Long Haul

For those of us who live in or who have traveled through the western United States, we have probably seen a long stretch of highway in the middle of the desert. It is so hot that you can see a mirage of a vast lake covering the road ahead. The closer we get however we realize that lake has disappeared only to reappear further up the road. When we reach that lake, again it disappears and reappears further up the road. On and on the cycle goes and we just never seem to get there. This past term has been similar to these mirages. I knew it would be a long hot drive through the desert of life but it seemed whenever I got to that nice cool lake, it disappeared only to reappear further down the road. 3rd term and 4th term are stacked together here. When I finished 3rd term finals on a Friday I was shocked to learn I was supposed to start a new term the next Monday. Just kidding I knew I had to start 4th term right away but you get my point. Just when midterms were over a new course started up. When we finished Microbiology for good they threw nutrition at us. When all of my friends got to go home for summer break, I had to stay another 6 weeks. On and on we went and we just never seemed to get there. But, just like driving down that hot highway we eventually reach our destination and the nice cool lake is no longer needed. I am very grateful for the experience of the dreaded 4th term. I learned a lot about medicine, myself, and just how much I really can endure and perform under pressure. I am grateful Kuulei is such a good wife and put up with me and my chronic absence in getting this thing done. I am glad I get a break now.

CSI

Kuulei and I watch CSI from time to time. For me it is mostly because there is nothing else on but at the same time it is cool how they show stuff happening on the inside of a body. This week we had a forensic pathologist teach us a few lectures in class. I knew there would be some graphic images but boy were they graphic! It was disturbing to see the dark side of humanity. I just can't believe humans are capable of doing those sort of things to others. We were watching all of these pictures when in the back of the room we heard a large "THUD!". I looked over and there were some students standing peering over the aisle because someone had fainted. The professor stopped the lecture and helped get the student over to the clinic next door for help. Apparently the student was still unconcious when they brought him to the clinic. The professor said, "boy that is the first time that has happened here at SGU." I took that as there had been other schools where people have fainted! Anyway, it was a good experience because even if I had wanted to be a forensic pathologist I for sure don't want to be one now.

Boot Camp

Yesterday some of my classmates and I went to our clinical skills lab to have our practical quiz. We practice our clinical skills on each other while a tutor who is an M.D. watches what we do and asks us questions. Most tutors have been really nice and have been good to teach us. They will hold us to it if we make a mistake but they do it in a respectful manner. The tutor we had the other day came in obviously agitated. He was huffing and puffing as if he had just been in a fight with his wife. He said to us while wiping his eyes, "I am really tired today, I don't want to be here so we will make this snappy." Then he asked us to write on a piece of paper our name and what system we were to examine. One of my classmates was writing hers in and he said, "hurry up you should be done by now." Each of us took our turns and he was rude to every one of us. He even said to one of my classmates the day before, "If you get this question wrong I am going to be pissed off!" I was dumbfounded. Needless to say it was a very awkward atmosphere and I was very nervous when it came my turn. I just tried to stay calm and do the best that I could. I actually was assigned something I knew very well so it wasn't a problem. When he hounded me with questions I was a step ahead of him yet nervousness overcame me and I misnamed one of the nervous plexus. He said, "Have you ever heard of brachial plexus? I replied, "Oh yeah it;s not cervical plexus it's brachial plexus." Hehe. I giggled inside just like that too. Anyway, long story short despite how mean the guy was I did really well and proved that I knew what I was talking about. I know that it is going to be rough in clinical rotations, internships, and residency. I will probably have doctors barking at me all day. I think that if you stay calm, don't take it personally, and do your best you can come out on top overall. It has been a long semester and I am ready to go home, but I am glad for all the lessons I have learned. I learn more about myself each day.

Wait a Minute...

Today I had a test in clinical skills. It wasn't a test where you bubble in the best choice but what is called a "practical exam" where I am graded on what I do rather than what I mark down on a scantron. I had a patient and two physicians overlooking grading my every move. I was slightly nervous to say the least. I was asked to give the patient a full cardiovascular examination. I was so nervous I had a hard time piecing together the process I have gone over dozens of times at first. I washed my hands, introduced myself and got to work. I forgot a thing or two but came out on top and did well. I came home very happy and later realized, "Hey, wait a minute. I just had my first patient!" We have talked with pretend patients before but I have never examined them. It was a lot of fun and I have been learning a lot. Never once have I regretting changing careers and coming to med school. It is difficult yes, but it is very rewarding and I have found I am able to do things I never thought I was capable of. I look forward to meeting many other patients in the years to come.

