on exams

from your powers of observation (and not from my marker stained hands), you might be realizing that i'm somewhat into coloring. visual learner perhaps? in all seriousness, though, drawing things out (the paths of nerves and arteries--to the left) and concept mapping the crap out of human development (to the right), really does wonders for comprehension. if i fail, maybe i can bring in my neon papers and tell them, "no really, i was studying..."

now don't get me wrong, i enjoy a little studying just as much as the next person. but with exam week coming to a close with the big sound and light show that is 8 hours of written exams tomorrow, i don't think i can absorb. another. fact. or. concept. for those of you who are interested (clearly all of you) in the details of said exam week, here goes. practicals are held tuesday through thursday. tuesday started 'er off with the osteopathic manipulation practical, where i had to demonstrate the ischial tuberosity spread (somewhat akin to pulling apart butt cheeks--excuse me, natal folds), and point out my partner's acromioclavicular joint, amongst other things. wednesday was histology (microscopes, cells, identification, boom-turducken), a class where some professors, more then others, enjoy the more minute differentiations in life. today, thursday, was the ultimate, the one and only, the 'jossie-grossy', gross anatomy practical: 100 bodies, 50 of them dead and covered in alligator clips and red string with greasy (yes, folks, we are GREASY greasy when we're dead/preserved) index cards prompting us to define muscles and nerves, and some more foreboding, to "be specific." there were traffic jams and crowding behind the tricker tags; head blocking, i.e. mental shoving, was less then superb. i think we might need yet another professionalism lecture: gross practical etiquette.

i can tell you that i've done enough studying (and eating) for two people over the past 6 days, but you've probably already gathered that. how i've "dealt" with it all, might prove more interesting? my tips for success thus far (ok, ok i'm presuming quite a bit here) include, but are not limited to: a daily swim in the ocean (temperature permitting), a study session in the hammock, hot outdoor showers in brick autumn air, exercise, and an unfortunate amount of german black licorice. and most importantly, on sunday night, i took a study break and made a tray of roasted vegetable lasagna with basil ricotta. i've eaten it twice a day since then.

hard work.

i know you're all thinking. gosh that mekkin has been studying so hard that she has no time to fill us in on what she's learning. while it is true that i am studying quite a bit, my social calendar, quite honestly, is the main thing getting in my blogger way. between 40 hours of class a week and (wonderful) weekend visitors (and all that studying i'm meant to be doing), i'm stretched pretty thin. i'm considering starting a time share on my couch to subsidize my gradplus loans. would you be interested in signing up?

we have a week of block exams coming up the week after next, so crunch time has come and gone. in medical school, if you're not studying hard three weeks before the exam, you're behind. luckily, i was able to put this sobering fact behind me, hitch up my pants, and set out to sea this past saturday. thanks to some opportune friendships, i found myself on a most gorgeous sailboat, cruising in my very own saco bay. the day finished with a walk on the most gorgeous goose rocks beach (singing sand and all) and a beautiful homemade dinner. i almost forgot i was a medical student.