Life as an International Medical Graduate

“The serenity of the lulling ocean is a wondrous thing to behold..more precious than the gems coveted and covered in platinum or gold...” ― Oksana Rus

When I first came to the realization that I would not be attending medical school in the United Kingdom or the United States I was honestly originally disappointed and my current university became my alternative, my last shot, my last chance. However, now as I move along through my third year, I’m happy and proud to attend my school and being closer to becoming an International Medical Graduate (IMG).

If there is one major piece of advice I can start with it would be the importance of being and staying POSITIVE!
Being from a Caribbean island myself, moving to another island was not really a culture shock for me as it was for so many of my American and Canadian classmates. I attend medical school in a country that is still developing where there were days when the electricity went off, days when the super heavy rain will cause the water in your apartment to turn brown, and days when you get to the local store and the milk was already sold out. So many of my classmates would complain, and I won’t lie there would be days here and there where I would be fed up with some aspect of my life there, but I've been reminded more than ever that complaining and being negative is your worst enemy. Strive to be positive and surround yourself with positive people, it makes a huge difference!
On a side note for those of you who have specific items that you want that you can’t get on the island, ship it to the island. Just be mindful of the duties that will be placed on what is brought in, but if it is something that you really need (and is reasonable to ship) to help get you in the right mindset or feel comfortable then I wouldn’t hesitate.

Studying in medical school is completely different compared to what it was in undergraduate school and getting back into studying after being away from school for some time is difficult. For anyone like me out there that has taken time off from school it can be especially difficult to get back into the swing of studying. I personally had a 4 year gap between getting my undergraduate degree and beginning medical school. My break was mainly due to financial constraints but in the end I am so thankful for the great hands on experience I obtained during that time. However, you quickly learn that medical school is a whole new ball game in and of itself and your old study habits will need some tweaking.

I recommend that you try to find your study style as early on as possible; you want to stay on top of your studying, trust me it will pile up all too quickly if you do not. If what you did in undergrad isn’t working for you in medical school, don’t get caught up in the fact that it isn’t and don’t be afraid to ask for help. If what works one semester doesn’t work for another, don’t dwell on it, work to change it! Explore what resources the school may have for  helping students find new ways to approaching the material.

In the beginning of medical school I felt that I had to study every waking moment, and I often felt guilty (yes guilty) for taking breaks. BREAKS ARE A NECESSITY! Breaks will keep you sane! I would even feel guilty for going to bed at a particular hour, thinking “how can I go to bed so early?” (early being 10pm). Then I realized trying to study while you’re about to pass out is not effective studying and you are just better off getting the rest you need and tackling it once you have had some sleep. Take it from a person who hasn’t had caffeine in almost 8 years! I started taking naps in medical school (when I could) so that I could recharge and get back to the material once rested. 

I hope this helps you set realistic study goals for the upcoming semester and prepare for your move to the Caribbean if you will soon be an IMG. Feel free to share your thoughts and ask questions in the comment section below!



-Carmen is a medical student at Ross University in Dominica.

The Road to Becoming a Doctor

This is a guest post by a friend of mine who recently got into medical school. I can't begin to express how excited and happy I am for her and proud of all the hard work she put forth to get where she is now. 

The Road To Becoming A Doctor

I knew this day would come – the day when I would have to take the dreaded 4-lettered test that most pre-meds groan when uttered – MCAT. I had always excelled well in class and its exams, but never with standardized tests. I knew this from taking the SATs and ACTs for my entry into college. How was I getting just average to slightly above average scores on these tests? Surely, I am smarter than that?

I had a high school friend, pre-med like me, who did ridiculously amazing on her MCAT. I was proud of her, but yearned to learn her secret. Take a MCAT prep course she said. So I did. I was bound to strive and succeed like her.

The class was very beneficial for me in its interactive program and set schedule to prep me to score well. I attended all the classes (via my computer screen), took mini tests in between work and school, and studied all the textbooks provided by the organization. 

I signed up to take the test when I thought would be a good time, compelling me to buckle down and study hard. It is very important to have a set schedule and keep to it. Additionally, register for your “ideal” test date and see if there are locations convenient for you. Some dates aren’t available at certain places nor are the dates always available for when you want to take it, especially since those dates go fast like hot cakes. While I got the date that I wanted, I didn’t get the location as all testing centers nearby were either booked up or unavailable. As a result, I ended up having to drive approximately 5 hours away to my testing center and I decided to drive down the night before, so I wouldn’t be tired from driving. However, I did meet a tester who tested with me that day who drove in that morning from 5 hours away.

I was stunned when I got back my test results. I felt defeated. Perhaps the MCAT was telling me I was not cut out to be a physician after all. I felt stressed during test day. My first attempt gave me motivation to try again. I changed my study habits: I took more practice tests, worked on understanding the concepts, reinforced high-yield test questions into my brain, and plastered equations and “cheat sheets” all over my house. I wrote in a notebook concepts I didn’t understand and reviewed them all every day.

I registered my second attempt early (fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!) and got a more convenient location (90 minutes away!) I felt more at ease going into the test despite being in a waiting room with about 30 blatantly nervous people – Not all of them are taking the MCAT I reminded myself to keep myself calm.

When I got my results back, I was relieved I made a great improvement but still unsettled with the score – While it’s not where I’d like it to be, it is still a competitive score nonetheless.

