MS3 Core Study Resources

Hi friends!

LONG TIME NO BLOG!!! I'm so sorry I've been so incredibly busy at the hospital and studying plus I haven't really known what I could even blog about for you guys (suggestions are open).

But considering I'm on my LAST CORE ROTATION OF THIRD YEAR... where has the time gone?!

I thought I'd compile what I used to study for each core. Now this is what worked for me and how I study best (visual learning and lots of repetition).

I used Online Med Ed across the board for all of my cores. I found it isn't as detailed as what NBME's are but it is an amazing summary of topics so I'd try to watch those videos in the first week to get a good foundation for my core.

UTILIZE THE NBME's!!!! Those were great learning resources. Again I used those for every core - I'd spread them out throughout the core and take a day going through the questions afterward.

Family Med: Case Files, Online Med Ed and NBME

Peds: UWorld, Online Med Ed and NBME

Psych: Online Med Ed, UWorld, First Aid for Psychiatry and NBME

OBGYN: Online Med Ed, UWorld, Case Files(while I was on the floor on 24's I'd go through the cases), NBME

Surgery: Online Med Ed, Pestanas, NBME, UWorld(Surgery, GI, Cardio, Renal, Rheum)

Internal (Currently): I'm trying to make myself go through one organ system a week using Online Med Ed, UWorld, and Step Up to Medicine + NBME's

Apps I've Used:

• UWorld
• Epocrates: pharm app
• BMI calculator
• UpToDate
• AHRQ ePSS: screening tools depending on patient age, gender and smoking status
• MDCalc: various scores or screening tools
• Bilibaby: especially for NICU
• ABFMExamPrep: Family med questions
• VaccineSchedule
• Aquifer Cases

If there's anything else you want me to write about please let me know!

Jen

Tough Times

Friends!

I'm sitting here writing this and I should be going to bed but I can't help but think. Think about MERP in August 2015 then moving to Dominica January 2016 then coming home April 2017 and finally being in IMF.

It's only been 2.5 almost 3 years but I feel like I've lived a lifetime. It's been so rewarding, frustrating, exciting and nerve-racking and I can't even begin to try to put it into words.

I always end up writing these blogs when I need to hear what I'm writing in these blogs the most. I think to myself - if I need to hear this I can only imagine others do too.

I've been thinking lately about this journey... specifically my journey but I want to include everyone on this journey. I always go back and forth in my mind about sharing my journey and being public about it because I never want someone to compare their journey with mine.

Because I know I do that.

So it got me to thinking... write a blog about it.

I've heard the line (and thought the line) "well ______ is going through ______ so I can't complain".

But when I take a step back and really think about when I say something like that I'm really putting my own personal struggles and hardships down. EVERYONE... let me say this again EVERYONE is going through their own struggles. Whether it's personal or family oriented, seemingly big or seemingly small, within your control or not. We all have things we need to deal with and none of that should ever be compared. No one should ever be little their own struggles because it seems like it's not a big deal. It's important enough for you to think about - therefore it's a big deal... to YOU.

The beauty of medicine and its journey is that everyone is going to experience it very differently. We're all going to have different paths yet we all want the same thing... that MD/DO behind our names. Some students struggles may be internal - whether it be imposter syndrome, test anxiety, lack of confidence. Or external - family, friends, personal illness. Maybe some students deal with all of the above.

My point is your journey is your journey - however bumpy or smooth, internal or external. It's yours. And you should be proud of your journey. No matter how far along your journey you are. You could be in clinical rotations, basic sciences, just getting into med school, studying for your MCAT or just starting your pre-med journey.

Be proud of where you are and what you've accomplished up to this point. Never focus on someone else's road. Be proud of you.

- Jen

Type A or B?

Hi Friends!

I'm writing this post because I've been having many conversations about this topic over the past few weeks and I honestly find it pretty interesting.

I'm sure you've all heard about Type A and Type B personalities - but what do they really mean?

I just typed them into google and this fun little quiz came up to see what personality type you are

What Personality Type are you?

As medical students I think we all have a part of Type A personality in us, some more than others, but what does that really mean?

Other than the obvious personality traits a Type A person is described as impatient, concerned about time management, anxious, rigidly organized, workaholics... the list goes on. What else does Type A mean?

There have been several studies published that show that people who have Type A Personality are more likely to have early CAD (coronary artery disease), high blood pressure and are at an increased risk of stroke. As someone who is trying to be in the medical field and who's job it is to advocate healthy choices and decisions, I believe it's pretty ironic that we could be the patients who have very preventable health issues.

Then what do we do to prevent this? I'm going to be honest I'm still trying to figure it out for myself because my personality heavily sits on the Type A side but I think it just all comes down to having an outlet.

Whether that means drawing, working out, dancing, singing, going in nature, playing with animals (favourite by far), reading, watching your favourite TV show - we need to integrate something into our schedule that can help relieve some of our stress.

