Say Ah…

mature cystic teratoma

Although it’s independence day back home, at Ross, it’s the Saturday before Mini II, so instead of celebrating, I’m trying to be diligent and review all of the pathology we’re covered over the past four weeks. While there’s probably a million things I’d rather do than spend my day looking at hundreds of pictures of diseased genitalia, this one, with its absolutely perfect caption (and three exclamation points), made me laugh out loud (in the middle of a crowded classroom, no less). Apparently, 25% of ovarian tumors are dermoid cysts and 90% of those have random contents like teeth, hair and sebaceous material. But seriously? Come on. Of all the things one would expect to find growing in one’s ovary, teeth is probably the very last on the list.

Back to the grind… Happy 4th of July!

The Mediasite Experiment

After a not disasterous but still disappointing showing on Mini II, I have decided to switch gears in my study style. As was recommended by the people at medicalschoolreport.com as well as several upperclassmen here, I have decided to forgo all lectures for which attendance is not mandatory this week and instead, adopt a “my pace” mediasite-based study regimen. Apparently, the point of mediasiting is to save time wasted by sitting in class and absorbing (or “actively listening”) and get more things done. We’ll see how that works out for me. Incidentally, this week is one of my busiest weeks yet – supplementary patient interview today, suture clinic or ICM review tomorrow (haven’t decided which one to bail on), SNMA’s Mini Med School on Thursday, 6 or more hours of lecture a day…and it doesn’t get easier. It’s week 10 – there are 36 days left in the semester and I’m going to need all the help I can get to scrape by with something respectable at the end. Updates may be infrequent, but maybe the time I save mediasiting will allow me to have an extra few minutes here and there…

Bugs, Drugs and Intestines

Excepted from an online study session:

友達:  quiz me on helminths
go
自分:  what do you use to treat taenia solium infection?
友達:  mebendazole, since it treats cestodes and trematodes
自分:  okay, i should have given more info
pt. presents with seizures and neurological symptoms and has cysts in brain and taenia solium eggs in stool
what do you use to treat?*
友達:  hm
自分:  what is taenia coli?**
友達:  i should know it
and i keep saying it
but i cannot remember
自分:  it sounds so familiar
友達:  haha we’re idiots
the three bands of the large intestine
i kept thinking it had to be a bacteria or something
cuz of coli
自分:  me too
i was just looking at the list of microbes
they should’ve named it something else

* According to Lippincott’s Pharmacology Review, for this case, you’d use Albendazole, which is the drug of choice for this type of infestation.

** We just learned this, last semester in anatomy. What is wrong with my brain?

Failing Tests

What a harrowing fortnight it has been! With the histology lab practical, Mini II, a health crisis (averted–for now) and an unexpected reappearance of an entity I’ll refer to as Jason (as in, the killer from Friday the 13th 2-12 that just keeps coming back), I am mentally, physically and emotionally apoptotic.

I haven’t received my official scores yet but I am very worried about my performance on Mini II. In some areas, such as Histology and Physiology, I think I may have done respectably but I’m not so sure about Anatomy or Biochem this time around. What rankles is that I studied even harder for this exam than I did for Mini I. Granted, my focus was split by the health crisis but doesn’t hard work and diligence count? All those hours in the library…what did they earn me? I suppose we’ll see when the scores are sent. There is still a pair of exams to go (Mini III and The Final) and about a month left in the semester. I know I’ll come out on the other side but the fear of failure is giving me nightmares.