Goodbye 3X, It's Been Real.

Hey followers! I thought I would take the morning after my exam to relax, recuperate, and write a blog post as I am almost done with Semester 3! So crazy how time flies! I say goodbye to this semester as we have one more exam left next week. ONE. MORE. EXAM. (Thankfully) But to be honest, I really liked the material that we have learned during these 13 weeks. It was pathology, pharmacology, microbiology, a lot of the complex concepts that we will be seeing in our own future practice.

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!

:)

Che's Ice Cream. Can't go wrong.

Steve's class on a hike last semester!

This place really is beautiful.

Seems like forever ago.

Home so soon!!!!

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! 

Home.

Since Jane Goodall's bday was last week, throwback to meeting her in Toronto!

Near the End of the Beginning

Hello followers! I can't believe it is already in the middle of March, time is literally flying down here. I have lots to update you on, as it has been a couple weeks since I have last written. We only have two more exams to go and a practical exam and then I am done 3rd semester! I remember just starting MERP in Dec 2014, wow...

It is 9am on a beautiful Friday morning, with about six hours of lecture waiting before me. I REALLY do not want to start lecture today for some reason, so I thought: "Let's do a blog post!" So much better than learning about GI problems, especially diarrhea, which has been the topic of many lectures this past week. Who knew you could have so many varieties!

We had a really big exam this past Monday, and it was definitely the most material that I had to study to date. It was the "Heme & Lymph" module, which was filled with many blood disorders, tons of pathology, and the biochemistry behind it as well. The whole time throughout the block, I kept thinking how I am never going to get through this much material, it is just WAY too much. The exam definitely proved me wrong on Monday, it was my best score on the island thus far, I never share my grades with anyone, but I got a 92%, which puts me at a rank of 6 out of 199 students. It really opened my eyes to never doubt yourself. I definitely did these past four weeks, but you just have to put your head down, grind it out, but still make sure you are eating and sleeping right! I have answered SO many instagram messages this past week, and even emails! So thank you all who have confided in me to help them along your journey. I find that instagram is the best way to get a hold of me, so if you follow me at @d1todr I can answer all of your questions within 24 hours :)

This semester has honestly been my favourite so far, and many previous students might disagree with me on that one. It is A LOT of information, more than you can imagine, but at the same time, it is definitely doable. You just have to have a plan. You have to wake up every morning and follow that plan through. Day in and day out. No excuses. Med school is literally your full time job! I know at times it can be tough as a lot of your family and friends get to go out and enjoy themselves, and celebrate St. Patty's day with cool green drinks and tons of green attire, while you are inside studying until about 11 pm or midnight, but how amazing will it be to throw a badass St. Patty's party when you are an M.D?! I always keep wishing for my time on the island to be done. I am always wishing for time to hurry up and just "getting these years over with so I can be a doctor already". I have learned that time passes so quickly already, and that wishing it all away will only make myself regret such a thought years down the road. The island is where you learn your medical foundation, high yield information for a medical career, and getting us set up for clinicals back in the U.S. It is a time to really hone your study skills, be familiar with taking a great history of a patient, and enjoy your last bit of the Caribbean for a really long time. I have realized that even though I miss home (a lot) and my family and friends (a lot), I am learning so much here to ever let myself wish for something different.

This past Wednesday some of us has community clinic where I actually got to interview someone in their own home. It was such a neat experience to sit down and interview my very first patient, and even write his vitals in his personal medical book. With no one hovering over our shoulder, or stopping us mid sentence to correct us, it was all on us to conduct the full history and physical exam. To be honest, I was nervous, but the patient was so amazing and cute (I LOVE geriatrics), that he made me feel at ease as soon as we arrived. His little granddaughter that was about 3 years old kept pointing to my stethoscope as I was interviewing and really wanted to sit with me on the chair, and so I pulled her up on my lap and put my stethoscope around her neck and you should have seen her face! The grandmother and even nurse were taking pictures the whole time I was interviewing, it was the cutest thing as she kept trying to listen to my heart! Adorable. These are memories that I will keep forever from my time in Dominica.

