End of Week 2

So its the end of week two of Second Semester...

So far its a bit different than first semester.   We have the allusion of more time this semester since we don't have anatomy lab in the afternoons and only have clinical & Case Studies a couple times a week.   And the reason I say its an allusion is because the material seems deceptively manageable.   

So basically we have Cardiovascular Physiology and Respiratory Physiology over 3 weeks.   It seems manageable applying similar techniques as I did last semester.   However, I start doing these USMLE Physiology pretest questions and you would have thought I had not even looked over the material at all.  

I think my main problem is that I have not successfully moved to a more integrated approach to consuming and applying the material.  I am going through slides and supplemental reading, but I think its just laying on the surface.  

I need to adjust my studying approach again.  I may even go see a tutor or advisor to get some tips on how to shift my approach.

Overall things are going pretty ok.   I wish I would have taken the time to move before the semester started.  I have gotten more reluctant to leave the apartment and I waste to much time and money when I go to campus all day.   I have considered renting a scooter its actually cheaper than moving into a place closer to campus.

So in a nutshell I am still looking for my balance in most areas.  But I am confident I will move past these new hurdles like I did the last.

My little one is doing well.  She is off at a dance convention/competition this weekend.  It is the kick-off to competition season. I think secretly I am a little depressed that I am having to miss all of that his year. 

Well I guess that's about it. :) 

Second Semester !!!

Well here we are two days in to second semester.   It has been a challenge getting back into the swing of things.   I have actually not even left my room for about two days.   Thank Goodness for Mediasite (on demand lectures).

However tomorrow I am getting my butt up and heading to school in the morning. If I don't go first thing in the morning I loose motivation with each passing hour.   I had planned on hitting the gym at least 3 mornings of the week, but they are working on the showers.   I live so far I don't want to work out, then have to walk home to shower, and then go back to campus.    So I just have not done anything. 

As I mentioned I have been having a bit of a challenge getting back in the groove.  I am doing my pre-review and listening to lecture, but I have not been doing my Post review study products.   However since I will be stuck on campus all day tomorrow I will play catch up.

Other than that not a lot going on.  Found out there are bats living above me, but apparently that's normal here.   I had been telling myself I had a very quite upstairs neighbor with a non-barking dog or very active cat!   But that's Dominica for ya.


I guess that's about it.  I want to try and document a little more this semester, we shall see.


Happy New Year !

Semester One Fininshed

So I finished semester One December 16th.   For a while there I was a bit worried, but I was able to focus up and and get through that last stretch.

I have been enjoying my time back in Texas.  Been to a few christmas parties and Chipotle!   Have a birthday party today and a football party tomorrow.   It has been a very busy week. 

I started reading over some physiology to help get me ready for the cardiology block starting next semester but I have not gotten far.    I will be getting back to school about a week before class starts so I may buckle down then.

I have heard that you should just rest and not study and I have heard you should go over the first weeks of material to get ahead.

I don't know whats the best option, but I have definitely done more resting than reading... :)

It was 70 degrees for a few days here in Texas, but that has changed today and the crappy weather is in...   Which means its probably a good time to catch up on movies...


If I had any tips for today they would be.

1. take advantage of outside material. The slides may be dense and seem to cover all you need, but sometimes there is some additional understanding in suggested or researched outside material that can help improve understanding and application.

2. Start using your First Aid book  first semester.   I found that If I review the relevant material in the book you can use it for a good overview of high yield material throughout the following semester.  It is very high level, but it helps me to review some high level topics for long term retention.

3. Develop a detail plan that includes breaks and stick to it.  I found I had good intentions in this area but terrible follow through.   I also did not schedule in rest time so after mini's I would not be able to pick up study material for like 2 days.    Next semester I am going to schedule in Sunday afternoons off.  I want to spend that time doing something non-class related. 

I guess that's about it... 

Random

So as I take a little break for learning thought I would jot down some random thoughts.

