Island Med Student

My outfits in Dominica always consist of a pair of shorts, a tanktop, and a pair of flip flops. There is very little variety. A few days ago I went through some of my boxes packed up inside a barn on my parents’ farm to find some clothes to keep me warm for the next few weeks. It was like shopping at a store where I like everything I see! As much as I hate the cold weather, I am enjoying wearing all kinds of warm weather clothes.

Anyhoo, happy new years everyone!!

• My MD Journey
  (tags: blog)

I’m currently sitting in a suburb outside of Washington, DC, the capital of the United States. I’m on vacation from everything that is med school. So far, I’ve had a wonderful time with my family, hanging out with my friends, and eating all the delicious foods that I can’t get in the country where I go to school, Dominica.

When I first stepped off of the plane a few days ago, I had a similar experience to the last time I was in the States, over eight months ago. As I wrote in a blog entry before, I was immediately shocked by the large size of many Americans, as well as the overabundance of incredibly unhealthy food options. Yesterday, my partner and I went to grab a bite to eat for lunch at a popular restaurant. I wasn’t that hungry, so I offered to eat half of whatever he ordered. He picked the steak special (I’m currently a meat eater but was a vegetarian for 13 years), and I agreed to eat some. When the server brought out the plate, my first reaction was that he was playing a practical joke on us. The plate was huge! On top of the plate was the largest steak I’ve ever seen, covered with huge pieces of greasy bacon, and topped with a one-inch pile of cheese! On the side were mashed potatoes (about 4 potatoes worth), and a small pile of greasy spinach. At that moment, I could barely contain myself. I looked outside into the parking lot filled with huge SUVs, and around the restaurant at the many large patrons, and realized that America had in fact become a super-sized country.

My experience at the restaurant really got me thinking about public health and responsibility. Why would a restaurant even offer a meal that provides 500% of the daily recommended allowance of fat? Shouldn’t restaurants be more responsible when it comes to the health of their patrons? I guess it all comes down to supply and demand. If people want it, restaurants will offer it. Then I started thinking about the public health department and their responsibility. When is it necessary for the government to step in and do something? New York City, for example, has passed a law banning trans fat in all restaurants. Should cities also ban dishes that contain over a certain amount of fat? Fried chicken? Doughnuts? Where should they draw the line?

I guess it all comes down to free will. We certainly all have the ability to make our own choices when it comes to eating (except of course that cost does play a major role…but that’s another rant). But what about our children? Many public school systems have been trying to provide children with healthier food options in their cafeterias. Should we be doing the same thing for adults? I know that many restaurants have been trying to provide healthier options for their patrons, but at the same time, it seems like they are providing even more unhealthy options. Some restaurants have even begun to list the nutrition information on the menus. I think this is definitely a step in the right direction.

It’s no secret that America’s expanding waistlines are directly correlated with our expanding health woes. I think one of the problems is a general lack of responsibility and action on everyone’s part. Hopefully, people will start stepping up and finding some solutions, because everyone’s health is at risk.

For the record, I actually did try a few bites of the steak we purchased (between the two of us, we couldn’t even eat one-fourth of the meal). It actually made me a bit nauseous, so I stuck with the greasy spinach instead.

Click Here To View the Original Post on Medscape

It’s official–I just got my score back. I passed the Comprehensive Basic Science Examination! This means that I’m now eligible to sit for the USMLE Step 1. I did not rock it, which would have been nice, but I did pass, and that was all I needed to do. I’m hopeful that if I study my little toosh off, I’ll be able to get a pretty decent score on the Step. It’s time to celebrate! Wait, I’m on vacation, and I’ve been celebrating every night!

I just wrote an entry for the Differential, which should be posted soon, but in the meantime, know that I am in the States, eating and drinking excessively, and enjoying the company of my friends and family.

I posted this last year on my blog, and I’m posting it again. Reading it always sends shivers down my spine. It’s why I also believe in fairies.

This letter to the editor appeared 109 years ago:
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A few days ago, my friends and I got together for a goodbye Dominica party. They have almost all left now, and none of them will be returning to Dominica. I am actually in the States now, but I will be returning to Dominica in a month for my fifth semester at the hospital.

Anyway, it was a time for crying and celebration. I’m going to miss all of my friends so much. The party culminated in a “packet” burning bonfire on the beach. I have all my notes electronically anyway, so I didn’t mind setting them on fire. We all brought our notes that we’ve been collecting for the past four semesters and lit them on fire. I must say that it was one of the most fun and cathartic experiences of my life. It really felt like the end of one journey, and they beginning of another. I highly recommend it to all of you. After the fire, we watched the moon set over the Caribbean Sea, and gave each other hugs and kisses farewell.

Paulina, Ginger, Chris, Kevin, Neha, Anna, Emily, Andy, and Manny:

I will miss you all so much!

