Right now, looking at my desk, I have four piles, all labeled according to the exams we have had thus far. 4 piles. 6 days. 1 NBME final. The difference with this final is that Ross does not write any of the questions, meaning the questions are coming from the National Board of Medical Examiners <-- anyone else freaked out by this title? This final is our first look at how all of our board questions will be presented. I am not too sure what to expect, and to be honest, I am not too sure how to study for this one. I have heard many different opinions about using your notes, not using your notes, pathoma, not pathoma (I have never used pathoma and I almost have 100% in pathology right now), everyone is so different and if I have learned anything this semester, or being at Ross for that matter, is that everyone has their own study strategy. Do not listen to anyone else as you have taken four exams already this semester, and too many more at Ross than you can count. YOU know how to study, you know what is right for you.
With this semester coming to a close, and with our Sports Med Club ending all of our events, it is a great time to reflect on why I am here. This semester was tough, it was mentally tough, but I think I have gone to the gym the most since being here. It is all about balance, as you can feel like you are suffocating with the material. I have gotten many emails and instagram messages (@d1todr), and I just wanted to shed some light on why Ross is a great fit for me and for the many readers that I am so lucky to have reading my blog posts. We are almost at the 20,000 view mark on the blog, which is unbelievable.
The most frequent question I get asked is: Is Ross offering you a great education? Is it worth it?
My answer time and time again has been a resounding: "Yes.", but let me elaborate for a second. Ross is hard. Medical school is hard, no matter the location. It doesn't matter if you are in your home state, home province, home country, no matter where you are studying medicine, it is a grueling four years. The first two years (for us) are on the island of Dominica, and then the next two years are in the U.S for clinical rotations. I have made the decision to stay in the U.S after medical school to obtain my residency, and then who knows where I'll move next. That is a complete other blog post! The medical school curriculum is tailored toward the USMLE Board exams, which are taken by every U.S medical student, and once again-no matter the location of your school. I will take the exact same board exams as Harvard medical school graduates, so my education needs to be upheld to the highest standards to do well on these exams. My first of these board qualification exams is in October of this year (which I am already freaking out about). Ross has to make sure they are teaching us pertinent information towards those exams, and that is why the rigors of medical school foundations is tough.
Before I left for school, a handyman was working on the house that we were house-sitting and I told him I was off to medical school, and he said without hesitation: "you aren't goin' to those places down there like Grenada are ya?". In my head I knew St. George University was on Grenada and 3 times the price of Ross, so...no, I was not going to Grenada, and 2) why the hell does it matter? (excuse my language). It is people like that that really grind my gears because they have no idea what going overseas entails. If I had to choose a physician it would encompass someone who didn't take "no" for an answer, someone who was willing to drop everything to pursue something they have always wanted, and someone who was willing to study medicine away from family, friends, and who would miss out on all life events like birthdays and weddings (sorry Ash xoxo) because they are inside a classroom grinding it out. THAT is who I want as my physician, and THAT is who I want sitting across from me when I need help in the doctors office. It is all about perspective, and to be honest, Ross has made me tougher than ever before, and I will become a great physician because of it.
On that note, since I am a little heated, I will start on pile #1 of my many piles! Thank you all for listening to me rant at times, and for allowing me a voice on how this opportunity to study medicine is so so worth it.
Bye for now,
-E xo
It wouldn't be D1toDR without some pics!
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| Che's Ice Cream. Can't go wrong. |
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| Steve's class on a hike last semester! |
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| This place really is beautiful. |
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| Seems like forever ago. |
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| Home so soon!!!! |
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| Back in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam while I was on a medical placement. Such an amazing opportunity! This Dr. Was standing on a chair because he couldn't believe how tall I was! |
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| Home. |
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| Since Jane Goodall's bday was last week, throwback to meeting her in Toronto! |
A million times yes. The people who roll their eyes at students who go overseas tend to not have the first idea what it is we go through. It's far from an easy way out. In the end, you either become tough as nails or you don't make it here. End of story. I'd be happy to see a physician who graduated from Saba/Ross/AUC/St. George, because I know what they had to sacrifice to get there.
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