Confessions Of A Med Student

Everyone knows how tough medicine can be. Not just as a profession but also to study.

I knew it would be stressful. I knew. But that's about all I was told. Now that I'm experiencing it, it's a whole different story.

Our days are long. Our weekends fly by within the blink of an eye. There are never ending tests, exams, assignments, presentations, role play sessions and lab sessions.

Classes start at eight every day five days a week. We finish at five on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Fridays we finish at one and on Wednesdays at three, followed by extra co-curricular activities from five to seven in the evening.

Tuesdays are test days for Biochemistry. After every unit we're given a short test to see where we stand which keeps us on our toes. We have role play sessions on Mondays and Fridays. Presentations can be on any given day. Assignments are a day to day thing. Questions, essays. And when I say essays I mean pages and pages of what you've studied. There's no such thing as a half page essay. 

Lab sessions are at the end of every day. Usually from three to five except for Wednesdays and Fridays.

For Biochemistry we have numerous tests to perform and remember. Tests for carbohydrates, lipids, what makes that change colour, what makes this have this smell, why was this yellow two seconds ago and now red, why did that evaporate, why did this happen. 

For Physio we've learnt how to draw blood, measure blood pressure and heart rate, how to read ECGs and EKGs, what happens when you lack or have too much of certain substances in your body, what your blood is made up of, what causes what disease, why it happens, how to cure it. 

For Anatomy we've learnt about the lungs, spinal cord, stomach, veins, arteries, the heart, how it works, how everything works, where the blood supply comes from for each organ, how they're connected, where is this located, where is that situated. Latin term after Latin term to memorize, understand and remember.

Just as we think we're free for the week we're surprised with a test or something and there goes our free evening.

It's very tiring.

Not necessarily physically, it's more mentally exhausting than anything. The amount of information we need to absorb and store in memory. Memorizing will only give you the A grade. When you're in medical school those grades don't mean shit if you can't explain what you've already learnt. You can get the lowest grade in your test but you may have the best oral explanation. You can get the best grade but have the most complicated oral explanation. So you see what I mean? Grades don't matter anymore. So long as you pass. So long as you can actually understand everything you're taught, everything you study.

Comprehension is key.

Sleep is something we cherish now. No such thing as turning in early. The earliest most of us sleep is at one, maybe two in the morning. A lot of us sleep as soon as we get back in the evening, only then get up to study, and sleep again and get up for class again. It's a continuous cycle until the weekend.

That's what I've been doing for the past two months or so but it's taking its toll on my health, so I'm slowly starting to go to bed before twelve. Which means I have to finish all my work for the day and continue studying after coming back in the evenings.

Weekends pass by slowest when I stay in and rest, so that's what I do most of the time. Or try to at least. Heh.

Our lecturers are extremely helpful and approachable. They're really lovely people, too.

Our two Physiology lecturers are from Myanmar and the other is from India. We're divided into three groups and I'm in the professor's group. She's over sixty and has a PhD in her subject. I'm pretty fond of her in a way. Like a grandmother figure. Weird, I know. But I never got to meet my grandmothers. And if I had I bet they'd have been just as sweet as her.

Our Anatomy lecturer is from Hyderabad. He's got hair that's combed with a side parting and his moustache covers eighty five percent of his mouth but he's a lovely man. Teaches us everything in detail, and tells us we need not worry unnecessarily about anything else.

Our Biochem lecturer is a gem of a man. He's from India as well and has God-only-knows how many research papers and books published internationally, it's even on Google. He's exceptionally knowledgeable and helps us as much as he can, not just with his subject, but with our other subjects as well. Really nice man. When I was at the airport waiting to board the flight to KL before leaving to India, he was there, and since our flight got delayed he was telling me all about medical students in India and what it's actually like studying over there. So much information he passed on. 

We're really lucky to have such good lecturers. Some lectures do get boring at times but that's part and parcel of studying isn't it. Inevitable. You have to make the best of what there is.

I've always had this habit of observing people. How they walk, how they talk, how they behave. Now when I observe someone from across the room I observe differently. I see their face structure, I see how their eyes are set, their nose, their features. And if something is amiss I know why. I know why because we've studied about it in class and it's so exciting.

Probably sounds creepy, the way I'm describing all this. But it's not. When you study about something and you actually get to see it, you actually notice it, that's awe. And that's satisfaction.

All these years I've wondered about things. Why people are like this or like that. Why things happen they way they do. Why this, why that. And I'm finally beginning to get answers and that's the best part!

Lol you'll only understand what I mean if you go through it yourself.

It's not easy, what we're studying. Any medical student will tell you that.The hours are long and days seem never ending.

You don't get enough sleep. Sometimes you skip meals. Occasional memory loss is bound to happen and you might experience back pains from all the standing and sitting.

But one thing I can tell you, is that it's worth everything.

You'll only enjoy it if you want to study it. If you want to do it.

So here's to all you future doctors and specialists out there.

We're going through hell.

But we'll make it.

\m/