This weekend has functioned as the first real "break" of my medical school career. The School of Medicine teaches its Basic Science years with a module plan. For 4/6/8 weeks, we students learn about a specific subject or system (such as Genetics or Inflammation and Immunity) and everything involved with it (such as Biochemistry, Cell Biology, etc) instead of having individual lectures over each traditional science subject. It seems as though the module system produces the same scores (if not higher) on board exams and presents the material in a manner that is more intuitive to the students being able to assimilate it with how it will be used in practice.
These modules culminate in a final exam (or a midterm and final for longer modules) that accounts for the overwhelming majority of a student's final grade. This results in a very cyclical life for students, as they go from feeling good at the beginning of a module to being increasingly more stressed until, as one lecturer stated, their eyes explode with stress right before the exam. Post-exam, assuming one's scores are passing (that's what we shoot for in med school. Not high grades, just passing), the system resets and we're not longer stressed.
This past week we had our first exam and the past few days have been wonderful. No longer do I view time as studying/should-be-studying, but I can view it as busy/FREE, if only for a few days.
So, in honor of the first exam being out of the way, I leave you with a few (humorous?) mnemonics that helped along the way:
Can I Keep Selling Sex For Money, Officer?
(Citric Acid Cycle Intermediates)
High Profile People Act Too Glamorous, Picture Posing Every Place.
(Enzymes of Glycolysis)
Val Raced Harry Through Walmart For MILK.
(Essential Amino Acid Abbreviations)
Until next time.
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