kidsdocorbust
05-16-2006, 01:12 PM
Hey all - I'm back at home, taking some time to recouperate from Vinnie's and school in general. Before I start buckling down for Step 1, I thought I might share my personal insight on the past two years at SGU...
Disclaimer: take this as you will, as everyone's experiences are different, and their attitudes are different. I'm a pretty adaptable, positive person, so if that's not you, then you might feel differently from what I say here.
First Term: Aw, Grenada. I won't be rushing back there anytime soon. If you take anything from this thread, use the basic sciences to actually LEARN the material for the future: for Step 1, for your own medical career, etc. This might seem so basic, but believe me, it is easy to get caught up in classes and just memorize what you need to know for exams. If you really LEARN and KNOW the material, you'll rest easier later. My mantra was that I hadn't really learned anything until I could teach it to others. I spent time in Anatomy lab going over stuff with friends. I had a study group with 3 other friends that really made me be able to recite what I had learned in all 4 subjects. We drew out objectives and key concepts together on white boards. Also, GO OUT! Meet people, and don't get sucked in to the life of a hermit. Get involved in student groups that interest you. Volunteer. Basically, try do do other things than study when you can, so you don't burn out early. Remember, you have 2 YEARS of this crap to do - make sure you can finish it. I didn't make IEA that term, but I did well enough to be able to DES and TA Anatomy second term and still have a good time.
Second Term: I felt this term was slightly easier, only because you had more time to study. But you will NEED that extra time to study Physio and Neuro, and if you have Dr. J. S. in Immuno, you'll need that time to teach yourself Immuno as well. These are great classes, and I truly enjoyed the material we learned this term. Physio creates such a great foundation for future classes, so LEARN it well. Again, have fun, and if you can DES/TA first term subjects, it's a great way to keep material fresh - as you will learn, repitition is key to retaining so much information. I remembered random first term facts in Vinnie's because I DESd - my hospital group was DRILLED by a surgeon there on one rotation (maybe some of you will know Dr. D*****) and I managed to NOT feel like a huge idiot.
Third Term: A great time to boost your GPA. I think I only studied for a few days before our exams. I just made sure I paid attention in class and understood everything we were taught. I goofed around A LOT this term - went to the movie theater (which I think is closed now :cry: ), downtown, played a lot of sports, and practically lived at Stewarts. Have fun, and get refreshed and be prepared to buckle down for Fourth Term.
I had a summer here before Fourth Term started, so I used it to catch up with family, friends, and party in Vegas. I didn't look at a single medical book, and I'm glad I didn't.
Fourth Term: Prepare to work harder than you've ever worked before. But don't let others scare you - this is very doable. The feeling of accomplishment and relief you have when it's over is great, especially if you do well. Make sure you've picked a good and reliable Path group - although my group definitely had some personal conflicts within it, at the end of the day, every single person ALWAYS had their slides done thoroughly. You get what you put into it. As for Micro, perfect your memorizing skills, but try to really know the bugs at the same time. I don't have anything on Nutrition - it was the one class that prevented me from getting straight As that term. (Grumble, grumble :mad: ). PD/ACS seems dumb, pointless, and subjective, but try to make Bates your friend and learn how to examine patients. It'll help in Vinnie's and studying for the OSCE will be easier. This was the term when we were NOT a presence at Stewarts, and when we got excited to see other members of our class ANYWHERE outside the Path Lab. But if you work hard and LEARN the material, Fifth/Sixth terms will be easier than they should be.
Fifth/Sixth Terms: I actually REALLY enjoyed Vinnie's. I thought it was a lot better than Grenada in terms of nicer people, fun things to do, etc. Some people in the class before me beg to differ, and I guess it would be different if you were there for rainy season. I barely studied in Pathophys because I learned Path so well. I put most of my work into Pharm and it paid off. Another class where memorization is key. I LOVED going to hospital twice a week and learned soooo much from the docs there. I got a lot of hands on training and got to observe a bunch of surgeries, and one time my group even got to spend the whole day with a surgeon. (We watched like 6 procedures and didn't get a break for lunch - 8 to 5 that day and all I ate was M and Ms and a can of coke - but it was definitely worth it. A nice glimpse of clinical rotation life.) While we did take an endless number of histories (which you learn how to do in PD/ACS), and I would have MUCH rather have been in the middle of a cool surgery than taking a history on an appendicitis patient, I now feel incredibly confident in history-taking and rocked my OSCE. Obviously I won't know for sure until clinicals, but from what I've heard SGU students really rock in the PD/ACS aspect of things when we get there.
That's about it for now - I'm taking a week off before my 6 week self-study for Step 1. I finished Basic Sciences with a great understanding of medicine, a rockin' GPA, and two years of memories that I wouldn't trade for anything. I made amazing friends that I know I'll keep for a lifetime. It wasn't all glitter and sunshine all the time, but I bit through it and kept my chin up. DON'T waste time complaining about everything that pisses you off, you'd be better off studying or having fun. DON'T be that common student who scowls about everything Grenadian/Vincentian, compares everything in 3rd world countries to the States when obviously nothing can be compared due to economic differences, and wonders why he has fewer and fewer friends each term.
When it's all said and done, and you finally touch down in the States (minus luggage, I mean, let's be realistic people) after your 2 years of hard work, you can smile, say you did it your way, and treat yourself to a Big Mac. (Ok, maybe that last part is just me... :D ) If anyone else wants to give their basic science two cents here, go for it! Good luck to everyone who still has yet to start/finish. You CAN and WILL do it. Keep your eye on the prize. Kidsdoc, OUT.
