Second day of school and I am liking what I am learning. Truthfully, despite all the 'fear factors' passed around among the student body about the 3rd semester, I am super excited about what this semester holds. Maybe I will be laughing at myself for saying this later on in the semester, but right now that is precisely what is on my mind. Not a single bit of fear, just pure anticipation!We have 4 subjects: Microbiology/Immunology, Behavioural Science, Pathology, and Pharmacology. Don't be fooled (as we are told by the upperclassmen)! Even though we only have 4 subjects, the load is as heavy as last semester. Not to mention the content is completely new! 'It is like learning a new language', one of our professors said about Pathology. And it is true. This challenge is making me excited! Besides these subjects, we are also starting ICM or Introductory Clinical Medicine, where we will begin to learn how to properly interview patients regarding their illnesses. Finally, I am touching fingertips with real medicine :) This entire patient interview deal brings back memories for me of the years I spent working beside the wonderful cancer patients. And I miss them. I miss that sort of interaction. Sometimes, I wish (very naive..) that I could keep in touch with every single person I have met and liked since the day I could process my own thoughts. Obviously impossible... but one can certainly dream!
Also this semester my biggest goal outside the academia is to live a balanced life. Hurting my back severely during this winter break has evoked something in me, and that special something is the motivation behind my goal. I have been attending yoga classes twice a week since I got here. Even though the starting goal is to help my back recover, I know I will try my best to stick to this routine because it is making me feel refreshed and pumped for the load I am getting.
This semester I will be TA-ing again for Neuroscience and Biochemistry. But I think for Biochemistry I may become an appointment-only TA. So instead of having a session every weekend, I hold tutor sessions for those in need and those that contact me to schedule a meeting. That way I will have more flexibility overall. Hm, so much to anticipate for!
Ok... I should get back to studying. Already spent 2.5hrs doing yoga and cleaning up. Ready to dive back into the game again. And tomorrow will be a GOOD day!
I finally landed in Dominica after 36 hrs of (mostly) sitting in boxes on wheels or giant flying machines. One thing I can firmly say is that I did not enjoy any minute of it. Traveling is a pain in the butt until you actually reach your destination. Interestingly, I feel at home here on the island. When I was in Vancouver I wanted to come back to the sunny weather. And here I am, closing my eyes and enjoying the heat evaporating the moisture on my skin. Ah... a hot winter - that's how I like it.
Ross changed its printing system and I like it more than the old one. Now we can print from any of the classrooms or the library. This way it's less messy, less crowded, and more efficient. No more 'where are my print-outs??'. The new students have arrived. I wonder how big this new class is. Probably close to the size of the previous class. I am also really anticipating the arrival of my friends! Already ran into a couple of them here. But most are coming on the last day of the week or first day of class.
So far I haven't yet finished unpacking. Last night I passed out midway on my bed in my dirty clothes. Woke up and found out that I had slept for 12hrs. I guess 36hrs of no sleep really gets to you. When I got home, our dog Dixie was so excited to see me. I was happy to see my landlord again too. I thought about her lots during my break, hoping she was alright on her own.
3 days till school starts. I hope my back recovers completely before then so I can sit for hours again... so sad ;) Anyhow, gonna go for a walk now! Ciao everyone!
ps. Miho is not ready for the new year! (see photo)
Have been home for 11 days. My break between semesters is almost over but the time spent with friends and family will always be the most precious. Last nite I went to a NYE house party with my closest friends, with whom I was hoping to spend the night with. I missed them. I missed the heart-to-heart conversations, the neverending sarcasm, the playful insults, and the arms waiting to be linked to my own. 2009 went by fast. And time will just go by faster from now on. However, I feel that I am better at catching the fleeting moments escaping between our fingers. Those are the best kinds.Most of my friends are leaving for another country this new year, and I know for a fact that we will not be able to see each other nearly as often as we did or we do. While that thought pulls out a helpless sigh from me, something also tells me that we will only become more connected. The world is not as big as it appears to be.
Anyhow, Vancouver has been cold... yet it appears to be slightly above zero most of the time. This Xmas we did not get any snow! Hm. Occasionally I catch myself missing the hot sun in Dominica. I guess I will see the island again in 5 days! Unless the US airports pull tricks on us again. The airlines have changed regulations and the security checks have become more detailed and time consuming. They are putting more limits on the number of luggages each passenger can carry. Sigh, why has it become like this?
My kitty Miho is so handsome and I missed him so much! Being home allows me to snuggle with him again ooooh so cozy! I hope the 2010 is going to be a great year filled with happiness and achievements for everyone :)
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!
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?
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!
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.
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 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 ;)
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.
