To be frank, second year (the first semester of which is over in a mere two weeks. How did that happen so fast?) has been incredible. Finally, after the stress and strain of first year, things are coming together. I'm actually, just a wee bit, beginning to feel like a doctor. This semester we have studied pathologies - what can go wrong with the body - and a modicum of related treatments. There have been plenty of "aha!" moments as things we learned in first year suddenly fall into place (So THAT'S why we had to memorize that seemingly insignificant random fact!). With each ensuing class the picture becomes more clear and I'm being reminded, nearly daily, of why I went into this in the first place.
Medicine is cool!
With this newfound zeal comes, of course, increasing pressures. We had an exam this past week that covered 46 (yes, forty-six) lectures. The exam itself took three hours to complete. In the words of one of our professors, "it's a bugger". Thank God, I came through okay.
The next two weeks we will have three exams: our final block exam consisting of Repro-Derm-Heme, our last Osteopathic Principles and Practices (OPP) written exam, and our final OPP hands-on exam where we are given a simulated patient and we must diagnose and treat said patient using osteopathic medicine principles. It's going to be a busy two weeks but it is followed by three weeks of Christmas break. Whoo-hoo!
Oh, did I neglect to mention that COMLEX Step 1 is coming up? This eight hour test, to be taken in May or June of next year, is a summary of EVERYTHING we have learned in the first two years of medical school. This COMLEX must be passed before I can continue on to third year. So much for resting during the holiday break - I will be studying for COMLEX. (For those of you who may have a perverse interest in this torture test called COMLEX, click here.)
Meanwhile, it's good to be in touch again! I hope, dear reader, that you are doing well. As for me, it's back to the books.
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