First year was a very bumpy ride for me with the major life
adjustments that I had to face. The major,
major adjustment that I dealt with concerned studying. Don’t get me wrong,
I loved learning but I disliked studying. Looking back, I realized that I
should have studied wisely and prepared better for examinations.
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| Summer: So near yet so faaar. (Chalk art by PBL 2, Grp 4; person in photo is Kezi) |
Correlates are not
lectures
CIM applies the problem-based learning approach in teaching
students medicine. Let me rephrase that. The problem-based learning approach in
CIM makes students learn how to teach themselves medicine. There are correlates
by the end of each module that last for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The assumption
is that each student inside the amphitheater has a good grasp of the topic at
hand so the doctor does not have to spoon feed information. Instead of writing
down everything that the doctor is saying during correlates, take note of the
stuff and the book figures that he/she emphasizes on and consider them your
pointers. Go back to your study notes and books to highlight them. They will
most likely come out in the exam.
Practice makes
perfect
Practice answering medschool-style examinations over the
internet or at the end of chapters of most books. It helps to be familiar with
the feeling of answering exams. Our answer sheets are scantrons so good shading
is a must. Practice reading and shading make perfectly understood questions and
well-shaded circles… and yeah, perfect scores. Totally. *sarcasm*
Remember what went
wrong
You will know that you passed or failed an exam by seeing
your score posted on the bulletin board a few days later. You won’t be able to
see your test paper and answer sheet anymore since they will be shredded after
checking. The final exam questions will be along those lines so you might want
to remember as many questions and answers as you can, especially your mistakes.
Be practical for
Histology practicals
In reviewing those microscope slides, it is best to use
index cards with a photo of the slide and a list of the parts that can be found
in each slide. You can bring this in the amphitheater for speed review prior to
the examination. Make sure to view the slides in LPO and HPO!
Don’t mock the
orals, do mock orals instead
The oral examination may only be worth 20 points but this
exam is not a laughing matter. It can mean the difference between life and
death especially when your grade is hanging by a thread. Do mock oral
examinations so that you would have an idea on how to phrase your answers. Oral
exam questions are given ahead of time so make your own fish bowl of questions.
Review with your study buddy/ies.
Medical school is undeniably difficult but for a good reason.
We would not want our doctors to go and second-guess our diseases, let alone
our treatment plans, right? The awareness of the challenge may or may not be convenient, depending on how we utilize this knowledge to our advantage. For
one, knowing what to expect helps us prepare and (hopefully) focus better when
the actual exams come. Yet, this same knowledge may only heighten our fears,
and drag us down in the process. The choice is yours, as always.
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This concludes the five-part series of tips for the incoming CIM freshman. I can go on and continue writing about every tip there is under the sun. However, we can never really fully prepare for everything that comes our way, can we? What we can do is just ease some anxiety and toughen up. Appreciate the anxiety because it signifies that what you are about to do matters to you.
See you in school! I may seem aloof and/or snobbish with my chronic resting bitch face and poise (I can't change these two things even if I tried) but I really love meeting people and sharing stories. Say hi if you can, O.K.?
Until the next
adventure,
Dena
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