I wanted to take a quick second to say we have well surpassed the 18,000 views on the blog, which is CRAZY! Thank you so much for coming along for the ride with my medical school journey, it really has been a roller-coaster of emotions! I am happy I have such an amazing support group and avid readers of my blog posts, so thank you.

Okay, okay, I better start these lectures, it is going to be a longgggggg Friday.

Pictures! As always :)

Cabrits Hike!

The hardest climb ever in Guadaloupe

Another Sports Med Club event! 

Love these girls!

Dean's List for a 2nd consecutive semester :) 

Finally got to get out of the apartment! lol

Yes, You CAN Do It.

Hey everyone! I know...you are probably thinking: "What?! Two posts in one month?" That is right my friends, I actually have time to do another post! This past week in Semester 3X we have had some time "off" from lectures, and the reason I say "off" is that we are all still studying (somewhat). This is the week that Semester 03 (which is curriculum) is learning renal physiology from Semester 2. The curriculum track is based on five semesters, so they learn material at different times than 3X. While they are learning renal physiology, 3X has some time to catch up on our 130 drugs that are being tested on our next exam. 130! Yikes! Wish me luck :)

This past week I have gotten a lot accomplished. I have finished my Service Learning Activity, which is a requirement for all students to finish before they can leave the island. The due date is in your last semester in the 10th week of classes, but they say to get it done as soon as you can. It adds 5% to your current semester you complete it in, so with 3rd semester being quite tough, I have decided to complete it this weekend. Our RUSM Sports Medicine Club organized a trip to Grange Nursing Home, which is about 15 minutes from campus. There were eight residents that we got to do functional exercises with, and believe me, it was much needed. It broke my heart to see that they didn't have any shoes, that their shirts were dirty, and that they bathed in cold water, as the home does not own a hot water heater. One resident was 104 years old, and she is a feisty little thing. I heard that Dominica was one of the few countries that have the most people over 100, I definitely believe it. One of our members had an amazing idea to use balloons as a means of getting the residents to use their arms and legs. Such a great idea! We were able to facilitate many exercises with having them try and catch the balloon, and using their legs and feet to kick it as well. We will definitely be going to back to visit and as a donation our club will be giving items like gloves, soaps, bed pads, etc to the nurses that desperately need them.

I also applied to Ross University's Scholarship this past weekend, where I had to write an essay. 16 scholarships of 3,000 are handed out to students under DeVry's Education umbrella. This includes many schools in the Caribbean and the U.S. I will keep you guys updated if I receive and award! *fingers crossed*. That being said, Ross University School of Medicine's facebook page also re-shared two of my instagram posts. I would like to quickly say thank you to Ross and "Hello!" to all of our new followers and people on instagram; writing this blog has truly given me an avenue to talk to so many amazing people. I absolutely love the emails, comments, and likes, because it lets me know that you guys care and that you are venturing off to medical school and confide in me for help. So, thank you.

I also got to attend a Canadian seminar where we talked with recent on-island students who have written their Step 1 and are now finishing up IMF, which is the next stage after the island. A quick 6 week introduction to hone our clinical skills before venturing off into the hospitals. I am grateful that Ross does this, as it will set you up nicely for core rotations that are completed over 42 weeks. We talked a lot about Step studying, Comp (the cumulative final you write before leaving the island), NBME final exams (which you have at the end of 3rd and 4th semester-yay), and that it is possible to do well. I am not sure if I was tired from studying from our last mini, or that I am lost with these couple days off that I over-think and do not know what to do with myself, but I got in such a weird mood. These past two nights I have gone to bed worrying "can I do this", "can I do well on the step 1", and for those that follow my blog posts and instagram pictures you are probably saying: "yes, Emma, you have gotten Dean's List the past two semesters, you have created a brand new club on campus, and you have maintained a high average". But to be honest, that is such a great accomplishment and I am happy, but it is how well you do on Step 1 that matters for residency. Stephen has been great in being supportive and letting me be in my own bubble at times, because it is scary. You can do all this work for two years and then be stuck. I do not want that.

Then I got to thinking..."Emma...C'mon"
Then I answered out loud: "What?"
My inner voice: "You do not push yourself every day, every night, every weekend, to not pass. You do not move to an island away from family and friends and then have nothing to show for it. You just don't. You have it in you to do well, and you have proved that time and time again."
Me: *sigh* "Ok"
Inner voice: "So stop being grumpy, stop over-thinking, and keep doing what you are doing."

