written Mini 3 from last term said this one was RIDICULOUS. A lot of students did not even manage to finish the exam. Imagine that... well, I am hurting but it could be worse? Haha at least I am trying to tell myself that. Ross is rough like that.

After the exam I went to my friend Polina's and just jammed with her for HOURS. Music, my life saver. Polina is an amazing guitarist and songwriter. It just happens that we have very similar taste in music. I love singing and she loves playing. We clicked and the music healed our wounded little spirits (post-exam trauma), partially. Next term we are gonna try to play at the talent show here :) It really is nothing though - no one ever goes because everyone is busy studying. But we both know that we need it. That gives us something to work on and look forward to other than just studying day after day like a machine.

I am beat. But tomorrow morning I am going to put on my speedo and goggles and go work out in the pool - rain or shine. Because it has been missing from my life for the past 3 weeks.

Last exam - final - Aug18. Then my lovely home Vancouver. Prepare yourselves!

PS. Crossing my fingers for decent exam results..... let me pass let me pass.

I Want Your Life

[Check out my FIRST pair of Crocs. I can't believe it either...]

Unforgettable, that's what you are. Unforgettable, though near or far. Nat King Cole's soulful voice fills my mind in between my draining study sessions. I haven't been singing much for the past month, and that I miss greatly. It reminds me of the days when I used to work with the endearing cancer patients - the way we laughed and sang and enjoyed music in silence. The way we were all brought together by soothing melody. Music is not in my soul, it IS my soul. I was just getting better at the blues style of singing before I left Vancouver. Sigh, medical school - what a perfect example of a love-hate relationship.

I used to be much fitter (now I am getting jiggly... partly due to my foot injury). I used to bike everywhere (Dominica is NOT made for bikes, let alone my skinny roadbike). I used to sing and play piano whenever I want to (no pianos here) and jam with my buddy Cam (he is in Vancouver and most students here are just too afraid to think about making time for music). I used to eat very healthy (don't even think about it here unless you are like my friend Lila... she is just too amazing). Studying does take up most of my time. And I know that other medical students are going through similar feelings, but it just sucks sometimes. 'Don't lose your personality!' Sorry, but it is a little hard not to... ;) Oh of course I will not lose my personality. I still sing in my room while I isolate myself like the rest to study for the exams!

Alright so to say a little about the exams - Histo practical was yesterday. It was not so easy as the first and I think that is because we had less time to study for it. The hardest portion was pulmonary - all the cross sections of bronchi and terminal and respiratory bronchioles were hard to distinguish. Most of my friends felt the same about the exam. But it's behind us now. Gotta study like mad for Mini 3 on Aug 11. Then a week after that is the final exam. So close to going home! I can feel my heart race at the thought of being home with my family, friends, and Miho.

Back to the deadly Biochemistry. [Photo below is my cardiac cycle diagram. I heart cardio physiology!]

3 More Exams

Yesterday I wrote my Anatomy practical exam. To me it seemed a little less easy than the first. There were quite a a few heart and lung questions. Unfortunately most hearts were really shriveled and mutilated and therefore making it difficult to orient ourselves when we stand in front of this cut-up organ with 45 seconds ticking away. I wasn't completely happy about the exam, but I think the results shouldn't be too bad. Fingers crossed and no time to dwell - today I have my Histology practical in 1 hr and 45 mins. Then right after this exam my Canadian girl Allie (also my future roommate for next term) and I will go hardcore and nail the Pulmonary Physiology. That subject is pretty difficult, especially with all the formulas tossed back and forth. But I will do my best to understand how to apply them before the Mini 3 exam on Monday.

It's been more than 2 months without running for me, and close to 1 month without swimming (due to the cold/flu). I am slowly going insane... thank goodness there is still Pilates. Maybe I have A.D.D.? It seems like I just have way too much energy to spend and I NEED to move and jump around. This sitting-for-the-whole-day business just doesn't flow with me here. Alright back to studying!!

Scrambled eggs for the soul...

Friends

The cute little angel you are seeing in the photo there, with her legs and arms wrapped around me, is the niece of my laundry lady Joanna. Her name is Valgela. Every morning when I walk out of my apartment to head to school she is there with a big smile. It just makes my day to hear her say 'Alexis!' and watch her run to me to give me a big hug! :) I will miss her once I move out of this complex...