For example, I'm gonna use myself here, my first round of studying at home I just studied day in and day out. No breaks. Nothing fun. No days off. And I noticed that my energy levels were SO LOW. It was so hard to get out of bed in the morning - so difficult to get motivated and tough to even learn new information. I decided something had to change so I started integrating in work out breaks, dance parties, study space changes and little did you know my productivity levels increased and even though I was waking up an hour earlier (some days even more) than I did before I had a heck of a lot more energy. I gave myself one day off a week and to my surprise even though I was working one less day a week (shame, shame, shame) the other six days I was working I was able to get so much more done and I was able to retain a lot more.

Figuring out a schedule that works for you can be a pain but once you figure out what works best for your body I promise your studying will feel totally different.

- Jen

Patience is a Virtue

Hey!

I've been working at my job for over a month now and I've been learning some pretty big lessons. A reoccurring one - almost on the daily - is patience.

If you know me you know I am not a patient person. I do not like waiting for people or waiting for things to happen. I want to know everything now and I want everything to happen when I want it to happen. But that has slowly been changing...

After having to help people who are all in a hurry to get through the walk in or don't have time for a physiotherapist or chiropractor who is running a little bit behind I've realized that all of that uses up WAY too much energy.

I've started to notice in myself that things I used to get hung up on I no longer stress about (and trust me, I am a huge overanalyzer). You may never know why something is the way it is but there is no reason to stress about that. It took me a good 22 years to figure that out but I am onwards and upwards on the train to stress free living!

- Jen

PS. if you have any ideas for any future blog posts PLEASE feel free to comment or send me a message on any forms of social media.

My Hardest Life Lessons Exposed

Friends!

I went into my social media group of friends (twitter) and I asked for an idea about a blog post topic. I was given the idea to write about 5 things that were standing in my way and how I overcame them.

So here we go...

1. People who didn't believe in me

• I've got a list - I'm not going to go through it because that would be a waste of my time. Before I was very concerned with what other people thought of me. I had to make a change (see struggle 3) and not worry myself with what people who don't even matter in my life think. 

This one people may think is odd but it's the truth

2. School

• It's tough - and while you're going through schooling it feels like it is never going to end. I found it's difficult to get through it until you've figured out how YOU study best and how YOU destress the best. It really took me until third year to figure that one out.

3. Personal demons

• I'm just going to come outright and say it - I dealt with a bout of depression in my first year of university. I won't get into the details in this post but during that time I learnt about how important a good support system is - especially when you're going through a tough time.

4. A boyfriend/girlfriend should never be your life

• I know it's easy (from past experience) to fully dive into a relationship. An important thing to remember is that you still need to be yourself - and take care of yourself. It's important to be invested in your relationship but not so much so that it takes away from your own life.

5.  It's okay to open up

• Although this one may be hard to understand I have always had issues with trusting people and opening up. I may be outgoing and I may love to talk (and never stop) but I've had to learn to let people in and confide in them when I'm going through a hard time (re: struggle 3).

There you have it - my toughest life lessons.

Hope you enjoyed this post.

- Jen

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

After reading that title I'm sure you're thinking how cliche that sounds.

As much as I hate to believe it too, it's so true.

I don't know about all of you but I've had to work pretty hard to get where I am today. School never came easy, jobs never came easy, nothing ever really came easy. It always took time and patience.

Within the last month I have finally achieved my dream of being accepted to medical school and have a dream (part time) job. Although I was very frustrated and kept thinking that my hard work never pays off I'm glad I pulled myself back together and allowed myself to wait.

If there is one thing I've learned in my approximately 22 years it's that positive vibes and good intentions always come back around. It may take a while but they will always come back to you. If you put good energy out good energy will come back.

And with that I am giving all of you some good energy!

- Jen xo

Day by Day

Hey everyone,

Again, I know it's been some time since my last post (my sincerest apologies) but I've been super busy with school, applications and life in general. I thought I'd take a minute to write a post about something I need to constantly remind my self of... and that's to just take life one day at a time.

I know how easy it is to get overwhelmed and stressed about everything you need to do. I'm pretty sure if you looked up overwhelmed my picture would be next to the definition. It's the same story every time... "Okay I need to do this assignment, then work on this group project, finish this lab, study for this test, do these readings, go grocery shopping (?) etc etc."

When I get into that crazy, wild, stressed out state I need to take a step back and pull myself together because nothing is going to get accomplished while I'm freaking out, about to pull out my own hair (and I love my hair). I have to tell myself to look at one thing at a time. Take baby steps. Laugh a little, I'm 21 years old! Breathe and just live life.

Yes, I have crazy school commitments because I have high aspirations but that doesn't mean I need to work myself into a hole at 21!

So for all you students out there who may also be having a mild freak out know that you aren't alone. You're young, enjoy it while you can! Soon enough you'll be married with children (if that's what you want) and working a real big person job. You'll have all these adult responsibilities and you won't be able to be a carefree (sort of) young adult.

I know you say the "I wish I was a kid again" line. Well when you're 40 and have a full time job you'll be saying "I wish I was 21 again".

So enjoy it while you can,

Jen