Ok, yes I do talk to myself sometimes, ok? haha. I just had to clear my head, go to bed early, and wake up and remember why I am here. It is hard. No doubt aboot it (in a hard Canadian accent). Medical school is hard, but it is so worth it. The struggle is worth it and your time is worth it. Yes, you CAN do it.

Off to annotate my First Aid Step 1 book, no point in worrying about that exam, might as well try and crush it!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Bye for now,

-E xo

As always, pictures!

Our club at Grange Nursing Home

Abraham :)

Love this picture.

Happy to be going to another Dean's List Ceremony on Feb 26th!

Our Club's big event this semester!! 

Catamaran ride!

My girl!

Love these girls!

Love him too! :) 

Hello Semester 3X is RIGHT!

Hello my long lost blog followers! I am so sorry that I have not been able to write in such a long period of time. The struggle is real in second year of medical school. Let me give you a quick summary of my last month, it surely has been busy:

1.) Started Semester 3X. The "X" means accelerated, so I am completing my foundation of medicine courses in four semesters instead of it stretched over five.

2.) I am the Founder and President of RUSM Sports Medicine Club on campus. It has been busy, but it also has been a lot of fun. We held an anatomy review for the first semester practical, officially announced our big event "The Sports Combine" where we test true fitness and crown the "Fittest At Ross". We are previewing a movie shared with the Neuroscience Club on campus called "Concussion" and are having a panel filled with students and professors to talk about helmet safety and concussion prevention. Attending Grange Nursing Home where we help with bedridden patients and limited mobility patients, getting them up and moving, even if it's wiggling their toes! We have more planned, which makes me excited for this semester!

3.) I just completed another panel webinar with the MERP program. Where I dialed in and talked about my experiences with the program, answered questions, and talked with faculty. It truly is an amazing program so if you are reading this and are unsure of that next step...DO IT.

4.) My first mini went well, I got an 87% which I am happy about. Ross JUST changed their grading policy to where you need at least a 60% in all disciplines before being able to pass. A lot of people are not happy with that change, but it does mimic the NBME and makes us more prepared all around for the USMLE Step 1. (already terrified for that exam in October this year).

5.) I have been the busiest that I have ever been, and the most tired...but I am happy. After the long days, I truly have to dig deep to keep pushing. After watching lectures, making my notes, highlighting (everything), and active listening from 9am-4pm for most days, then to be able to get back to studying for the night is TOUGH.

6.) What no other upper semester told me was the fact that you have time in 3rd. Today is the last day of lectures for our mini exam, and our exam is a week from today. Don't get my wrong, I need a full 6 days to cover this vast amount of material, but it is nice that Ross understands that we need that time to study.

Everything so far, is managaeble, medical school as a whole is manageable. You just have to really want it. You can have an hour or two of being bogged down, not feeling it, or just that feeling of true "what the heck did I get myself into" feeling, but you have to see how amazing the future is going to be. Having your own practice, traveling and doing international medicine, helping those in need, and conquering the massive amounts of exams that lay ahead of us. I always think to myself, there are a ton of physicians in this world (but still not enough), and when times get tough, I know that it can't be impossible. There are too many physicians for it to be unattainable, and when you set your mind that "you can do this", positive thinking does go a very long way.

Off to listen to my first lecture of the day, thankfully we only have three hours today, yay!

Keep the questions coming, keep the comments coming, and just know I am always here to help in any way that I can!

Bye for now,

-E xo

As usual:

Our beautiful logo done by my talented friend, Julia!

My tutoring certificate :)

Happy birthday to my second oldest sis!

11 years with this guy!

Study day yesterday.

Domi doesn't like studying either.

She is such a character.

Laurenie, our PR person, signing people up for The Sports Combine!

Batibou Beach! xo

Hello 3X. Nice to Meet You.

As I sit here on my back balcony, overlooking the palm trees, the green grass, and the delightfully coloured apartments, it is hard to believe that two days ago I was in cold, snowy Canada. Time goes so fast when you are studying, and now having a full two weeks off, it has occurred to me that time passes quickly all the time. It made me realize that it does not matter how long it takes you to accomplish your purpose in this world, as the time will quickly pass by anyway.

