Beach time!!

So, hell week is over. My last exam was yesterday in pharmacology. It went okay. It is so difficult to study material that has no meaning, at least not now. I'm sure once we get into clinical years, and we see patients with varying degrees of infections, diseases, and such...we will become more familiar as to the standard treatments and drugs of choice. But for now, we must memorize, memorize, and memorize some more and then hope to hell we remember something when trying to answer 3rd and 4th order questions on which drug when given IV causes ototoxicity....or what generation of this family of drugs will treat a Pseudomonas infection...AHHH!!

Also yesterday, our class was graced with our scores from pathophysiology. Lets just say when the class average is 64 (passing grade is 70 don't forget), it says there is definitely something wrong with the class....something we have been bitching and moaning about for 5 weeks. Remember, we are not new here. We are 2nd year medical students and I think by now we have come to know what to expect from our courses. When a class does this poorly it reflects not on us or our learning style, but on the course, professors, and total lack of planning. This is the first year for this supposed revamped and renewed Pathophysiology class...and it totally shows. Not getting handouts or lecture slides in a timely manner (sometimes weeks after the lecture), no clear objectives as to what will be on the test, telling us to post our questions on a class forum and then having no one from the department answer our questions. And then the department posting notes saying please bare with us during this time of adjustment bull****. At least the course director, in an uncharacteristic way, decided to give everyone 20 extra points for the 1st test...so our morale would not be shot for the rest of the course. Why thank you....how generous of you. Now, why don't you FIX THE CLASS!!! Of course, this is a one time shot of extra points and there will be no such curve on the remaining 2 tests. I can't wait to see what those averages look like!!

So last night I watched the debates. McCain really looked good compared to Obama. I'm really sick of questions be asked to Obama and he skirts around them. Just answer the question. What are YOU going to do?? I think the moderator last night asked Obama the same question, re-worded 4x and he still didn't answer it. Right now, I'm leading towards McCain....but, Palin scares me a bit.

Today I am off to the beach to soak up some much needed sun, followed by some lunch sushi. And later tonight I am baking cookies....peanut butter....yummy!! And dinner is meatball subs (something I have been craving for weeks).

Before I go...2 very funny things I have seen this week:

www.nakedclowncalendar.com - this is pretty hysterical if you ask me...i may just get one

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26892950/wid/11915773?GT1=31037 - what is wrong with PETA....this organization is seriously crazy!!

Alright everyone. Have a great weekend and I will update you all soon!! :)

I am at a loss for words, and therefore cannot even come up with a suitable title for this blog.

Tomorrow starts our first found of tests for term 5/6. I have pathophysiology at 1pm. Am I excited? scared? nervous? feeling like I will rock it? NO....none of the above. This is actually the first test in medical school that I have no feelings. And maybe that has alot to do with this department. See, this is an old class with a new look. The school decided to change it up a bit....which is great...change is always good. But in typical SGU fashion, they did it without a plan in place. And because of that, no one knows what to study, where to study from (lecture handouts, books, wikipedia), or really what is going to be on the test. These last 5 weeks have been extraordinary vague and we typically get the following response from the department: "please bare with us and be patient as we are new at this too and we are trying to work out the kinks". Great!! Thanks....and while you are doing that...you are playing with MY FUTURE AS A DOCTOR!! So, needless to say I really don't know what to expect for tomorrow's test. I'm just going to go in and do the best I can and know in the back of my head that I have 2 more tests this semester to make up for this one if I bomb it!! :)

Then wednesday is clinical skills....this class is funny. We have to come in and take a midterm that only counts 8% of our total grade. No, you didn't missread that one.....8%. What a waste of time and not to mention paper. I will definitely not be studying for this one.

No...all my time after pathophysiology.....from monday night until friday at 1pm will be towards pharmacology which happens to be the biggest bear I have encountered in grenada. Now, i hate to memorize with a passion which is why classes like parasitology and microbiology gave me such trouble. This class however, takes the gigantic 5 tier wedding cake. The amount of absolute bull**** and minute details we have to "memorize" and "know" is mind boggling. I thought once we get into the hospital we have PDAs....oh, and those wonderful people that go to school for 5 years straight knowing ONLY medications....hello pharmacists!! So, i will be spending my entire weekend cramming info into my incredibly shrinking cranium only to forget about it next week.

Although I must mention that the season premiere of Grey's is thursday for 2 hours!!! So excited!! I will definitely be taking a much needed break for that.

Alright, well before I go let me fill you in on some of the things that have happened over the last few weeks:
- IGA has no ice cream (bastards)
- IGA has no soy milk (AHHH)
- Union made up of security guards, bus drivers, and other ancillary staff went on strike last week...from my perspective, this was kind of funny (only because I live off campus and have a car)
- My headphones broke (but I learned from term 2 and had a spare pair....i'm too smart!!!)
- I stopped working out for 1 week (tweeked my back)
- OBGYN prof pronounced "centimeters" as "sontimeters" (and she said it ALOT in regards to the dilated cervix and the size of the baby's head....9.5 sontimeters)
- Tom Brady got hurt (BOO FRIGGIN HOO.....little whiner)
- Farewell Yankee stadium (just tonight....how sad)

Alright....i'm off to bed for some sleep before the big day of fun tomorrow. Have a great night.

wow.....

Was July 21st really the last time I posted??? Holy POOH!!! Well, I have alot to say, so lets get started:

Happy Birthday Randi!!! I'm not too happy that you and the fam get to enjoy Coalyard Charlie's without me tonight.....we will definitely have to go when I get home in December.

My dog, in his true golden retriever fashion, chased a skunk, bit into it, and proceeded to get a chunk taken out of his nose. He won of course....skunk down. But, he did not have an up-to-date rabies shot and the skunk tested positive. Now has to be quaranteened until mid February. Poor pup!!

This semester is really crazy and hectic; even worse then last semester. Pharmacology is really kicking my butt since it is all memorizing, and that is my weakest area. Pathophysiology has a new director this term and therefore has no direction. I have no idea even how to prepare for that test. Clinical skills (for the first time) is actually really good. We have hospital visits this term and so far, all of them have been wonderful experiences. And of course, because my parents have not won the lottery yet and I can not take extra time off to study for the all important Step 1 exam, I have to incorporate my studying for that beast of a test throughout this semester. So crazy and hectic is a real understatement!!!

Picture time!!!!

Well, I will stop now so I have more to talk about next time I blog (maybe sometime in October) :) Everyone have a great night!!