Sheer Power

Today after lab I was walking towards the bus stop when a thunderous roar filled the sky. An American F-18 fighter jet was taking off from the Airstrip right next to our school. My ears rang as I watched the flames stream out of it's engines. It flew really low at first, then quickly shot straight up like an arrow. It swooped backwards, then upside down, followed by a roll right-side up. Within seconds it was thousands of feet in the air and headed north. President Barrack Obama visited Trinidad and Tobago this past week for a conference. We have had about 4-5 fighter planes stationed right here in Grenada as part of security. Two or three times a day you could hear one roar overhead, followed soon after by his buddy. I believe today was their last day since they were headed north. They normally streak across the southern sky towards Trinidad. I just had to sit in awe at the impressive power these things had. My science nerdiness came out and I thought of all the physics involved. It really is cool to see a heavy hunk of metal zip through the sky so effortlessly. Now I know what it's like to live in Ogden, Utah near Hill Air Force Base! I need a Jet fighter to fly us home to Salt Lake in June. We would be home in a couple hours but we probably couldn't pack our luggage.

Cheaters Prosper?

You are going to love this one. In my last entry I talked about how difficult our exams were. Turns out a quarter of the class failed the Microbiology exam. Normally only about 20 kids fail any given exam but this time a whopping 117 students failed! Thank goodness I was not among them! I do not know what our grades for Pathology were though. Apparently, some students felt that with all that we have to do this term along with the enormous workload they weren't going to pass the Pathology exam, who knows what they were thinking.

There are meetings after an exam where professors talk about each question and their answers and validate the question as to whether or not it should be kept in the exam or thrown out. There was a recording made in a previous term of this meeting and a number of students in my class got their hands on it. In the tape the head of the department specifically says do not record this session. This is a private sequestered exam. I don't know what was going through some of the students heads, perhaps desperation, hopelessness. Yet, anyone should know better that this sort of audio recording would be considered cheating.

Long story short, a few students in my class used this recording and got high marks on the exam as a large number of the questions discussed were put into our exam as well. A student came forward and let the department know of this recording and an investigation is ensuing. Problem is, the department is probably going to have to cancel the scores for this exam and re-examine us some how. I have no idea where they will find the time to do it, but one way or another it looks like us honest students are screwed.

I was very disappointed in my classmates, but I can't say that I was surprised. I think my school is a good school and I have learned a lot of great things here to help me be an excellent physician someday. I have been impressed by the number of sharp kids in our class who came from very reputable undergraduate schools. Having said that, I kind of feel like there are some students here that shouldn't be here. My school is great in that it gives kids like me a second chance as its entrance requirements are a little bit more lax but I think with that some students can come to medical school who shouldn't. Whether it is academically, or personality, or their motives observing the behavior of some of my colleagues has made me shutter. It is bad enough that the world is going to look down on us because we came from foreign schools but now to have cheaters ruin it for us is pretty sad. I must say though, US schools probably let a few kids in as well that shouldn't be there. Let us be honest, haven't we all seen cheaters in any school we have been in? I have been to a lot of different schools and I have seen cheating in every one of them. I know that it happens in US medical schools too. I am sure there are kids in US schools who are in this for themselves and not for others as well.

I think for the most part people get the grades they deserve and most of the students turn out to be great doctors who really care about people. I apologize for the negative tone of my blog. Normally I like to make them positive or give food for thought. I wear my heart on my sleeve and I am not afraid to express my feelings so I hope you can forgive me. I was just sad today to be reminded that there are those who cheat their way into a degree and worse don't care about anyone but themselves.

St. Georges Punch Out

I wrote about Soda Popinski a few blogs ago. I mentioned that I could beat him up any time of the week. I failed to mention though, that I have never actually beaten Mike Tyson who is champion of the game. I have only gotten to Iron Mike a couple of times in my life. Granted I played the game when I was a boy, but still, Mike has eluded me. I would like to compare my pre-med years to my med years. Pre-med was a challenge no doubt, but it was something that you could conquer with enough practice. Medical school is a little different. The punches come faster, stronger, and with little warning. You have to be alert, nimble, and confident. With as alert and nimble as I have been I have had to count on a little bit of luck also to get through the harder times. This week we had exams in Pathology and Microbiology. I have learned so much this semester so far and have enjoyed it, yet I have learned there are still more things I need to be doing in order to be confident come exam time. I believe I have passed my exams and will live to fight another day, but these courses have proven to be a formidible opponent in black shorts with a missing tooth.