These past few days have been rough - trying to fight off a cold and a sudden onset of fever. The dreadful 'pandemic' has finally hit me... I was hoping to get lucky this term. Better luck next time I guess. Fortunately it was not a flu. I feel better today after being on drugs for a few days. My immune system had been teetering for a week or two ever since the first person started coughing out death on campus. I was doing my best to not let myself break... and that effort worked for 2 weeks. Oh well what are you gonna do? Fortunately my friend Lila took care of me and shared her Ibuprofen... otherwise I'd probably be a lot sicker for a longer period of time. Lila herself actually got sick 2 weeks before I did and that put her out of order for one whole week. But she is such an amazingly smart and mentally strong individual that missing a week of class did not phase her. She just picked up where she left off. I admire that so much! Anyway, so when I was sick she took care of me - bought me V8 and made me scrambled eggs. It had been so long since I last had home-made food! It was delicious. She apologized to me, thinking that she got me sick when I visited her during her sick days. Well, I don't know - maybe she did, maybe she didn't. I knew what I might be getting myself into when I made up my mind to go see her with some fruit juice concentrate (it was passion fruit.. mmm). What are friends for?

The meaning of friendship is taken to a new level here in Dominica, particularly for Ross students, in my opinion. This new level may be good or bad, depending on many factors. This medical school is isolated, unlike most medical schools in other parts of the world. We are pretty much stranded on an island far away from home with nothing much to do except study. Friendships can form very quickly but some are not real. Many students feel lonely or homesick being away from family and close friends, so the reflex is to find someone to lean on as soon as possible. I know that is generalized and not every student is like that but many are. And that is scary sometimes. Fotunately the friends I have made are pretty darn great in their own ways. The main lesson I learned here is: be yourself and associate yourself with people with a positive outlook.

My first exam is in 4 days - Anatomy practical. Then the next day is the Histology practical. Then 2 days later is Mini 3. Tonight I did a review session with my Canadian girl Allie. And it was amazing! We were so efficient that I was clearer than ever about pulmonary physiology than I initially was. Talking it out with someone does help when you are prepared! And of course you have to find the right type of study partner.

Countdown to VANCOUVER: 17 days!!! Alright it's already 2 hours past my bed time. I should go... Goodnight everyone!

Home

Lately I have been wondering about this homesickness that everyone talks about. A lot of students here seem to get homesick a lot, especially in the first month of being away from home and stranded on this underdeveloped island called Dominica. Interestingly I haven't gotten homesick, or maybe I am just unaware. After the first week of adjustment to heat and humidity I actually feel at home (not as 'at home' as when I am in Vancouver but close enough). Am I an emotionless person? I do miss my parents and my friends in Vancouver, but not to the extent that I am feeling sad or in anyway affected negatively. Perhaps I have been so busy all the time studying and trying to stay sane here that I seem to have bypassed those sentimental moments? Anyway I am not sure. But those are some questions that have been running through my mind these days. HOWEVER, I am looking forward to going home on Aug 20! OH home sweet home... and food.

We had our DPS practical exam today. It was ridiculous, as in ridiculously simple. But I guess the point is to get our feet wet since we are the naive freshmen who are anxious to jump into the pool of complex medicine and ethics! The exam was basically an hour of story-writing. We were given a scenario - eg. Patient with chest pain. And we were supposed to write up a script of an interview conducted by a physician to narrow in on the differential diagnosis. Many students thought the exam was a joke after they finished it. But I thought it was actually a great way for us to get an idea of what sort of questions to ask in an interview to have the proper diagnosis. I named my 'patient' Craig Chimney... long story.

I miss my kitty Miho. He is now officially a Mama's boy! My mom is the commander in the house and Miho follows her EVERYWHERE, even to the bathroom. When she webcams me, Miho always shows up 30 seconds later and walks back and forth in front of the camera. Sometimes he spreads himself out on the back of the chair behind my mom's shoulders. He is getting big now. I can't wait to see him grow bigger! Oh I want to hug him so badly and bury my face in his belly like I used to... Miho is an Egyptian Abyssinian, an extremely loyal and royal exotic breed. And he is a handsome fella who knows he is goodlooking! However, my fantasy pet (yes I do have a fantasy pet) is a cheetah. I must say - cheetahs rank number ONE on my list of 'Pets to Have', although it may very well be impossible. Oh well. One can dream!