That is the basis for this post as the time at home with my family has made me realize that time still passes when you are away. Catching up with friends in your hometown (well...for me our meet up place is an hour away from the farm, I live a tad far out in the country), and realizing that everyone is doing okay and that nothing really changes. Life for everyone just continues on, and for some reason I thought different. Being away, you feel like you are always missing something, that you are always anxious to get home, and that being away from family and friends is awful (which it is), but it really is not that bad. I don't want my family and friends reading this and being like: "what?!" *sad face*. What I am trying to say is that being away from home for medical school is not that bad at all, and as you will soon realize, future students, current students, and past students can agree, everyone on this island is in the same boat as you. We are all in this unique situation together and we will all survive and pass together. Family and friends are my rock, and anyone reading my posts for the past year can see that, it is just nice to know that things at home aren't changing drastically, so do not feel guilty being away, and the truest friends will understand and are so excited to see you, even it is for a day :) I am very thankful for the friends that I have at home, and they all know who they are!

I start what is termed "the deadly semester" on Monday morning at 8am, and since printing my lectures for the week (ahem..only 5 days) we have twenty-two lectures for the week...22!! It may not seem that terrible, but when printing them, they are the thickest lectures that I have ever had to date. I used up all of my printing credit just to get through Mon-Thurs, and still needed to print Friday's lectures. This has never happened to me before, so I let that settle in for a second and then realized we are starting the semester off with a sprint...and let me tell you..being 6'4"...I am no sprinter.

I do not know if I am inherently competitive or it was a learned behaviour with my collegiate career, or growing up with three other sisters who were just as dominant as me. Nevertheless, I love a challenge. I love someone saying: "oh my gosh, it was so hard, good luck", To me, that is game time. I am ready to take on anything this semester has in store and just kill it. You know that feeling when you get nervous before a race or before giving a presentation to a bunch of people, well that feeling never really goes away in medical school. It comes over me before each exam and I've noticed recently that it is before doing something a bit frightening. But I have also realized to embrace this feeling, as it is telling me that not only is it frightening, but this feeling never lasts forever. It has a beginning and it has an ending, and the quicker you start, the quicker you will finish. And to be honest folks, if you can harness that sentiment, you will have no troubles navigating your way throughout life. It has truly changed mine.

Off to enjoy the last of my Saturday night at a restaurant called "Tomatoes" on the island, with some great food and some great company.

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to comment below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Bye for now,

--E xo

As always, some pictures:

Enjoying Dominica before I headed back to Canada

New look!

Sisterly Love 

Our little girl :) 

So hard to leave him. So cute.

The family on horseback :)

Horse and Sleigh! 

[What Feels Like] The End of an Era

Hey everyone! It is 8am in the morning a day after my final exam, and of course my body would not let me sleep in. I am so excited to announce that I have made the Dean's List for a second semester in a row! If you would have told me that a couple years ago, I would have thought you were crazy, but I am happy that my hard work has paid off. This blog post is going to be structured a bit differently, as I will be listing the top five things that I have learned in my first year of medical school. I have read numerous lists like these before I attended Ross, but I felt they were more "fluff", like: "studying...and then more studying..and then study again"...well of course..it is medical school! These are genuinely the five things that I have learned while being eight months away from home and I hope the newcomers that are coming in for the January intake, current students, and past students will take something away from it!

Drum rolllllllll pplleeeaassseeeeee <----I swear I am still sleep deprived.

Number 1) 

Everyone has their own opinion. What I mean by this is that there are students here of all semesters, 1 through 5 (if you chose the curriculum based track, you will have an extra semester) on this tiny island and a lot of the time opinions roll around of what semester is the "easiest". Semester 2, for me, was not fun. I studied a lot...about 16 hours a day, and I still felt like I was behind. I had a different mentality going into this semester as I was told repeatedly: "oh second was THE BEST." "I loved it", "it was definitely the easiest", and with that mindset going in, the material quickly caught me off guard. Stay true to your study habits, stay true to yourself and take everyone's opinion with a grain of salt.