I have been in medical school a whole 3 months...  Its amazing how much you can take in such a short amount of time. 

Random comments to those interested in medicine.

- make sure this is really what you want to do. 
  - it takes a lot of your time.
  - if you thought pre-med took a bunch of your time, wait till you go to medical school, then residency, then practice....  Its a life long journey.
 
- make sure you start working on your morals, integrity, and professionalism.  
  - you don't to work hard your first year or two in medschool and then get kicked out for something stupid.
 - you don't want to bust your but through school, clerkship, and residency and then loose your license due to something stupid.
  - during one of our Ethics classes teacher pulled up websites from multiple states of Doctor's who were suspended or loss their license due to stupid choices like 
 - relationships with patients
- grossly prescribing medications
- getting caught in inappropriate behavior even outside of work...
- being impaired on the job
-- its definitely worth checking out..

- Get used to studying...
   - it never stops.
  -  test after test after test...
  -  if you are studying for the MCAT and find that you are having trouble.  Try and figure out what your pitfall is, because you will be taking standardize test FOREVER....
   is it focus, time management, anxiety, fear, procrastination, the medium in which you are learning material.    FIGURE IT OUT NOW....  you don't want to struggle with that while trying to learn all this dang material.
 --  I found that I have to supplement my lectures with short videos that give me a broad overview. Or go into detail on a complex topic.   I found that if there is a hole in a concept in my mind I cant really wrap mind around everything else that I am trying to learn.
   I also kind of don't get as much from reading as I do from watching & listening.  So videos tend to help me lay the foundation in my brain.
   I also prefer to learn the material, rather than memorize, but you don't always have time for that.   I really have to work on my memorizing techniques.


anywhoo.. back to work..

Heading toward the Home Stretch

Well...

apparently I will be starting every entry off with "its been a while" , but it has been a while.

Things are going okay.  We had our 3rd Mini about a week ago, unfortunately my performance on that was not was I had hoped.  I actually thought I studied pretty hard on that.  But my wifi was out at home for about 2 weeks so I had to study at school.  I think I "went over" a lot of material but did not really ingest any.  I didn't do the thing at home where I talk to an imaginary person about the objectives.

  On a more positive note I felt pretty good about the anatomy practical we had on Monday.

We have  six more weeks of school left and it is going to be HELL on Wheels...

we have 5 weeks of dense material

Mini 4 - December 7th
MicroAnatomy/Histolgy Practical - December 10th
Anatomy Practical 3 - December 11th
Semester Final - December 15th

My mind is crazy right now...  Those four exams make up 50% of our grade.
I am trying to stay on top of all the material each week. 
I am trying to review each weekend like I am going to take a test on that material on Monday.
I need to work in more time to look over old stuff for the final & review histology from earlier in the semester.

People do this and make great grades so I know its not impossible. I just need to find what works for me.

Life on the island is still the same.
I am sooooooo looking forward to going home. 
I want to
drive a car
eat some chipotle
go to a movie
watch a SHIT LOAD of TV.....

I have been considering moving to a nicer place closer to campus.  However the prices are basically double or triple what I am paying right now.   Even though it is doable, I will have fewer resources for my kid back home, and they have competition coming up so I have to be able to pay for that.

Luckily she is in way fewer numbers than usual so it will be pretty affordable.  But she still needs things here and there.    I dont know...

I was supposed to submit a letter of intent back in October if I wanted to move by next semester.   So if I do decided to move it will have to be a mid semester move.  

Or I could just do another semester here.  


Anywhooo..
my daughter is doing pretty well.  She is very happy where she is.
There have been a couple of "teenage" bumps, but they were nothing too big.
I miss her like crazy, but I think it is very good that she has had to learn to be more responsible.
I didnt realize how much I took care of everything. I don't think she did either.
I think this is really helping to build a very smart, strong, and capable young lady.

Okay... I guess that's about it.

Also today is Veteran's Day.  So if anyone who happens to be reading this has answered the call to serve.

Thank you for your service!