The Journey of Getting Into Medical School

“Have faith in God and your abilities. You can make a difference in the world.” 
― Lailah Gifty Akita

As days turn into months and months into years, it's amazing how our journey changes. Imagine the feeling of being accepted into the program you've been working so hard for, and finally starting on that path. It's one filled with sweat and tears and all worth it in the end. 

Our stories are different, and our reasoning for wanting to study the varying forms of medicine also differs, but I'm sure our commonality is the fact that we dedicated time, money and our efforts to studying for admissions examinations, experienced the stressors associated with creating a masterpiece called "The Personal Statement" and survived our fair share of interviews. 

I recently read an article posted on KevinMD which gave some insight into the journey of getting in medical school for the non-traditional student. If you don't know what the difference is, a non-traditional student refers to anyone who didn't enter a 4-year university post high school graduation, due to other circumstances and who may have worked or taken classes at a community college in order to  fulfill the prerequisites for the MCAT/DAT/VCAT. I have the utmost respect for non-traditional students because they find ways to balance a job and a family life with the demands of school and they are pursuing their dreams. 

Mr. Perez mentioned the importance of a healthy body and a healthy mind, which I've learned is vital to getting the most out of studying. It's amazing how a simple change in food choices, from one of fast food and junk to a healthier balanced one can not only boost your immunity but provide so much energy, if done correctly. 

Take a read of the article and tell me what you think. I'll be continuing the "How-to" series next week with more regular posts and a repost on the MCAT and the new changes. 

The Early Bird

“I am glad I was up so late, for that's the reason I was up so early.” 
― William Shakespeare, Cymbeline

If you haven't noticed by now, most of the photos that set the mood for my posts have been from my trip to Europe, or my adventures during my first year, here in Trinidad and Tobago and the quotes relate to the overall theme of the post or the photo itself in some way or another.  

If it's anything I've learned whilst traveling through Europe and now more importantly through my second year of medical school, it's this: in order to get the best seat, a good breakfast, and to enjoy the peace and serenity that comes with the wee-hours of the morning you must arise from your slumber early. Otherwise you will have to deal with the consequences such as; waiting at the back of the line for entry into museums, hustling with the rest of the population that decided to sleep in for a maxi or train, and just hurry throughout the morning, bypassing the beauty the world offers in order to arrive at your destination on time. 

William Shakespeare's quote was definitely speaking truth for me, seeing that for me staying up late in my first year was a norm. What happened on most occasions was that, if I spent the night (which usually meant) from 10 p.m.- 4 a.m. studying, I would have no excuse to not have a proper breakfast, to fit in an hour (at most) of physical activity- which equated to a run around the hospital campus and be back in time before my flatmates arose and hogged the showers and to be out the door and in class before the lecturer arrived. A week of this was draining! I'm sure you can imagine. 

As a pre-med/pre-dent/pre-vet/ student you should be realizing now throughout your undergraduate courses that the sooner you start preparing and applying for your specific entrance examinations and applying to your desired professional schools the better it is in the long run. 

Early preparation reduces the amount of stress that is associated with procrastination, it gives you ample time to review your application, personal statement and resume and to make any necessary changes well in advance. It also allows you to request the necessary documents from schools such as transcripts or status letters and  letters of recommendation from professionals you may have shadowed, organizations you may have volunteered at or hospitals in which you conducted research with and to ensure your application packet is not lacking anything as the deadline approaches. 

Getting in the habit of early preparation and going to bed a little earlier in order to begin the day, is a practice I dreaded as I read the recommendations of other medical students that blog.  However, I'm now enjoying the benefits of starting my day a few hours earlier and I encourage you to give it a try. 

Since first year, most of my classes, began at 8 a.m. which was different from what I had grown accustomed to over the past 4.5 years of working firstly as a night-shift tech, then switching to an evening shift tech. It meant that I had to utilize my time differently in order to get the maximum benefit and to adjust my sleeping pattern. 

