Trial OSCE

I had a trial-OSCE a couple of weekends ago. Three students were taking their final OSCEs, and three students were having their trial run.

I hate to admit this but I did not prepare. I was in complete denial about what I was going in to. I figured it was a trial run so learning from mistakes is ok. I relied entirely on my paramedic background.

My paramedic background served me well. There were one station in particular where I felt uncomfortable (it involved a CT image), and one I completely lost the plot due to a reason I know but won't go into now. That particular mistake won't happen again. I think I might try and do a separate post about it.

So, anyway, it was actually good. I saw that I can so accomplish this with effort. There are things I need to do to get nowhere I want to be but it is very achievable. It was probably the best outcome I could have gotten from the experience.

I have being avoiding med school and pretending I'm not a med student since returning to work. I was so tired of the stress of it all, and with moving house and a new baby and returning to work, and no placements to go to, and with OUM pausing the clinical exams until the new year: I had little to motivate me to care to study in my free time. The little that I have.

Anyway, I'm trying to get back on the horse. At work I go the extra mile to learn about the cases we attend but not much else is happening. I hope to start some IM placements locally soon but I wonder how many timesI can harass my contact for a spot.

Fingers crossed for the new year.

Raising my IQ experiment

Ok so here's something that may come off as, I dunno, strange or silly or egomaniacal. But I'm going to blog about it anyway.

I want to see if I can raise my IQ.

I believe I'm in the low 140's, and at least in the high 130's. I'm in Mensa so that's minimum of 132. Maybe I just scraped through, who knows. I've only ever done the online tests.

I joined Mensa before starting med school and having a baby, where I think my IQ went up a bit just from using my brain a bit more than normal. I just did an online test that claims to be within 4% accurate, under heavy influence of sauv blanc, and still scored a 139. I think I'm better when sober and well rested. Dehydration alone reportable decreases IQ by 10%.

So, anyway, I'm conducting an experiment to see if I can raise it and get into my goal of the Triple Nine Society.

TNS requires an IQ in the top 0.1% of the population, whites approximately 145. I think I can do this.

I need to sit a proctored exam to gain evidence of my IQ. They are generally expensive, however I have quickly Googled and there is something called an ACT and I think its for College admissions and is only $40. There is one nearby in April 2016.

What I really need is A GOAL. I am lacking something to strive for. I have med school, sure, but I need something new. My proposed regime for increasing IQ will surely benefit my studies.

I have one hard rule: no nootropics except caffeine. No messing with my brain chemistry and relying on stimulants. I even want to quit caffeine. When I was really clean with my diet I experienced heightened mental clarity and I want it again.

At the very least I want to know my IQ, my best possible effort, and hopefully it is enough to get into one of the Top !% societies. Mensa is the biggest, oldest, and most well-known high IQ societies but somehow I feel like Top 2% is setting the bar bit low. There is The High IQ Society whites easier to join online and is the Top 5%. I am with them as well. I joined them before Mensa as I was more confident.

I'm aiming for high 140's.

Here's my rough wine-induced plan:

• no alcohol
• eat clean
• train mean
• early nights
• meditation
• dual N-back training
• common IQ test question familiarisation
• more research this subject

No wine will be hard. I've become to rely on it due to having a toddler.

Wish me luck.