Number 2)

Having a regiment every day is KEY. I got off track a lot with my workouts, eating, and sleeping near the end of the semester. Having something set in stone will not only facilitate a productive day, but it will make your thinking process about what you need to get done that day so much easier. I promised myself that I will be going to the gym every morning in third semester, and I will make sure to go to yoga twice a week. You have the time, and when you are six hours into material that is just awful, you have to tell yourself that you can take that break, as you will feel so much better for it.

Number 3)

Do not study long. Study smart. I know I may sound hypocritical here as I just mentioned previously that I study 16 hours a day, and you may be thinking: "ummmm Em..that is long...is that smart though?" My answer to everyone reading this is that everyone is different. I, personally, prefer studying alone, at my desk, inside, blinds shut, with a flashlight..ok ok I am kidding but I do like studying alone and not on campus. I just see way too many students staying up until 4am to get through the material...that is silly. I wake up at 7am, and I am in bed by 10pm, sometimes 11pm. Yes, they are long days, but I still get my 8 hours of sleep. Studying smart is where you take breaks, EAT, sleep, and making sure you do not burn out..which I was at the end of first semester and I feel much better today, which is the day after my four and a half hour final.

Number 4) 

Family is your support network. For those that have been away a lot for undergraduate studies like me, have become accustom to the long nights away from family and friends, missing birthdays, weddings, get-togethers, the whole shebang. Being away and being in medical school is a whole new ballgame. My undergraduate degree and playing basketball at the collegiate level was tough, don't get me wrong, but the shear volume of work that medical school entails just sucks the life out of you. I do not want to scare anyone reading this or make my family and friends worry, but it mentally takes a toll on you. It is mentally draining more than it is physical, but that is where you have to take energy from the people around you. You surround yourself with positive people, study in groups if that is your style of learning, but most of all...remind yourself of why you are here. That always seems to bring a burst of energy my way.

Last but certainly not least, Number 5)

Do not be afraid to be happy. This is something that I finally  had to let go of with being here at school. I was always "the pleaser", making sure I wouldn't make anyone angry, making sure they are having a good time, not wanting to disappoint my coaches, family, or friends. I finally had to let some of my friends go in my "already thought" tight circle, when I knew they were just bringing me down. I finally have the courage to stand up for my happiness and follow something that I have always wanted to endure, but admittedly was a bit scared. I always held my feelings back when I was happy, or sad, and life is way too short to ever hold those emotions in. In college, when I was benched for stating my opinion, or reprimanded because I didn't agree with what was happening with one of our coaches and players...stuff that I should have spoken up about, but at the the time was too scared of losing my scholarship. Looking back now, I had one of the top GPAs as a student-athlete, I never did drugs or have academic probation, there was no way they could get rid of me, and if you gave me ten minutes to go back and say all what I would like to say....well...let's just say they probably would have kicked me off haha. My point in this last segment is to let you guys know that my life in no way, shape, or form is perfect. My facebook may look like it is, or my instagram, but everyone fights their own mental battle sometimes. You have to let the things that bother you go. I am still working on mine, but I feel 100% better knowing that I am in a better place than any coach or player that did me wrong. Waking up and feeling happy is OKAY, and I am embracing that as the times before I remember myself feeling guilty. I remember when I was about 14 or 15 helping out with the Queen's University Basketball camp for kids one summer, and one of the other coaches, a female, about thirty asked me what I wanted to do when I finished college.

I said: "I think I want to be a doctor".
I remember her response so clearly: "ohhhhh people are going to hate you."
In my taken back response I asked: "well..why?"
She said: "Well you are tall, athletic, pretty, AND you want to be a doctor..that has hate written all over it".

I remember just sitting there thinking:

*then let them hate*

Aright folks, I am off to run some errands this morning and then Stephen and I are off on Sunday morning to Canada!! We are going to freeze, but I can not wait to be home.

Ps. We are almost at 15,000 views on the blog. All I can say is thank you.

Bye for now,

-E xo

Pics!

Merp was a year ago exactly!!

Love these girls!

Love her

Puppy play date!

Dominica, you are beautiful.

Our happy place.

Our walk to the playing field!

Little river by our apartment

Our walk

Practicing before my final practical exam!