Finally - our semester is coming close to an end. Our exam schedule for the rest of the term is as such:
Aug 6 Anatomy Practical
Aug 7 Histology Practical
Aug 11 Mini 3
Aug 18 Local Final Exam

Days left before heading home: 24 days

Rain Rain Rain

It is officially the hurricane season in Dominica. We have had monsoons for the past few days almost nonstop, occasionally interspersed with light rainy periods. Not much different from good ol' Vancouver, only slightly worse when it does rain! The school sent an email out to everyone just warning us about a heavy cloud that will be hanging around for this week, giving us the wettest of the wettest weather - plus high winds. Why don't we just have the hurricane and get it over with huh? I vote for that. The locals told me that the hurricane season goes on till November. I was pretty excited to hear that... not.

Anyway 2 nights ago I went to a meeting held by the Canadian Student Association at Ross. We had Tom come and talk to us about the 'next steps' in our medical education, especially regarding clinical rotations and applying for residency. I must say that I had trouble wrapping my head around all the info I was given. But in a nut shell, it was a positive message - even though Canadian IMGs will have a bit of a tougher time than American IMGs in getting residencies back home, it is do-able and already done by many. Canada, especially Ontario, is taking in more IMGs every year due to shortage of doctors all over. However, there are a few options that we could choose from. But I need to do some homework on that topic and map out a plan for myself before I could comment any further.My bed has been like this for a while (and this picture shows its tidiest state). Most of the time there are 3 more piles of binder/notes/books along with the backpack. I just leave them there and sleep on the inner half of the mattress... Lazy? I don't know. I figured that I would have to reopen all the books in the morning and saw no point in putting everything back just to take them out in the same order in 6 hours again. So... they stay.

Countdown to going home: 29 days

Let nature take its course!

This photo was taken on a bus when my neighbor Serg and I went into town for some shopping. That was a one-hour zigzag bus ride in the heat! I ended up buying a lot more stuff than him, including 2 bottles of juice concentrate (passion fruit and guava, yum!). I also bought my first pair of crocs... I know, it is a surprise. Back home I always thought those were ugly and weird looking! But now with my foot injury I had no choice. And strangely they are very comfortable! So now they are growing on me and I absolutely love them.

I am thinking about moving. My roommates just told me yesterday that they were looking for places to move and that prompted me to think about moving as well! Maybe I was sad to hear that my roomies are leaving because I love them and we get along so well. Sigh... Apartments on campus are very tempting but they are also very expensive. I am paying half as much rent right now. But the convenience of on-campus housing is winking at me, especially with this foot injury these days.

and things just keep piling up (not school stuff, thank goodness!), like my flight tickets for the next term. Apparently American Airline has no more spots left for September returns to Dominica! What the heck! I fired a dozen emails back and forth with my agent in Vancouver to settle down the dates, airlines, and price. After all that struggle, it is still not booked yet. And she is supposed to let me know tomorrow. I decided to not go back in December just to avoid the holiday rush and perhaps the cold, snowy winter? ;) But we'll see. Oh by the way, I saw the milky way 2 nights ago!! It was AMAZING - and that is an understatement. I had never seen it before and my friend Taylor pointed out to me! I almost got too excited. Dominica has a beautiful sky right above it. Every night you can see stars blinking at you all over the place!

Anyway, for those of you who haven't heard from me, my Mini 2 exam went well, which was shocking! But I am not complaining. I will just study hard for the next one! Add oil~

Love you all!

A series of unfortunate events?

OH my... I wrote the most difficult exam in my life today!! Not sure how I feel at the moment but one thing I know is that I am not touching any books for the rest of the evening. Most of the students were either looking for a rope to hang themselves or a gun to blast their own brains out after walking out of the exam room... I am tired, and have been studying so hard that I don't feel sad about how horrible the exam felt. Is that bad? I am not sure. Oh well. Then shortly after I dragged myself home I broke my best pair of sunglasses because I forgot that it was sitting on top of my head... WHAT AN ALEXIS MOMENT!

Normally I would go out for a run after the exam but my foot injury is keeping me back. Sigh. I am gonna do some pilates :)

I miss my friends back home. I miss being silly with them and not having to sit ALL day and study like a maniac, especially the week before the exam. But on the other hand I like med school (yes, still) and I like the stress to a certain degree. I wish I wasn't being evaluated - that way I would REALLY enjoy learning haha! My friend's boyfriend came to visit her here and he said after seeing how much we study here and how much stress we have to go through, he doesn't think med students are human beings. It is somewhat true.

Alright. Off to exercise.