I took the MCAT in 2013 because between the year 2013-2014, the test was the shortest it has ever been in history. The writing portion of the test was eliminated (thank goodness!) as many med schools weren’t really looking at that score as it was intended for.

Now, the MCAT has undergone a dramatic change to reflect the change of medicine and hone into concepts that future doctors will need in succeeding in medical schools. 

The MCAT 2015, which will begin in April, has 4 sections (instead of 3): biological sciences, physical sciences, critical analysis/reasoning skills, and social/behavioral sciences (which tests over sociology, psychology, biochemistry, etc). Unlike the current MCAT which was approximately 5-6 hours or so, the new MCAT will be two hours longer. 

I think this change will be beneficial for medical schools in identifying qualified applicants who will succeed at their institution. I can imagine schools will heavily rely on this new test as more and more applicants are coming in (50,000 applicants for 2014 according to AAMC). Personally, I just hope I never have to endure that test.

Learn from me: the key to your success with the MCAT is to study hard, but study smarter.

Maximizing Your Holiday Break

"It came without ribbons.  It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas means a little bit more."- Dr. Seuss

Merry Christmas and a happy Boxing Day from The Bahamas! I pray most of you were able to spend the holidays with your loved ones and didn't have any flight delays. Well now that you're home for a limited time, there are a few things you can do to maximize your holiday break without loosing the information you spent all semester learning. Don't worry, I'll be joining you, so not to worry you won't be the only one getting "work" done during vacation.

1. Reconnect with Your Textbooks and Lecture Notes

Yes, you read that correctly. I know you're on holiday, however it doesn't mean you must neglect everything you spent learning even if you worked so hard during the semester not to think about school.
Personally, there were times during the semester that I found myself falling behind in reading assignments and Najeeb video watching, especially during my hospitalization, that I would like to catch up on. Now is the time to get all of that "catching up" out of the way and give yourself that advantage of preparing for the new semester.
Set a schedule of some sort, setting time aside for family gatherings, friend hangouts and for fete's and ensure there's enough time to review material you just didn't get during the semester. By reconnecting with your textbooks and lectures notes, you'll remain connected with your study routine, which will mean you won't have a hard time readjusting when you return to school in the new year.

2. Reconnect with Life 

Now is the time to work on all those things you found yourself "pinning" on  Pinterest and to help out around the house, seeing you do have a bit more free-time at the moment. Be sure to make the most of this new found free-time and treat yourself nicely. 

3. Reconnect with Reasons Why You Want To Be A Physician

Seeing I won't be roaming the wards until my third year, I always look forward to being home so that I can shadow a Physician or get as close to patients as I can. This time last Christmas I spent my days in the morgue shadowing a Pathologist. Shadowing a physician allows you to make the connection between the pre-clinical courses you're learning and the clinical aspect you'll soon delve into. It also provides a great understanding into the day-to-day activities of a physician and allows you to learn practical skills. You can also gain a mentor from the process, so ask around see whether or not it's possible for you to shadow and make the most of it.

4. Reconnect with Sleep

You've earned it!
I know during the semester there were many times when I just wanted to hit the snooze button and have a day of just sleeping. Needless to say I wasn't as lucky to do so, but after my travels yesterday I took full advantage of the Christmas feast my mom prepared and found myself in a coma shortly thereafter. Best sleep I've had for weeks!
We all know sleep is essential, and if you didn't go out and find that episode of The Big Bang Theory on Netflix or something entitled 'The Einstein Approximation' and see for yourself the consequences lack of sleep can cause, and then go ahead and "attempt to view your work (refer to #1) as a fleeting peripheral image so as to engage the superior colliculus of your brain"-Sheldon, Big Bang Theory. 

5. Reconnect with Capturing Family Moments

Since you would be well rested, make sure to capture every moment you can! From the family games, to the girls night out. I don't know about you, but I enjoy decorating my room away from home with photos of friends and family that were taken during the holidays. Sadly, this semester I haven't had time to print any or to take any new ones. I've seem to have fallen into the trap of storing photos or posting on social media rather than choosing photos and complimentary picture frames. Oh how lazy the digital age is making humanity! Try not to fall into that trap, but to commemorate the holiday season with photos of silly faces to the generic studio poses. 

Whatever you decide to do this holiday, ensure you're happy, surrounded by loved ones and you're reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas-which is Christ.
I'd love to hear whether or not you're planning on doing any of the above on your time off, so feel free to post in the comment section below. 

Hiatus

“Thus began a break of undetermined length and meaning.” 
― Jacob Slichter, So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star: How I Machine-Gunned a Roomful Of Record Executives and Other True Tales from a Drummer's Life

It is official! The examination period has begun, and so has my hiatus from my bi-weekly blog posts. I have my first phase examination of my second year in Medical school in T-48 hours and it's testing over everything as it relates to the respiratory system. 

This year our testing format has changed from 60 multiple choice questions (MCQs) and short answers totaling a value of 30 points to 60 MCQs and 15 extended matching questions. I don't know about you guys, but I'd prefer the short answer questions, because it really tests how much you know and understand which can either be in your favor or against it depending on how you've prepared for the examination. 

My second phase examination is on the 16th of the month so immediately thereafter I'll be releasing new posts that deals specifically with signing up for the USMLEs and obtaining that ECFMG certification for non-US medical school applicants. 

To everyone studying for examinations, I wish you all the best and many productive nights! See you after the 16th.