Score 1 For Health

If you get along with kids, this is one of those required activities I mentioned earlier that turns out to be a quite meaningful experience. We are teamed up with nurses and nursing students to perform basic health screening e.g. vision, blood pressure, height etc. at local elementary schools. Once you get over the fact that it falls on another exam week, it’s a rewarding experience that we’re involved with through our medical education and an honest effort on the school’s part to provide fundamental care to the local community.

Scientific Foundations of Medicine (SFM)

More biochemistry than you could every want but faster and with less time to spare. I admit the culture shock of dumping large volumes of information was less severe than expected since the one-year Master’s program helped with acclimating to the pace of learning after working, but it’s a jolt to the senses regardless of your work experience or education. 

The first challenge is adjusting to six professors teaching different aspects of molecular, biochemistry, immunology, genetics etc. and the second is having your fresh knowledge routinely tested with board-style questions. Everyone has a different strategy, so find a learning style that is efficient, effective and consistent with getting the correct answer. There’s nothing worse than memorizing something and believing that you know the material but getting the question wrong. In the realm of standardized exams - 'celebrations of knowledge' as one professor likes to call them - the game is simple: learn something, choose the least wrong answer, and don't rush.

Musculoskeletal 1 (MSK)

Anatomy seems refreshing at first because structure serves a function and you either know it or you don’t, right? Wrong. There's a pattern: the more straightforward content means tricky exam questions. Answer options become choice ‘A’ through ‘J’ coupled with higher-order questions that involve an obscure clinical vignettes. It usually goes something like: bones, muscles (origin/insertion/action), angiology, innervation, clinical aspects. Overconfidence is your enemy with this content - and life - so don’t rush. 

Neuroendocrine (Neuro)

Our program has Fellowships for Student Doctors interested in developing enhanced knowledge of Anatomy. One of ours had useful advice: Don’t burn yourself out because that’s what I did at the time and would 0/10 recommend. 

“Where-is-the-lesion?” is not a game I enjoy playing, but when life gives lemons try baking some lemon bars. Whatever you do, make sense of it in a way that suits your needs.There were few words of encouragement that prepared me for this crucible aside from minimizing any unnecessary commitments as much as possible. Don't sleep on completing Designated Student Assignments (pre-recorded content), finish those computer modules and schedule clinical competencies in advance. These are are all due at the end of the Semester and you're going to need all the time you can get.

Essentials of Clinical and Osteo Skills I (ECOS)

I actually enjoyed certain aspects of ECOS more than expected. The main trade-off is precious studying time. Two hours here and there for a technique assessments and even more while prepping for a standardized patient encounters. To be fair, the scheduling team does their best given the circumstances. Exams are usually on Fridays so we have the weekend to recoup, and the lecture schedule is aligned with similar topics in the core curriculum e.g. neurology lecture material aligns with checklists for performing neurologoical exams. No matter the approach, you need a core set of study partners to review for skills assessment, technique practicals or physical exam check offs.

Collaborative Care through Art and Observation (CCAO)

This class was a change of pace proctored by staff and faculty to look at art remotely and have a discussion about our various interpretations. It was nice except when the events took place on exam weeks, but I suppose that was the point all along - to take a break from the study grind. 

Medical Informatics & Info Literacy

All the material is self paced so I would recommend completing it during the first month of class, because the last thing you want to worry about in the thick of Neuroendocrine is a bunch of computer modules. It provides a set of useful resources i.e. how to use library resources such as Up-To-Date and Embase that will likely be more useful during clinical rotations. Future me will more than likely appreciate this class more than first-year me is willing to admit right now.

Bioethics 1 (BETH)

This was a straightforward class with quizzes, group discussion, and required attendance. I found the controversial topics relevant for what we may encounter as future physicians when tasked with difficult conversations about minor assent or end-of-life care. The timing of scheduled classes often coincided with exam weeks or technique practicals so don’t forget to sip your coffee (or energy drink) if philosophical debates doesn’t recharge your energy stores right away.