Swim Like A Fish

It has been a really great day today for me :) I am slowly getting better at studying more efficiently (thanks to the wisdom from my wonderful med friends) although improvement is still needed. The sun was out all day today and not a single drop of rain. Everyday when I leave my apartment I take my umbrella with me. Not just for the torrential downpour - it is HURRICANE season here! Sounds crazy but the locals are so numb to it because it never hits Dominica greatly (Thank goodness).

I made an appointment with an orthopedic doctor in Rosseau to have my foot injury checked. The pain has subsided, but the discomfort is still there. I have not been running for at least 3 weeks now. Sigh, this just brings back the painful memories of when I had my first injury from running 2 years ago. I had to take 6 months off running. But back then I was not as into running as I am now, so this time it really hurts me emotionally! But I am rational and perhaps logical and I know the importance of pulling back when necessary if I want to keep running for the rest of my life. This injury is quite bothersome though. I am hoping it is not plantar fasciitis... *fingers crossed* We will find out soon. To compensate for the lack of (my favourite) exercise, I started swimming again. Fortunately I brought my Speedo and my swimming goggles! :) That makes life a lot easier when I do laps in the swimming pool.

Mini 2 is 6 days away. But today I felt my inner calmness come back to me, which is exactly what I wanted. Exam anxiety will always hit me to some degree from now until forever but as long as I put a leash on it everything will be fine. I have been keeping up with the lectures and that, surprisingly, is something that is difficult to do for many students. I guess I can see that - which is why I do not ALLOW myself to fall behind. Even if I have to delay other parts of studying, I make sure I cover lectures on that day before the day is over. We learned about Hemophilia A/B and van Willebrand Diseases. You can do different tests (ie. Bleeding Time, Prothrombine Time, Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time) to find out whether it is due to defect in platelet adhesion/aggregation or absence of clotting factors. Super cool!

Anyhow I gotta do some quick review before I jump into bed. Goodnite!
PS. The photograph was taken the evening after Mini 1 exam - party at the beach! They fixed the pier and you could see that lots of people were hanging out on it getting sunburnt!... and drinking Kubuli.

A sanity check here, please!

For the first time since school started, I am actually completely stressed out. But at the same time I am trying to calm myself down. Also for the first time since school began, I am a bit behind (that happened today when I got dumped on by a load of new material that I had never heard of before). That is the reason for my slight increase in anxiety I suppose. Another big contributor to that is the fact that our Mini Exam 2 is in 10 days! Another term exam? Yes, my darling.

I want to write more but I really need to get on top of this clotting cascade and all those clotting factors involved in it. When I see the light again, I will update...

STUDY STUDY STUDY STUDY STUDY

A Permanent Stench of Formaldehyde and Body Grease

Another exam finished! We had our Anatomy practical today. If you are wondering at all what happens during an Anatomy practical, it is basically a lab exam involving cadavers. There were four rows of bodies in the lab (about 16) with maybe around 10 radiographs on computer screens. The exam was very organized and slightly funny :) Or... maybe it is just me. I often see humor in everything that crosses my path. What made it funny was its structure. So there were 4 rows of bodies and both sides were tagged on each body. Students would go in and move along the line in order of the rows, one person per body per unit time. Each question (ie. each station) was given 40sec for us to ponder and pick our answers. We were not allowed to touch the bodies or pull any tendons haha... it would have been fun if we could. When time was up there would be a chime (relatively pleasant sounding, fortunately) to signal us to move onto the next station. I think of industrial factories in this kind of situation - everything moves in an orderly manner in response to a bell! Anyhow, the exam went well - my feeling that is. This evening I will reward myself slightly and take a few hours off to eat peanut butter (not on its own) and relax. Tomorrow is time to tackle Embryology.

A mosquito is sucking out my blood from my leg at the moment. Should I kill it?

I ripped my favourite pair of shorts yesterday and it made me slightly sad. But I laughed soon after at the fact that I only have 2 pairs of shorts left... plus a pair of jeans that is too hot most of the time for the island life. Hm, will they last me till August? I hope so. I didn't really bring too many clothing items, and I am going to fix that problem when I go back home this August ;) But the fact that I don't have too many clothes forces me to do laundry every weekend. That is good I suppose - I never have a big pile of dirty laundry in my room.

ps. My scrubs smell like formaldehyde and body fat from the cadavers. I washed it already a couple of times but the smell won't come out, which is what happens... How fantastic! And, I learned a new song :) Feels so good to walk near the ocean and sing freely.

Histological or Psychological?

