Prelude to "The Mind of an Examining Med Student - The Sequel"

Above: A Dominican kid climbing in the Salybia territory.
You'll find me climbing trees after my exam. Keep your eye out.

I never thought that I'd write again before my exam, but...
I'm in need of a break.

Here's why.

I think that another med student on a forum put studying for the big exam well... It's like running a marathon. Practice. Practice. Practice. So, out there, several studying-aid companies offer practice exams that are only 4 hours long, and there's exams that are also more like the real thing, about 8 hours long.

Well ... I took the 8 hour practice exam today.

As I took my exam in a deep corner of the library, stuck in a cubicle to separate myself from the rest of the world... I tried to simulate what the big day in a couple days would be like. Let me tell you, that the exam threw my mind left and right. At a point, I had no idea how I was doing. As much as every question is "mutually exclusive" from another in terms of content, I felt my confidence wane left and right, as one question that I was unsure about, totally made me doubt myself on a question I would typically be sure about.

And then... after all that, my reward: a number. My brain felt fried, cooked, well-done, over-easy, scrambled, and dipped in Tabasco all at once, but it did feel good to be done.

I think that's exactly the way that my exam will go on Tuesday (other than the number actually coming six weeks later). But... there's 5 days left to study, and here's the dash to the finish to making my score the best it possibly can.

It's game time.

Almost There.

Above: A Dominican Rainbow... so much better than reading pages of text. Spring 2008.

I'M STILL ALIVE...
I THINK?

The days are flying by, sometimes to the point where I the only thing reminding me of the date is the monday $1 special at the Caribou Coffee(s) I hit up. I moved my test date back to the 28th, but seeing how my progress is coming along (if there is one), I'm glad I did. However, as tempted as I am to keep pushing it back, I have to remember... I can't keep the test waiting forever. So... 28th, Regis, is my final answer.

It's me, my "bible," and a laptop, against the NBME in just a few days.

I'm still blogging, and I'll get y'all updated on what its been like these last couple of weeks (trust me, my nomadic travels of studying have taken me to some interesting experiences). This was just to let y'all know I'm still kicking. So thanks for keeping up with reading, for your support, and... stay tuned. We're almost there.

For now, its back to the books.

Two IMGers, Two Different Perspectives

Above: A view of the valleys of Dominica from Horseback Ridge.

12:45 PM. My typical lunch rush. I'm usually the type of person who schedules his lunch to avoid the lunch rush that occurs (I always thought it was a stereotype to head out for lunch at 1:00 instead of everybody else who leaves about 12:00 from their offices). However, I started my blog entry in the wrong place (I just ate Taco Bell, so it must be the food that's giving me coma)....

12:00 PM. Everyone else's lunch rush. I'm dashing between my First Aid Book and my USMLE QBank, trying to make connections for my upcoming exam (which by the way has been set on the 24th of this month, so wish me luck!). With my table of four at the library, I was taking up a lot of space on it, and this man comes in, trying to find a table. The man seemed to be about middle-aged and from the middle east. He pulls out the chair, and with simple enough body language (I had my headphones on, listening to Ramsey Lewis), I nodded to give permission to take a seat. As soon as he smiled back, I couldn't help but noticing a USMLE First Aid for Step 2 CS in his hands.

Okay, now its 12:45 PM. I see the man look like he was about to head home: he was putting together the gradually widening mess of papers that grew around his First Aid book, and I broke the ice...

Hey, are you starting studying for Step 2?, I asked him.

He nodded back to me, and also let me know he couldn't help but notice the Step 1 book in my hands, saying Step 1, I pass. Step 2, I think is hinderance for International Medical Graduate. He told me the whole story of his pathway with the ECFMG, as a foreign medical graduate, and how he now has to take the Step 2 again. I then told him that I also was part of the ECFMG as a medical student, and pointed right to the cover of my book: USMLE Step 1, it says in giant white sans serif font.

(Let's back up a step. As a Ross Medical Student, I'm a part of the ECFMG (spelled out, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates). This is the sponsoring organization of Foreign Medical Graduates, such as myself from the Caribbean, but also from other countries, such as the middle east, where this gentleman was from.)

He then replied... I notice you speak good English. I smiled a little and then said, I was born here. After sharing a few more bits about myself, I learned the man was about to take his important exam for his career at about the same time that I was about to take the most important exam of my life. I then wished him good luck and told him I will see you in the library quite frequently. After he nodded with a smile, I packed up my stuff and I was off to lunch.

Apparently he wasn't off to lunch: he was about to duke it out with his books for a few more hours...

---

As simple of a conversation that was, it made me take a look again at where exactly I fit in the whole realm of medical students for the United States. We've got the U.S. Medical Graduates, and then the International Medical graduates (IMGs... like the middle-eastern gentlemen). As an IMG in the Caribbean, I forget that there's IMGs from other countries trying to find their medical niche in the states, but combatting battles such as language barriers and medical technique differences. These are differences that the Carribbean schools have worked hard to minimize, something I am grateful for.

However, although we have differences as a very diverse group of Truly foreign IMGs and Natural US Citizen IMGs, I believe we're all in this together, all finding our way to work for improving healthcare and for a decent living in the United States. And that realization on this July 4 weekend has brought a smile to my face.