I've just returned from celebrating the completion of my first medical school exam with 100+ classmates in the local campus pub -- yeeha!! -- and I have to say it's a great feeling. Surviving it, that is. It was a 2-part exam in gross anatomy: a 2-hour written portion, which I think I passed just fine, and a practical exam, which entailed identifying nerves, arteries, muscles, bones, tendons, etc. of the neck and back region on 25+ cadavers that have been decomposing and drying out over the past 2 weeks. I don't really know how well I did on the practical - I assume I did as well as I could have, but I won't know for a few days. Most of the people I spoke with feel uncertain about it - they can't really tell how well they did. It was really tough. But the bottom line is to create intelligent doctors - not make it easy. So, I am pleased to have made it through it alive.
I spent a god-awful amount of time studying the past 2 weeks - I averaged about 4.5 hours a night after a 9-5 day of classes, and then put in 15 hours on Saturday and 12 yesterday (Sunday), and 4 more this morning. And that was for ONE test. Good lord. I have to say, medical school is as tough as I anticipated. Thankfully I expected long hours.
All the stress has thrown off my biorythmns -- I try to go to bed at midnight and inevitably can't sleep and end up flipping though my flashcards until 1.30am. I then wake up at 8am all jittery and full of nervous energy.
I've become accustomed to drinking coffee all afternoon instead of my usual 3-4 binge. I've also lost weight since eating has become an afterthought -- I usually remember to eat at lunch, but dinner is more of a study break than a meal.
Despite the intense nature of the whole experience, the bottom line is I am having fun -- an amazing time -- even though this is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. Fortunately, I've met some amazing people and made some great friends who have kept me sane the past few weeks.
And now I am tired, drained, and want to watch what's been happening in New Orleans -- one of my favorite places in the country. And tomorrow's another full day... We begin dissecting the thorax!
This weekend I'm off to Malibu to chill on the beach again with friends and family. The wife is coming out to visit me -- it's been almost a month since I have seen her. We have lots of catching up to do.
Posted by LA at August 30, 2005 01:38 AM