Learning how to maximize your days is a practice you should consider adopting now rather than waiting for graduate school to start, so that as you transition into your med/dent/vet or graduate school life you would be able to quickly adjust to the demands of your course curriculum and the future demands of your profession. 

Greatist.com is one of my go to sites for fitness motivation, healthy recipes and just to get some quick educated leisure reading in. It posted a while ago, an article on how to be a morning person that I tried. Not everything you read is gospel, and not everything you read will work for you; nonetheless, some things are worth trying like their suggested "Action Plan". This allowed me to visual the things that were my priority, needing to be done now rather than later, and a task that I've now adopted. Give the article a read and let me know what you try out! 

All the best as you consider and hopefully make the necessary changes to become a morning person! Don't worry you'll still be a night owl, the medical profession especially will grant you the opportunity of being alive while others snooze so don't you fret. 

How To Apply To Medical School Part III: The MCAT

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” 
― Winston Churchill

Happy Wednesday morning! 

Today's "How to" will cover preparing for the MCAT.  To apply to medical schools in the Caribbean that aren't U.S. based the MCAT is NOT required, however if you've sat the examination you can mention that either on the application itself (if there is a spot) or on your resume. 

Before I delve into how to prepare for the MCAT, I would just give a little background on the examination for those who are curious and who may not know what it is. The MCAT stands for Medical College Admissions Test, and it's just that. It's similar to the SAT but it's specific to the sciences (Chemistry, Physics and Biology) with a verbal component. Although I've never sat the actual examination, I've registered and studied for it during my course of applying to U.S. medical schools and went through the pressure of practice examinations at different times. 

The MCAT website is what I resorted to time and time again during my course of medical school application, because I found it to be very comprehensive and detailed. The examination is usually sat your junior year of undergrad or for the non-traditional student, as soon as you've covered the material on which you will be tested. It can be taken in January, March and April-November. This is nice because you're able to sit the exam, receive your results and re-sit if you weren't pleased with your score. 

When I first studied for the examination I tried doing it on my own, with notes from lectures and my textbooks. I noticed that for me this was not beneficial-which was evident by my practice exam test scores. After seeing this and talking to friends, I decided to study smart since I didn't have the funds at the time to register for a Kaplan course, I utilized material from friends who sat the examination and who had review materials. This allowed me to get through the material and stick to a schedule.  

So what really works? It all depends on the kind of student you are. Are you able to finance a review course? Can you do without an in-class review session but can afford study materials? Luckily, the amount of MCAT study material is endless and with YouTube and other sites that offer free videos for review sessions, one can cheaply and effectively study for the MCAT without spending more than the cost of registering for the exam if you are smart. 

Kaplan Review Sessions

I was able to study and work at the same time which also meant I could afford the MCAT prep courses through Kaplan. I used two different options on two different occasions. The MCAT On Demand and the MCAT Classroom Anywhere. Kaplan once you're registered for one of their programs sends you a nice package of review books and a schedule that gives you everything you will need to cover the material. 

I chose the MCAT On Demand option first when I worked the night shift. During downtime I would have access to videos of lectures and access to explanations of concepts. This allowed me to study without any restrictions. 

The MCAT Classroom Anywhere was almost like going to a class. There were scheduled days for lectures and we would have to log in at a certain time before the sessions began. I liked this method more because I was able to ask questions in real time and get the answers either from the lecturer or a TA or another student. 

The materials I received from Kaplan made understanding concepts easy, and the material less intimidating to study. The practice questions were extremely helpful in measuring how I studied and my progress. 

ExamKrackers

I received these materials from a friend and although I didn't use the books (because I had the Kaplan Review books) I did use the audio, which allowed me to listen to any subject anywhere. 

These review materials are more animated and makes learning fun with mnemonics and concise and clear explanations. 

