Liz's Medical School Journey

I feel refreshed from visiting several national parks and family during the past weeks.   I especially want to thank my mother-in-law (also an artist and teacher), who helped me create a set of four encaustic (hot wax) artworks based on memories from human anatomy class.    These images are shared below, although they are much better envisioned in 3-D.

Clockwise from Top Left: Stomach, Muscle, Brain and Heart.  Encaustic with class notes, twigs, wall compound, glitter and oil paint.

Exactly 5 weeks and 5 days after taking my National Boards Step 1 exam, I received the e-mail from SCORES@nbme.org:

“Your USMLE Step 1 SCORE REPORT will be available later this morning on the NBME Licensing Examination Services (NLES) website.  Due to a larger-than-normal score release today (Wednesday, July 14), examinees may experience some delays in accessing their results…”

Since I was flying on Wednesday, I actually got the e-mail on Thursday morning, and didn’t have any problems accessing the score report.  As soon as I opened the PDF, I was relieved to see the bold “PASS.”  To tell the truth, my relief was mixed with a tiny bit of disappointment because I hadn’t achieved my highest dream score.  However, I probably set my imaginary expectations too high, and ultimately I should be pleased by my own efforts and progress.

When I called my dad to tell him I received my passing score, he didn’t even ask about the score.  He simply said, “Congratulations.  Do they give Nobel Prizes for Board Exam Scores?”  In other words, don’t be too disappointed or too proud. His feedback made me grin.  He always seems to have a concise way to offer support while reminding me to keep things in perspective.

So, Step 1 is done.  I passed.  I am officially 1/2 M.D.  Now, I have more important things to think about, like my pediatrics rotation starting in a week!  I am beginning to feel nervous excitement about being a 3rd year student.

Sky while hiking.

It’s official, 3^rd year has started this week. I am taking this first block off to spend time with my family, enjoy nature and attend a far-away wedding.   Despite the fact that I haven’t started my first rotation nor have I received my Board score, I feel like I can say, “I’m a third year!”

Third year is a whole new chapter.  My orientation packet reads:

“Congratulations!  After 19 years in the classroom you are about to begin an entirely different educational experience.  No doubt, you will find it to be the most exhilarating but exhausting year of medical school.  For most, it will be the highlight of your medical education.”

Make that 22 years in the classroom, counting my work as a teacher and my post-bac classes.  Oh yes… this is the highlight I’ve been waiting for!  The advice section includes: “Don’t lose sight of who you are,” “Try to carry snacks/ water,” “Take a deep breath,” and “Be happy/ enthusiastic/ energetic.”

In fact, everything sounds like general advice for a happy life, except a few items, such as “Know how to read a cxr and ekg systematically before starting.”  “Cxr” is chest x-ray, and “ekg” is electrocardiogram (my small group leader last year informed me that “ekg” is actually a German abbreviation and not “proper English,” so now I try to stick to ECG).  Maybe I could handle these tasks somewhat, but my current attempt is rather unsystematic at best.

Fortunately from here onward, my daily experience will guide me to develop my own systematic approach to everything patient-oriented.  I will be an apprentice to doctors and residents, and under their supervision, I will be assigned to my own patients.  I will be on my feet, working hard daily.  No doubt, I will never be the smartest person on the care team and I’m sure to embarrass myself often, but I still feel like third year is a welcome change.

It was strange to see  my schedule for my last two years of medical school listed on paper.  Third year consists of eight 5-week blocks, while fourth year contains thirteen 4-week blocks.  There is no built-in vacation, except 2-weeks at Christmas/ New Years.  The blocks are a short list that fits on a single page, below which is written “Graduation: May 20, 2012.”  Could it really be approaching that fast?

At my university, third year has two mandatory 10-week (2-block) rotations; medicine and surgery.  And 3 mandatory 5-week (1-block) rotations; pediatrics, OBGYN (obstetrics/ gynecology), and psychiatry.  My school encourages everybody to take Family Medicine in the remaining block, although Family Medicine is a 4-week rotation, and can be taken at the beginning of fourth year (which is what I’ll do).

My rotation schedule: I’ll be starting 3^rd year on August 2^nd with pediatrics.  That will be followed by medicine, OBGYN and 2-weeks off for the holidays.  Then, in January I’ll come back to psychiatry and finally, surgery.  Every rotation is at a different hospital, and from now on, my peers and I will have different paths.  Mine begins with this vacation time, and I am determined to enjoy it before I leap into this “most exhilarating but exhausting year of medical school!”