To the young, fresh-faced pre-meds reading this with aspirations of living the glamorous life of a medical student, I simply have this to say to you: IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO CONSIDER ALTERNATE CAREER PATHS.
I've been following your blog for a few months now but first time commenter. I'm also a med school applicant currently (so thanks for today's post :P). I love your sarcasm/humor/honesty. I hope you find away to celebrate your birthday despite Step 1 studying and I wish lots of love and happiness in the coming year. Happy Birthday!
Thanks, Emma! Funny you should bring up the highlighters because yes, I did end up having to find a new one this morning. The Lawyer told me that he has my cake request "covered," so I'm basically going to sit here with my study materials and wait for a caring, lawyer type to show up at my door with dessert.
Happy birthday! May your revision go splendidly, your confidence soar and your boards reach new heights of awesomeness. That, and everything else you could possibly wish for in the normal part of your life.
Happy, happy birthday! And welcome to Club 30. Hope you'll have a chance to celebrate your special day soon.
Been reading along for a little while and thoroughly enjoy your writing. I lived in DC for a year after college before returning home to South Africa so I have good memories of that area.
In the meantime, good luck with all of the studying.
MS3- You win for best comment! I tweeted earlier today that I wanted a baby, a house, and no more debt for my birthday, but I was only kidding (kind of). Best bday present would of course be to crush this exam!
Kate- Happy early birthday! You will find out that med. schools love to time their exams impeccably. See celebrating Valentine's day on Feb. 20, instead of 14, and flying home on Thanksgiving day, because you have an exam the day before. Your life is no longer your own. :(
SD- Thank you! I did...at least to answer phone calls from my family. The Lawyer also stationed himself at my apartment tonight, so I had to pretend like I was acknowledging his presence by talking to him every now and then :)
Yay for chocolate raspberry cake for dinner. The Lawyer is a keeper. Awesome!!
I've been reading your blog for awhile, because I work with med students who are taking the steps, choosing specialties and trying to get into residencies. I've heard everything. You are smart, funny, sweet, determined, a bit edgy, and a terrific story-teller.
I'm going to give you some advice.
This is for your body. Next time you venture out, stock up on high protein food, including good protein bars. Feed your neurotransmitters some high quality amino acids. Don't try to study until you've eaten protein. Carry a couple protein bars with you to the exam and eat them on breaks.
This is for your mind. You're really well prepared. You had the opportunity to go over the year 1 stuff twice!! Not everyone has had this depth and breadth of focus on the basic sciences. Step 1 day is the day when this is a huge asset.
Consider the 95% confidence level. When you are 95% confident about a section, please post it. Go on to the next section until your confidence is at 95% and post that. Rinse, repeat. Soon you will have a list of sections that you can DO!!
This is for your spirit. "I can do all things . . ." "Fear not, I am with you always"
You are not alone, not even USMLE can separate you.
Thank you for that great comment! It is so appreciated!
It's funny that you mention the protein bars, because I've been trying to build up my endurance by doing 2-3 question blocks at a time. My friends who have taken Step 1 already advised me to try and do 2-3 blocks in a row, and then to take a longer break, because of the time suck of fingerprinting that you have to do with signing in and out. While it's totally doable, I'm EXHAUSTED during the breaks I take at home and usually end up having to eat something. I'm hypoglycemic, so I was already planning on taking snacks, but the quantity of food that I crave between blocks is such that I had decided that I needed to take PowerBars and other substantive foods to eat between blocks, because fruit snacks and Rice Krispie treats wouldn't cut it.
I will definitely take your advice on that point, as well as to trust myself and just keep moving. (I'm working on that one. I think the hardest part is not second-guessing myself about everything.)
Happy birthday! I have been reading your blog for about a year and really enjoy your honesty and humor. Doing well on step I will be an amazing present to yourself.
I've cornered multiple applicants to try and convince them not to do it. They all seem to think they know better. I usually preface it with, "Do I look happy to you?"
29 comments:
I've been following your blog for a few months now but first time commenter. I'm also a med school applicant currently (so thanks for today's post :P). I love your sarcasm/humor/honesty. I hope you find away to celebrate your birthday despite Step 1 studying and I wish lots of love and happiness in the coming year. Happy Birthday!
I'm right there with you. Yay for Step 2!
Still, it's a birthday! ;-)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Thanks, everyone! Tikibu, good luck and don't mind my sarcasm--I'm just stressed and overtired!
Happy Birthday. my friend! If I lived nearby, I'd bring you an organic lunch, a cupcake, and a fresh highlighter!
Happy 30th! You're still a kid! ;)
Thanks, Emma! Funny you should bring up the highlighters because yes, I did end up having to find a new one this morning. The Lawyer told me that he has my cake request "covered," so I'm basically going to sit here with my study materials and wait for a caring, lawyer type to show up at my door with dessert.
