Sleepy Weekend

I've had a fairly relaxing weekend; which is nice compared to the insaneness I have experienced this past week. I was able to get more than 9 hours sleep each day this weekend. It was glorious! I feel rejuvenated and ready to work hard again. Which is good since I have yet another exam this upcoming Friday. I am going to do my best not to procrastinate so that I don't have to cram too much before the exam. I've had enough cramming for a while; thanks to Mr. Anatomy.

I still can't believe that I am 1/3rd done this semester. Time certainly does fly! I have learned so much! More than I ever thought possible. In my 8 short weeks of medical school I have gained a new respect for all physicians. Honestly, every time I go to a physician now, I can partially understand what they went through. Although I have many years of training to go, I now understand what 'hard work' really means. I love working hard and learning so....I guess medical school is the place I am supposed to be.

Now, enough procrastinating, I should go and study some more. :)

Until next time....

Do you care what a Syncytiotrophoblast is???

I love saying syncytiotrophoblast. It's fun! Not that I really care about it. But incase you were wondering, this structure forms the outer cell mass of the chorion that eventually becomes the placenta. I knew you always wanted to know about that, right? :)

Anatomy has officially overtaken my life. I have so much to learn in the next two days that it seems overwhelming. The professors / doctors that lecture tell us not to leap-frog from course to course, but it is inevitable. I don't ever go to my biochemistry lectures but I manage to keep up at the same rate as they lecture. Well, yesterday and today I have neglected to do my notes for biochem, so now I am going to have to spend all weekend 'catching up' on my notes. But you've gotta do what you've gotta do to survive. So I am studying anatomy until my eye balls fall out or I fall asleep - whichever comes first (lol)

Man oh man, I can't wait until Friday comes and goes. Life will be glorious without the stress of an impending anatomy exam worth 190 marks.

Anatomy Week

I haven't written much because I haven't been experiencing anything worth writing about. But now I do! This week I am devoting my life to anatomy. I have a written and practical test on Friday....and I am no where near being ready. I am still feeling overwhelmed by the fact that I have to know so much. It seems daunting, but I can hope and pray that things will come together in time for the exams.

I spend two hours in lab today then I decided that after supper I'd head on over to the gross lab on my own to get some one-on-one with a cadaver. I had the idea that this would help me identify structures. Well, I don't know what was wrong with me, maybe it was what I ate for supper, but my stomach (and gag reflex) was NOT digging being in anatomy lab. Honestly, I am usually pretty good about the stench of enbalming chemicals and mould prevention substance, but I couldn't hold back my gagging and tears. Yes, they were even making my eyes water! Needless to say, I packed up my stuff and headed back to my apartment where I am (well should currently) be going through some essential nerves (ie brachial plexus) so that I learn something. Ugh, how I hate the smell of anatomy lab!!!!!!!!

Well, off to learn brachial plexus nerves. Heck, I always wondered about the brachial plexus, how it branches, what it innervates, etc. hahahaha :)

Lets Try Again

So I started to write this post last night and then realized that I could barely formulate a coherent sentence; at which point I headed to bed and thought that I'd write it in the morning. ...talk about being tired!

I officially am done the 'biochem' portion of my biochem / human genetics course. Yahoo! On Thursday I studied from 8:30AM until 1:15AM with limited breaks for necessary functions. This also included going to the corner store to get a 24-pack of Mountain Dew. All I can say is thank goodness for the Dew! I love it because it tastes good and it contains enough caffeine to keep me going. Yuuuuuummy!

With biochemistry done, I now can set my attention to anatomy. I have a written and practical exam this upcoming Friday. I think that it might be good to start preparing because there is SO much to know. I am a bit excited to start figuring out all of the details of the back, neck, and arm. I think it will be tough but it will be good to have that information in my head.

I frequently think about how much I am learning, and gosh it rocks! I remember going to the doctor in the past and thinking about how much information the doc had in his head....and I am getting a chance to get all of that information into my head. Maybe I am just weird but I still think that it is super cool that I am studying to be a doctor. Like one day I am going to be an actual physician. How incredibly sweet is that?!?

Talk soon,
Me

Another Course - Check!

I now have another course under my belt. Behavioural medicine is now done. Yahoo! I studied my butt off for this exam and the questions seemed so ambivalent that it was difficult to determine what the correct answer was. But, it is over and I am happy about that! :)

Now onto Biochemistry. My oh my am I not looking forward to these next two days. I have until 8AM Friday morning to learn 12 chapters of biochemistry. Protein/AA synthesis & catabolism, purine and pyrimidine synthesis/degredation, diabetes, heme, nutritional states, free radical oxygen, special products of AA....doesn't that sound like a joy to learn?! hahah....not!

But I should get back at my studying since I have anatomy lab this afternoon and still have a ton to get through before then.

Take care and I'll probably post after my biochem exam because I'll be cramming until then.

Going to bed smarter than when I woke up

Today's theme is that I am actually smarter than when I woke up this morning. I did hours upon hours of school work, and although I feel like I can't recall much, I know that I have to have learned something, and that makes me feel like I've accomplished something.

Good night!!!!