Click Here to View the Pics

It’s official, I’m a third year medical student. I got my grades back yesterday. I was one stinking point away from all A’s! I got an A in microbiology, pathology, and introduction to clinical medicine, and a B+ in pharmacology. I just took the Comprehensive Basic Science Examination this morning, which will allow me to sit for the USMLE Step 1. I definitely got a spanking. It wasn’t easy, but all I needed to do was pass. We shall see how I did. Today is for packing, doggy re-assignment, and celebration. Tomorrow I will get on a plane to Baltimore to begin what shall be a fantabulous celebration in the States for almost a month. I feel like I earned this break, and I’m not going to take anything for granted.

I have finished all my regular school exams for this semester and have about one week to study for the NBME’s “Comprehensive Basic Science Examination.” My score will not be counted towards my grades in school, but rather is a pass/fail exam that I must pass in order to sit for the USMLE Step 1 Exam (the medical licensing exam for the US). Having a week with nothing to do but study is a daunting task for me. At my school, we usually don’t have so much time to study for an exam, but since this covers all of the basic science material learned during our first two years in med school, they give us a week to prepare. I’m sure all of you out there have either already faced this issue, or will be facing it in the near future, so I decided to make a list of some helpful suggestions that have worked for me.

1. Make a schedule, and try to stick to it. This is probably the most important tip. Having a schedule provides you with structure, and is a good way to prevent falling into the trap of running out of time in the end. It also ensures that you always have a task at hand, instead of sitting around bored, wondering what you should do. I usually go as far as creating a schedule down to the hour, but depending upon how much time you have to study, this wouldn’t always be necessary.

2. Get up every day at a similar hour. This obviously goes along with #1, but it’s always a good idea. In addition to getting up around the same time every day, it’s also a good idea to “try” and go to sleep at a reasonable hour every night.

3. Don’t forget to schedule in “fun time” or time off from studying to relax. This is incredibly important, and will prevent the dreaded “burn-out.” If you’re lucky enough to have a dog (or other pet), take them for a walk, or play a game of fetch. Playing with my dogs is one of my most favorite de-stressors. If you’re somewhat obsessed with cleaning (like I am), take off 20-30 minutes to wash your dishes or do some laundry. Do you enjoy being outside? If so, take a walk around the block or to a nearby park. You may have noticed that all of these activities involve physical activity. There’s an obvious reason for that. Unless you are studying while on the elliptical trainer (which I actually don’t recommend), you are probably sitting on your butt for hours at a time. We’re med students. We know that moving around and getting your blood flowing is advantageous to both your mind and body. Don’t forget what you know.

4. Do questions. This is a great way to learn. Use an online question bank, or one of the thousands of prep books. And don’t just look at the correct answers. Actually figure out why you got the question wrong (and even right), and learn from your mistakes.

5. Don’t study what you already know. This is pretty obvious, but people sometimes do it anyway. Stop wasting your time!

6. Caffeine is your friend. Never forget your friends.

7. Change it up! If you find yourself getting incredibly bored, and wondering if chewing your leg off might actually be a more enjoyable experience, change something! Either change the subject you’re studying, how you’re studying it, or where you’re studying. If you’re lucky enough to live by a beach, go there and crack open your books! It will save your sanity, and also your innocent leg.

8. Take the day or night off before your exam. Don’t forget to do this! I don’t care if you’re behind, or you think you can stuff more information into your head if you keep studying. Don’t do it! And especially don’t stay up all night before the exam. This might be the worst idea ever. Let all those pharmacology drugs simmer in your brain for a while. Give the information time to cement. Have a nice dinner or go see a movie (preferably a completely mindless comedy) and reward yourself for all your hard work.

Okay, those tips should help to at least get you started. Do you have some suggestions that I missed? Feel free to add them to the list.

Click Here To View the Original Post on Medscape

Micah and I threw a housewarming party on Saturday night. Sadly, a lot of students have already left the island. However, all my fellow soon-to-be-fifth-semester friends were still around. The party was a lot of fun, which you can tell by the pictures that you don’t get to see. Today, I have a BBQ party to go to, and then it’s back to the real world of studying again for the comp exam later this week. In the meantime, I feel like I’m on vacation!

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Tomorrow is my very last regular exam. I only have to take the comprehensive NBME exam next week. I finished studying today at noon. I then went to the gym and had an awesome workout. When I came home, I decided to have a pampering party. Since Micah wasn’t interested in partaking, I’m doing it all by myself. Basically I’m celebrating the fact that I finished studying and that I have had just about zero pampering in almost four months. My party involves things like dyeing my hair, shaving my legs, a facemask, a manicure/pedicure, eyebrow plucking, and even a teeth whitening session. It’s amazing how relaxing a pampering session can be. I think it’s the perfect pre-exam preparation. I mean, how can I do poorly on the exam when I look this good?