Happy birthday! May your revision go splendidly, your confidence soar and your boards reach new heights of awesomeness. That, and everything else you could possibly wish for in the normal part of your life.
And I hope he brought a most excellent cake.
Happy Birthday to you! Think how great 40 will be!
Happy Birthday!
Happy (?) birthday! Welcome to your 30s. :)
Hahahaha, I'm only one week in so I can't imagine studying for the step1... good luck, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Happy, happy birthday! The 13th is the best day! And 30 is a great age!
Happy, happy birthday! And welcome to Club 30. Hope you'll have a chance to celebrate your special day soon.
Been reading along for a little while and thoroughly enjoy your writing. I lived in DC for a year after college before returning home to South Africa so I have good memories of that area.
In the meantime, good luck with all of the studying.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I just had my first day of orientation!
Snarky Scalpel- What a nice comment; thank you! And yes, the cake was divine!
CM- Haha, love it! More like "Distracted" Birthday to me! :)
ahyes- Aww, good luck! Don't worry, Step 1 is far, far away!
Lemon Gloria- Thank you! I hope so!
weartightshoes- Welcome! Thanks for the comment...hopefully, I'll get a few days break before rotations start.
Everyone else- Thanks so much!
HAppy birthday!!! You will do very well on the test and THAT will be your bday present!
Happy Birthday! I'll have my own birthday celebration next week when I take my first biochem exam. Huzzah!
Where was your advice a year ago when I started this path? Where's the glamour?
Huge Happy Birthday! Take at least a little time to celebrate; there will always be time to study.
MS3- You win for best comment! I tweeted earlier today that I wanted a baby, a house, and no more debt for my birthday, but I was only kidding (kind of). Best bday present would of course be to crush this exam!
Kate- Happy early birthday! You will find out that med. schools love to time their exams impeccably. See celebrating Valentine's day on Feb. 20, instead of 14, and flying home on Thanksgiving day, because you have an exam the day before. Your life is no longer your own. :(
SD- Thank you! I did...at least to answer phone calls from my family. The Lawyer also stationed himself at my apartment tonight, so I had to pretend like I was acknowledging his presence by talking to him every now and then :)
Happy Birthday, Red! I hope it was wonderful.
HI, Red,
Happy Birthday!!!
Yay for chocolate raspberry cake for dinner. The Lawyer is a keeper. Awesome!!
I've been reading your blog for awhile, because I work with med students who are taking the steps, choosing specialties and trying to get into residencies. I've heard everything. You are smart, funny, sweet, determined, a bit edgy, and a terrific story-teller.
I'm going to give you some advice.
This is for your body. Next time you venture out, stock up on high protein food, including good protein bars. Feed your neurotransmitters some high quality amino acids. Don't try to study until you've eaten protein. Carry a couple protein bars with you to the exam and eat them on breaks.
This is for your mind. You're really well prepared. You had the opportunity to go over the year 1 stuff twice!! Not everyone has had this depth and breadth of focus on the basic sciences. Step 1 day is the day when this is a huge asset.
Consider the 95% confidence level. When you are 95% confident about a section, please post it. Go on to the next section until your confidence is at 95% and post that. Rinse, repeat. Soon you will have a list of sections that you can DO!!
This is for your spirit.
"I can do all things . . ."
"Fear not, I am with you always"
You are not alone, not even USMLE can separate you.
Hi Lily,
Thank you for that great comment! It is so appreciated!
It's funny that you mention the protein bars, because I've been trying to build up my endurance by doing 2-3 question blocks at a time. My friends who have taken Step 1 already advised me to try and do 2-3 blocks in a row, and then to take a longer break, because of the time suck of fingerprinting that you have to do with signing in and out. While it's totally doable, I'm EXHAUSTED during the breaks I take at home and usually end up having to eat something. I'm hypoglycemic, so I was already planning on taking snacks, but the quantity of food that I crave between blocks is such that I had decided that I needed to take PowerBars and other substantive foods to eat between blocks, because fruit snacks and Rice Krispie treats wouldn't cut it.
I will definitely take your advice on that point, as well as to trust myself and just keep moving. (I'm working on that one. I think the hardest part is not second-guessing myself about everything.)
Happy birthday! I have been reading your blog for about a year and really enjoy your honesty and humor. Doing well on step I will be an amazing present to yourself.
punchberry- Aww, thank you! And thanks for reading and commenting!
AW, Happy belated birthday!!!! :) :)
I hope you did something memorable!!
FANTASTIC! Happy Birthday!
Happy belated! :) And congratulations on another Successful Trip Around the Sun!!
Cartoon Characters- What a great way to look at things (another trip around the sun). Thanks!
I've cornered multiple applicants to try and convince them not to do it. They all seem to think they know better. I usually preface it with, "Do I look happy to you?"
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