These were the main review materials I used in conjunction with textbooks from undergrad to assist in my MCAT preparation. Overall, the main thing required for studying for an examination like this one, is discipline. You can have all of the review materials in the world, but if you don't have the discipline to actually stick to a study schedule and to put in the work months in advance you won't receive the score that would set you apart from other applicants. It's important as well to relax the day before the examination and to get a good night's rest. Some persons go to the spa, read a book for leisure and even watch a movie and enjoy a meal with friends before the examination. Feel free to treat yourself before the examination with a break. 

Have you sat the MCAT already? How'd you study? What would you recommend to others? Feel free to leave a comment of your study tips for standardized examinations. 

I am not receiving any compensation from Kaplan or ExamKrackers for my review of their material. The material was purchased with my own money, unless stated otherwise. 

HELP! I'm Drowning!

Is it only me, or can anyone else relate to the feeling of panic and anxiety when you played Pac-Man? The stress that was related to trying to eat as many fruits (wait! were they fruits?) before being devoured, always made me reconsider the urge I got to play the game.

As a second year medical student, I constantly find myself warding off stress, trying to find another way to effectively manage the maze of school work and reading that just seems to pile up overnight.

What I've come to learn is this, the feeling of drowning and being overwhelmed is natural and rather than neglect the body's signals to take a break, it is best to take time every now and again to just relax.

Mental rejuvenation is something I have come to value and treasure. It gives me time to just "breathe" and to forget about my 'to-do' list and to reconnect with myself and my purpose rather than remaining in a fog of anxiety. The following are a few things I've found that helps me relax and to rejuvenate.

1. Music

There are so many free apps available where you can either download music or simply listen to created playlists and the genres range from rock to classical. For me since I'm outside of the U.S. and Pandora is unaccessible, 8tracks has allowed me to listen to playlists based on my study mood. 

2. Hiking

Being in Trinidad and Tobago I've managed to hike three different parts of the country and I've found it to be mentally stimulating and physically challenging based on the hike. The view at the end is so worthwhile. After a few hours (preferably early morning) it's as if an internal clock has been reset and I'm able to tackle material with a new mindset and clearer understanding. I try to relate what I'm learning to my level of physical activity, so now that I'm studying respiration, hiking at even a slight incline I try to visualize the changes my body is experiencing as a way of understanding the theory presented in lecture. 

3. Cooking

I love cooking. Give me a clean kitchen with nice working appliances and I would be as happy as a kid in a candy store. I'm more of an experimental cook. Mixing of herbs and various ingredients and being able to experience the smells and tastes and the overall end product plated gives me a certain amount of satisfaction as well as relaxation that my friends cannot understand. Try out a new recipe and see if it's relaxing. 

4. Going on an adventure

Even though medical school is an adventure in and of itself, I try and schedule various adventures which allows me to experience Trinidad and Tobago from the view of a local rather than a tourist and it gives me a new insight into the culture. Almost religiously in my first year here I found myself enjoying decadent desserts and trying out new flavors of teas and coffees at a little coffee shop near campus called Tablespoon Coffee House & Dessert Shop. I even dubbed Thursday's as Tablespoon Thursdays. I did find myself answering objective questions while I was there but the atmosphere was very relaxing and I was able to people watch at the same time, which I found to eliminate the stress of studying. This year, my goal is to have different adventures, finding the best doubles place, or the best place for roti near campus. We'll see what happens though. 

5. Pinterest

I've found myself wasting so much time  on Pinterest since I've joined mainly because it's so easy to get carried away pinning any and everything. So I decided to set time aside at least once a week to allow myself to get carried away in my imaginary world creating new boards and pinning things that caught my eye. 

I hope these few things gets you thinking about setting time aside to relax and to rejuvenate your mind in order to make the most of your studies. It's easy to ignore the body's signals, but it's just as easy to listen to them and to just take a break. Let me know what you do to relax in between classes. I'd love to hear from you!