Hello Term 4

So, 3rd term is over. Term 3 was a weird term because it was only 6 weeks, and it was only one class (6 credits). The class was Behavioral science, which encompasses lots of different things. During the 6 weeks, we studied abnormal psychology ( schizophrenia, depression, OCD, anorexia ... things like that), bio-statistics, epidemiology, health care systems (insurance and Obama care), law, ethics, and several other small topics. So it was kind of like one big class of topics that don't really fit anywhere else. The reason SGU separates the 2 years into 5 semesters, is to allow students to borrow a larger percentage of their loans through stafford loans (the ones that don't start interest until after you graduate). We only had the weekend off, so 4th term started today. However for the first week we only have microbiology, and the rest start next week. I guess that is kinda like a break.

Valentines dinner

We all went out to dinner for Valentines

 Anyway, 3rd term is considered by everyone to be the easy term, but the problem is not many people get A's because they think it is easy and then don't study. Lots of upper termers told D and I this, and we were determined to study hard, even though many of our classmates/friends were at the beach. Happily, we both got A's!!!! We are extremely excited because 6 hours of A's is huge for our GPA. In 4th term, Pathology is THE course (13 credits), not to mention path is really hard and that is all we have been hearing about since we came to med school. Also, it represent like 1/4 of the USMLE. So it is a scary class, but with our new GPA, if for some reason we get C's in path AND micro (5 credits) we will still be ok, and not have to worry about deceling due to GPA standards. This is such a huge pressure relief, because 120 students from last term decelled and are retaking path with us this semester. That is 1/4th of the previous class. We do not plan on being in that group, but the extra cushion that we got by getting our A, has already taken some of the scariness away from path.

Here are the specials, in case you want to order something!

In other news, Shiloh is feeling much better, although she is still on antibiotics, and she has come to expect a ham treat every morning and night. We roll the pill in ham, that way she will take it.  Also we still very much love our new place, and everything seems to be going much better now that Shiloh is better. This term is going to be very busy, we have 4 labs a week, every afternoon except Friday, but that is part of it. When June 29th gets here and we fly back home, we should be much smarter, and everyone says that this semester changes you from a student to a future doctor, so I am excited to be here.

We had a great Valentines, we went to a Chinese place in St Georges, with our neighbors and friends.We didn't make fools of ourselves or anything! Back to the books, I am going to try to get as much micro in this week as I can, before pathology begins!

BS test one is over in Shiloh lives

So last week Shiloh decided to try to die on us. She would not eat anything (and she is an eater!!) and was very lethargic.We ended up having to take her to the vet (Tuesday), where she had a bunch test ran. On Thursday she wasn't any better so we had to take her back.

They kept her overnight at the hospital and gave her an IV. Now she has a partly shaved leg, which looks like a chicken leg. Anyway, she is antibiotics for 28 freaking days!! Twice a day! Our test was on Friday morning, so of course staying at the vet for 3 hours on Thursday really helped out. Plus when we go to leave the vet, our battery on the car had died. This guy was going to jump us off, but then the battery fuse blew! Soooo, we took the bus home. Our great landlord got everything fixed for us while we were taking our test Friday morning. We then got a call to come visit Shiloh, and they said that if she was doing better that afternoon she could come home. She was doing much better and we got to pick her up Friday evening and she has been getting better each day. She is back to eating us out of house and home! :) Even through way too much stress, we both did great on out Behavior Science midterm with D getting an 88 and I got a 92, so we were both well above average, and more importantly in a good position to get an A in the class. 3 more weeks of Term 3 and then we will be in term 4! Going to bed, goodnight!

one year

Today is the first term's white coat ceremony, last year we were part of that and thankfully this year we are not. When we saw the first terms with their white coats this morning it was kind of crazy think that last year that was us. We have come a long way in one year. Now were driving around the island and we know exactly where were going, it seems like much longer than one year. I remember the first week of school, looking at all the upper termers, thinking how nice it is that they know where they're going what they're doing, and now that's us. This is been by far the hardest year of my life, but it's also the year I'm most proud of. First semester was a real wake-up call and at the end I was really scared, and I didn't know if I could make it. But after the first year I'm more determined than ever and I am glad I stuck it out. The hardest classes are still to come, but the experience I got in the last year as far studying and preparation is going to make a big difference this next year. Second semester went better than the first, and I suspect that each will continually go better. D and I were talking about this past year, and we agree it is been the best and the worst year of our lives.

flower in the front yard

We really like your new apartment, and Shiloh loves the big yard. We also have some really great neighbors who are very dog friendly. Our landlord has been great and we really are happy we made the move.for one full week and a third term is gone pretty well it's only a six week course. So our fourth term classes will start mid February. That is when we start pathology which is the mother load course of 13 credit.I am going to get back to studying.

Merry Christmas

It is already Christmas, can't believe our winter break is going by so quickly. We are moved into our new place, and we had a great time with D's parents.

Here we are at campus

We gave them the tour and some of the building were open, so we got to show them our lecture hall. It was so nice to have family here, especially since we are not going home.

Sunset from the catamaran

 We had some great sunsets, and really enjoyed the catamaran trip. We miss everyone back home, but we are studying and trying to make the most out of our break. Merry Christmas!

goodbye term 2

Physio final done, and so is term 2!! We have our year 1 test tomorrow, but it is really just to tell us how we are doing so far (grade doesn't count!). Can't believe we are finally done, I have been waiting for this day for a while, and we will find out our grades tomorrow. Year 1 of medical school, you have been hard, but I can't believe how much I have learned. I am going to sleep so much this weekend!

ospe is over but finals have just begun

We took our OSPE II (the practical test) this morning. So one down, 3 to go! I hate finals week, it is exhausting and humbling. I am so ready for finals to be over! For some reason when studying for the test midterms/finals, it feels like, what the heck have I been learning this whole time. It just seems like so much material, it is overwhelming, but I have felt like this before all my test, so I am kinda getting used to it. This weekend the colts play the cowboys, really that game has to be scheduled for the weekend BEFORE finals?? What was the NFL thinking? I will be studying so good luck colts, see you on the other side of finals.

 I did have a great birthday, despite study for a big part of it. I had lunch with some friends, who are very nice and surprised me with a birthday cake! Which was awesome.

 

 

 

 

 

Birthday lunch with friends

Other than no fun studying, there have been lots of Christmas decorating here, well you know in Grenada, not at my house, hello? finals! Anyway the lights and music make me homesick, but at least it is kinda like Christmas. Well, I have a date with physio tonight so later.

finally, we got our immuno grades!

We finally got our grades back, and well, they sucked! What can I say, the test was horrible. Very frustrating, as we studied so hard, and we really knew our stuff, I thought? At least it is over, and we passed, which is most important, but no A's. At least it was only two credits. We did go to the beach afterwards, as our minds were more tired than our bodies.

Also we had a sand fight.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, we missed everyone, and also the cowboys lost, so D was angry. I was only angry because I had no turkey, and no, I did not cook! Are you kidding, we have finals coming up. Speaking of, Friday Dec. 3rd is our OSPE, which is a practical test, where we test our real skills on fake patients. FUN! (but graded) Then on Dec 7th is our Neuroscience final, Dec 9th is our physiology final, and finally Dec10 is the BSCE, which is a comprehensive test for term 1 and 2! Are you kidding? I am supposed to remember all that stuff from term 1 also?!?

Rainbow at the beach

It is getting close, but I am excited because I am really ready for the break, and happy that our first year is almost over. So we will be studying like crazy (or really like normal) for the next few weeks, and hopefully things will go better than stupid immunology!