keen eyes will have already noticed the new SCHOOL link at the top of the page. i read quite a few med student blogs and one two (yes, i know how to count!) of the things i am curious about (that no one seems to write about) are grades and books.
i’m assuming some people write about grades — if even in a vague manner — but unless i happen to be reading on that particular day, i miss the post and it usually slides off the front page quite quickly. i am curious about grades because it’s nice to know that someone else found a particular class/exam/prof challenging. while i’m not necessarily interested in putting my academic achievements (and failures!) on a pedestal for critique, i’m here to share the ups and downs of my experiences. plus, if i can make someone else feel better about totally bombing a particular exam, then that’s good too!
the variety of books for each class is astonishing and can be overwhelming. i compared the MUA recommended list with the UBC recommended list and found surprisingly little overlap. the books i have chosen are based on my personal experience with textbooks in my undergrad career and recommendations of friends in or through med school. i figure this sort of information might be helpful for those thinking of med school or just generally curious.
also on that page are links to the MUA website, campus site, student government association, and public forum. again, just for general interest or anyone looking for a little more information.
plus, i am hoping the broad outline of where i’m at will help some people follow along for the next ~20 months. gosh, i can’t wait to get started!
PS: today’s picture was drawn by an old boyfriend. it’s his visualization of me writing the MCAT in 2005. : ))
tee hee ~ is that you at the back with the cutie hair :)
oh my gosh ~ just reading this makes me realize that you are just about to leave to start your wonderful adventure ~ excitement :) i miss school!!
Is your school on a pass/fail/honours basis or do you get number grades? My school is P/F/H so the marks don’t really mean much unless you get an F! Also, we only have one exam with three parts per semester at the end of the semester (multiple choice, short answer and practical) and two OSCEs per year (one per semester) so we don’t actually get any marks during the year. In terms of text books, I usually wait until we start the course to know if the doc actually teaches FROM the text, in which case I buy it, or if they just teach and you fill in the blanks from the text of your choice. If it’s the later, I usually try out a few books in the library before deciding to buy one. Sometimes I don’t buy one at all if I find I’m ok with my class notes. I feel like I’ll have the money to buy books when I’m in practice and I don’t really need to cart a load of textbooks around with me for the next 4 years of med school/residency.
Best of luck with your transition into first year medicine! I’m sure it’s going to be a great adventure.
good tips on the textbooks!
unfortunately, since i have to ship most of my books in, i don’t have the luxury of waiting until class starts. i would be so behind!
thanks again for the thoughts. and daisies – i’m so excited! : ))
Kendra (Island Med Student) did a book review not too long ago. It’ll be in her archives, I’m sure.
I’d also be happy to share my ‘professor thoughts’ on the textbooks that most medical students use … just email me if you wish.
Oh, and I’m so excited for you! :)