Good morning friends! I just did another exam this morning, and it was our Histology lab exam. Basically we were shown 50 different slides of cells and other microscopic components of tissues, and we had to answer a question on each slide. It wasn't too bad. Of course, after the Mini exam NOTHING will feel as long or as insane. Then 6 days from today we'll have another exam - Anatomy lab practical. This is the one that everyone is nervous about. I just might have to spend a few long days with cadavers drenched in formaldehyde. But for now I think I am going to learn some Embryology.

My mini exam went somewhat well. I could have done better. But I will always feel that way haha. Now I have a better idea of how to direct my study habits although it will still be trial-and-error until who-knows-when. Anyhow, lots to work on still. I am gonna try to go see my exam next week and see what I did wrong.

Now, the unfortunate fact - I think I have a soft tissue injury in my right foot, AGAIN. For the past few weeks I have been experiencing metatarsalgia on a minor level. Then this week it just suddenly worsened! Maybe my running hasn't been helping. I am gonna wait another week without running (that thought alone makes me sad!!) and go see a doctor if it doesn't get better. Sigh... I hope it is just bursitis or other kind of inflammation instead of a stress fracture.

Mini One is OVER!

2 hrs and 45 mins. My first Mini was today early in the afternoon. I pretty much stopped studying last nite at 2330hr. A minor confession - I even checked Facebook a few times! Some of my friends were on Redbull or Monster and pulling all-nighters or sleeping for only 2hrs etc. I thought even though that was crazy and admirable... I could not bring my body or mind to do it. (The picture to the left is of me reviewing the main arterial branches of the upper limb last night. Note my crazy dirty-bum look. Yea that is me in my ultimate study state.)

I have been studying pretty hard since Day 1 of this semester so I gave myself a break on the day of the exam. This morning I still woke up early though - biological clock has been set maybe? Oh wait, no I set my alarm at 0545hr hahaha. Don't ask why. But it worked well. I slept for 6 hrs! That's a lot. After I woke up I made myself some toast with LOTS of peanut butter, which I am running out of again. Sigh.

My plan was to not do too much studying right before the exam on the day of. And I made sure I stick with it. You could call this an experiment I guess. I had never been so 'scheduled' in my life before! Not even in my last year of undergrad when I was totally nerdified! Med school does change you in some really good ways. Anyways, after breakfast I decided to clean my room a bit. My room, either in Vancouver or here in Dominica, is not very tidy most of the time. I usually have books and notes all over my bed (sometimes on the floor, but I try to avoid that). However, things are getting better for me here. I really am trying hard to adopt some good habits that I thought were useless before :) My mom is quite happy to hear that! (The picture to the right is of me studying the amazing Brachial Plexus! Still looking like a student hard at work! And the picture to the left is my condensed notes and lectures for the first Mini exam, which tests a month's material.)

Alright, so onto the exam itself. Difficulty level - I would say medium. 90% of the material tested I was sure I had seen it before in the lecture. The test was much like a UBC final exam. The only difference is that this is a midterm for us! And there are 3 of them in total per semester, in additional to a bunch of lab exams for Anatomy and Histology. Consequently it feels like information overload. But might as well get used to it since that is what it's like in medical school :) I finished the exam one hour early but I stayed to double check some of my answers and went over questions that I were not too sure about. The exam was divided up into small sections of all the subjects but they were not categorized. They just numbered the questions from 1 to 130. Apparently they will be posting the answer key tomorrow but the grades won't be back till the end of the week. Oh well, I can wait! I am sure in the mean time I will still be busy with the next million concepts to be learned. (The picture to the right is me AFTER the exam, ready to head out to the beach party!)

My friends and I went to PBH beach party after the exam. Lots of people were there swimming, tubing, eating free burgers, and drinking Kubulis (I must say that I actually don't mind Kubulis at all now). It was very nice and relaxing, a much needed break for our overworked brains. Talk about how nice it is to have the campus right on a tropical island! I did miss my friends from the same program, because we never see each other during the term! Chatting and laughing with them just made my afternoon glow along with the Sun! I just got back home not too long ago - didn't stay out too late. I wanted to finish this post while my exam experience is still fresh and I also wanted to talk to my mom before going to bed (Secret: I am planning to sleep for a full 7 hours tonite).

Alright, I put up some photos of my pre-exam study state (I wanted you guys to have the REAL picture), my post-exam state, and some pictures taken at the beach today. Goodnite everyone!