Last set of finals

Monday is our pathophysiology final and Thursday is our pharmacology final, and then we are DONE! Only two more test left, and then it is gonna be a great week doing all the things on this island that we haven't got to do yet. Lots of plans including sleeping in, having our last BBQ, and letting Shiloh hunt for crabs at the beach all day. We sold the car which is great, except for the fact that we don't have a car now.

5th term class photo

 

 

We did have a great Thanksgiving here in Grenada, lot of friends came out, pot luck style.

#1 thing I am gonna miss about Grenada??
- FRIENDS!!!!

1 month and we will be home

Round 2 of test are over, and Sunday we took our 2 year test which was from 9-5! We have our clinical skills test this Friday, and our NMBE (practice USMLE) on the 28th. Our finals are on the 5th and the 8th, and we leave on the 15th. So exciting, to be finishing up here. Since we had test during Halloween, the 5th termers decided to have our own Halloween party. For me it was more of a girls night out!

Just the girls! D, A, and Z

 We went to some friends birthday party.

It is a balance to study but still spend some time with our friends that we will be leaving soon. Well you know what they say, "B's get degrees!" 

Pumpkins

It is just not fall here, and I am jealous of everyone going to the pumpkin patch today! Today is Sandblast here, which is a big party on the beach that the school host as a "good job on midterms." In 5th term we have 3 test so we are between test 1 and 2, so we don't have the weekend off, and will be studying today instead.

My last pumpkin, been too long

Still doing our insanity workout, and it is still just as hard as it has always been, I am pretty sure at some point it is supposed to get easier! We have had a few clinical meetings, mostly about GPA's and financial aid, but still it is exciting to start talking about clinicals. We have several meeting in November and we will put in our request for clinical spots then. But first I have to figure out the different lymphomas. Hematology is NOT my favorite subject.

71 more days

The 1st set of test are over! D and I did well, A's and B's all around! Excited! Unfortunately the weekend off was really short, but that may be because I slept through a big part of it. We did have a great BBQ Friday night, a bunch of friends came over and we cooked hamburgers. (with real American beef)  1st termers have their midterms next week, and I am so glad that is not us. They have a long ways to go! I vividly recall the half way mark and being so excited, and now we are counting down the days till we are home. Of course the real break will come after the USMLE, which is what everyone is focused on now. Back to the books, later :)

http://convozine.com/14502-april-terry

Test start next week

So 5th term has been moving right along. Pharmacology is kinda tough, a lot to memorize. One of the things that we do as 5th termers is go to the local hospital once a week. D and I go on Thursdays. At first, I really didn't know if I would like it, just because it takes up all Thursday morning from 8-12. That is a lot of time that I could use to sleep/study. Anyway on the first trip I was really surprised. First this is not a hospital setting that I am accustomed to. We were on the 1st floor on the men side. Yes, the hospital is separated into a women and men side. As I walk into a large room, there are 2 partial concrete walls dividing the room into 1/3s. The first 1/3 had some tables and chairs where some men were eating breakfast. The 2nd part was 8 beds, 4 on each wall, this was repeated in the 3rd part of the room. On the side was a nurse desk. Each bed had a curtain that could be pulled around the bed for privacy, but none of the men had the curtain pulled.

I tried to "draw" it in word so you could kinda see what I am talking about

On one wall was all windows. There is of course no air conditioning so the window were all open. Also there were no mosquito screens on the windows. There were ceiling fans, thankfully. The patients each had a small night stand beside there bed to put stuff on. As I watched the nurse pass out medications, she did not bring them water, but most had there own water bottle beside there bed. Also, the patients did not wear hospital gowns, but most had in a tank-top and boxers. Which was much cooler than we get to dress. We must dress professionally as well as wear a long sleeved white coat. That coat is super hot! Our groups are small 4-5 people and we are assigned a different doctor each week. The doctor will introduce us to a pt, then leave us to take a full history and do some physical examinations. We then meet with the doctor to talk about what we found and then we must give differential diagnosis and of course defend our diagnosis. I really enjoy talking to the doctors about the cases, I am a bit surprised that I understand what they are saying and feel competent to carry on this conversation. Although I am not always right, at least I understand the question!

A picture of me and my mammaw from this summer

Not only is everyone studying for our classes, but also for the USMLE, so it is kinda hectic. Also, our last term, there are still a few more things on this island that I want to do, so after test are gonna be the only time to do them. Kinda seems weird to see football on when it is still so hot here, I do miss the seasons.

photos

photo place

5th term has started

5th term is in full swing, I still cannot believe this is my LAST semester!! I had such a great summer, and I am so glad that my dad got to come see Grenada.

beach

J'ouvert

We get to do hospital rotations this semester and we did our first one last Thursday. I really like it, except it was really hot there. The hospital is not air conditioned so they just have open windows, which wouldn't be so bad but we have to dress up PLUS wear long sleeved lab coats. Classes are going well so far, the only one with really new material is pharmacology, seeing as how I am awesome with pronunciations (yeah right), you can image this is a lot of fun! I am going to meet some friends for pizza and then call it a night, this getting up early thing sucks!