Disclaimer: take this as you will, as everyone's experiences are different, and their attitudes are different. I'm a pretty adaptable, positive person, so if that's not you, then you might feel differently from what I say here.
First Term: Aw, Grenada. I won't be rushing back there anytime soon. If you take anything from this thread, use the basic sciences to actually LEARN the material for the future: for Step 1, for your own medical career, etc. This might seem so basic, but believe me, it is easy to get caught up in classes and just memorize what you need to know for exams. If you really LEARN and KNOW the material, you'll rest easier later. My mantra was that I hadn't really learned anything until I could teach it to others. I spent time in Anatomy lab going over stuff with friends. I had a study group with 3 other friends that really made me be able to recite what I had learned in all 4 subjects. We drew out objectives and key concepts together on white boards. Also, GO OUT! Meet people, and don't get sucked in to the life of a hermit. Get involved in student groups that interest you. Volunteer. Basically, try do do other things than study when you can, so you don't burn out early. Remember, you have 2 YEARS of this crap to do - make sure you can finish it. I didn't make IEA that term, but I did well enough to be able to DES and TA Anatomy second term and still have a good time.
Second Term: I felt this term was slightly easier, only because you had more time to study. But you will NEED that extra time to study Physio and Neuro, and if you have Dr. J. S. in Immuno, you'll need that time to teach yourself Immuno as well. These are great classes, and I truly enjoyed the material we learned this term. Physio creates such a great foundation for future classes, so LEARN it well. Again, have fun, and if you can DES/TA first term subjects, it's a great way to keep material fresh - as you will learn, repitition is key to retaining so much information. I remembered random first term facts in Vinnie's because I DESd - my hospital group was DRILLED by a surgeon there on one rotation (maybe some of you will know Dr. D*****) and I managed to NOT feel like a huge idiot.
Third Term: A great time to boost your GPA. I think I only studied for a few days before our exams. I just made sure I paid attention in class and understood everything we were taught. I goofed around A LOT this term - went to the movie theater (which I think is closed now :cry: ), downtown, played a lot of sports, and practically lived at Stewarts. Have fun, and get refreshed and be prepared to buckle down for Fourth Term.
I had a summer here before Fourth Term started, so I used it to catch up with family, friends, and party in Vegas. I didn't look at a single medical book, and I'm glad I didn't.
Fourth Term: Prepare to work harder than you've ever worked before. But don't let others scare you - this is very doable. The feeling of accomplishment and relief you have when it's over is great, especially if you do well. Make sure you've picked a good and reliable Path group - although my group definitely had some personal conflicts within it, at the end of the day, every single person ALWAYS had their slides done thoroughly. You get what you put into it. As for Micro, perfect your memorizing skills, but try to really know the bugs at the same time. I don't have anything on Nutrition - it was the one class that prevented me from getting straight As that term. (Grumble, grumble :mad: ). PD/ACS seems dumb, pointless, and subjective, but try to make Bates your friend and learn how to examine patients. It'll help in Vinnie's and studying for the OSCE will be easier. This was the term when we were NOT a presence at Stewarts, and when we got excited to see other members of our class ANYWHERE outside the Path Lab. But if you work hard and LEARN the material, Fifth/Sixth terms will be easier than they should be.
Fifth/Sixth Terms: I actually REALLY enjoyed Vinnie's. I thought it was a lot better than Grenada in terms of nicer people, fun things to do, etc. Some people in the class before me beg to differ, and I guess it would be different if you were there for rainy season. I barely studied in Pathophys because I learned Path so well. I put most of my work into Pharm and it paid off. Another class where memorization is key. I LOVED going to hospital twice a week and learned soooo much from the docs there. I got a lot of hands on training and got to observe a bunch of surgeries, and one time my group even got to spend the whole day with a surgeon. (We watched like 6 procedures and didn't get a break for lunch - 8 to 5 that day and all I ate was M and Ms and a can of coke - but it was definitely worth it. A nice glimpse of clinical rotation life.) While we did take an endless number of histories (which you learn how to do in PD/ACS), and I would have MUCH rather have been in the middle of a cool surgery than taking a history on an appendicitis patient, I now feel incredibly confident in history-taking and rocked my OSCE. Obviously I won't know for sure until clinicals, but from what I've heard SGU students really rock in the PD/ACS aspect of things when we get there.
That's about it for now - I'm taking a week off before my 6 week self-study for Step 1. I finished Basic Sciences with a great understanding of medicine, a rockin' GPA, and two years of memories that I wouldn't trade for anything. I made amazing friends that I know I'll keep for a lifetime. It wasn't all glitter and sunshine all the time, but I bit through it and kept my chin up. DON'T waste time complaining about everything that pisses you off, you'd be better off studying or having fun. DON'T be that common student who scowls about everything Grenadian/Vincentian, compares everything in 3rd world countries to the States when obviously nothing can be compared due to economic differences, and wonders why he has fewer and fewer friends each term.
When it's all said and done, and you finally touch down in the States (minus luggage, I mean, let's be realistic people) after your 2 years of hard work, you can smile, say you did it your way, and treat yourself to a Big Mac. (Ok, maybe that last part is just me... :D ) If anyone else wants to give their basic science two cents here, go for it! Good luck to everyone who still has yet to start/finish. You CAN and WILL do it. Keep your eye on the prize. Kidsdoc, OUT.