Finished First Medical School Class

Part 1:

I am officially done my first medical school class. This was the History of Medicine; and it was painful. I am definitely not a history / social science person. Going to the lectures were boring, taking notes was boring, studying was like eating sand, and writing the exam was not any better. Do you honestly think that knowing that Vesalius was opposed to Galen and supportive of Hippocrates is clinically relevant? I highly doubt it, but it's done, it's over and I NEVER have to take another history class again. Yipee! All I can say is that I am happy this class was only one credit and that I am done with it! :)

Part 2: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

We were required to fill out a survey before classes started on the MBTI - a personality assessment survey to determine what personality best fits my responses. I found that the results were astoundingly accurate so I thought that I would share them.

Result:

- Introversion (slightly): People who prefer Introversion tend to focus their attention on the inner world of ideas and impressions.

- Sensing (moderate): People who prefer Sensing tend to take in information through the five senses and focus on the here and now

- Feeling (moderate): People who prefer Feeling tend to make decisions based primarily on values and on subjective evaluation of person-centered concerns.

- Judgement (very clear): Peopel who prefer Judgement tend to like a planned and organized approach to life and prefer to have things settled. Note that in this section I scored the highest possible value. Hence I am a very organized and planning-type of person. Ha, go figure....:)

Type Description: This is what my specific personality type is described as:
- Practical, realistic, considerate, and responsible
- Focused on the needs of others: takes responsibilities seriously and expect others to do the same
- Respectful of established procedures and authority; value harmony and cooperation
- Likely to see facts clearly and accurately, especially those that have a personal meaning to them
- Likely to make decisions based on personal values and concern for others
- Sympathetic, tactful, and supportive of others
- Usually seen by others as quiet, serious, conscientious, and traditional

Suboccipital Triangle & History of Medicine Day

The title explains my entire day (minus the four hours of class I had).

In anatomy lab today we dissected the Suboiccptial Triangle. It was actually fun! Our cadaver (Mr. Riggy as we named him) has GREAT muscle tone and not a lot of fat. We are pretty sure that we lifted weights or something well into his 80s because he has amazing muscles. It makes for a beautiful dissection. We had a perfectly formed triangle in the back of his neck with all blood vessles and nerves extremely visible. Definitely the best in the class (hahaha, or so we think!). We had about 30 other student come over to look at our amazing dissection skills- actually, no, it was to look at the well developed muscles of the neck.

The above picture is an example of what muscles we dissected / learned. On the right hand side there are three muscles that kind of outline a triangle. That's them! Now I realize that the textbooks don't really lie and that the anatomy described in it is really what the good Lord put into our bodies. How neat!

Now I am studying history of medicine. Oh man this is NOT FUN! But I am plugging away at it hopefully learning something.

Another quick update is on the way...

Lake-Studying

Today I studied at the local lake. It was lovely outside! I guess I should rephrase this, I TRIED to study at the lake. I was trying to learn the muscles of the deep back, but I was largely unsuccessful. I had previously made flash cards but I had a difficult time concentrating in the beautiful weather. So I gave up on my painful attempt to study and decided to catch up on my vitamin D intake. Laying in the sun felt so much better than cramming my brain full of origins, insertions, actions, blood/nerve supply to oddly named muscles :)

And one awesome thing is.....I DO NOT HAVE SCHOOL TOMORROW!!! I don't think that I've ever been so happy to have a day where I won't be given new information to learn. I can almost get all caught up on classes. And start studying for my History of Medicine final which in this coming Friday.

Caio for now,
Me

Gross Anatomy

On Thursday I survived my first Gross Anatomy lab. It was pretty darn neat! After I got over the lovely smell and the fact that this person was actually a living person, it went well. I can just think about the fact that the cadaver that I am cutting up with my scalpel was actually a real person; ugh. I hope I'll get over that real quickly.

One great thing is that I have an amazing lab group. All four of them are really neat and smart people. Hopefully this will help make it a wonderful experience!

The only time I had a difficult time was at the end when I had accumulated a bunch of fat from the cadaver and I had to dispose of it in the tissue container. It's not every day that you grab a handful of adipose tissue that was residing in a human body! I didn't gag but boy was I close!

So that was my first gross lab experience. It was interesting and 'gross' (pun intended). Hopefully it will help me learn the muscles, nerves, bones, blood supply, etc, etc, etc!

I know that we have only been in school for a month, but I absolutely couldn't imagine myself doing anything else with my life besides medical school. :)

First Diagnosis

Yup, you didn't misread the title, today I was able to give my first 'diagnosis'. Well....sort of. In lab today I was partnered up with (luckily) a super skinny guy. This makes feeling the bones and joints so much less painful on my part. I was supposed to be checking for scoliosis of his spine by running my hand down his vertebral column when I felt something sticking out that was not supposed to be there. I subsequently called the attending doctor over to check to make sure I wasn't losing my mind. And thankfully I wasn't. The doctor helped me figure out what was wrong and it ended up being an extended vertebrae. How cool is that?! I wasn't even looking for it and I found it. It's really the small victories that count :)

Also, today I had a meeting for the OB/GYN club. We get to do some pretty amazing things. There is a surgery lab where we learn the mechanical steps associated with doing an episiotomy, vasectomy, and some another gynaecological procedure that I can't pinpoint the exact name. But it is pretty interesting. Another part of the program is to be matched up with a local woman who is pregnant and go into the office prenatal visits with her and also to give her support during the delivery. How amazing is that? It will most likely be with a single mother in need of some social support. So I get to interact with patients and learn something really interesting in the process. Another neat thing is that every couple of weeks we have a guest speaker come in to talk to us about certain issues in obstetrics and gynaecology. I think it is going to be a very rewarding educational experience outside of the classroom.

Until next time......

:)