Killing 17 birds with one stone - my current study plan

Here's my current plan of attack:

• study all day at work. Also, catch up on rest, sleep, meal prepping, and laundry and work. Also, clean car at work. Also clean boyfriend's car at work. 
• do placements when not at work. Try not to look like you've had no days off. 
• tell placements that placement is your priority. Tell work that work is your priority. Family is actually your priority.
• make sure to go through all the points you jot down in your mini-notebook while on placement in case you get asked the same question again. Looking dumb once is forgivable; looking dumb twice for the same topic is embarrassing.
• cross-reference the topics you need to study for IM exam with AMC MCQ prep material, Tally and O'Connor, and OUM set readings. 
• try not to cry.

I'm making my own hand-written notes and if I'm successful, I'll upload them somewhere.

Week 6

Well I'm in my final case-based week for Renal. Whew. It's actually been ok for me this term so I feel a lot more encouraged. I can't say I'm getting the bast grades in the world but I at least feel it is possible for me to pass with a grade >75%. For me, I think that is acceptable.

I'm also feeling well financially which is such a huge component of studying somewhere like OUM. I thnnk I have what it takes to finish off my pre-clinical module back-to-back and be done with them by June 2014, and then take a few months to prepare for the Step 1. Excitement!

We've been really busy at work this week so I haven't been able to do as much as I want. I woldn't be so worried except for the fact I am planning one being away for the weekend for a taekwon-do tournament so I doubt I'll be able to catch up then. But it's only Wednesday now.

Ok I hae to go learn everything about renal calculi (nephrolithiasis).

Last day of acids/bases (Week 5)

Today is my last day to study for the quiz tonight. It's acids and bases week. I'm at a point where I understand everything to a basical level, no problems, but those tricky questions that require a deeper level of undertanding are probably gonna get me.

I've added a couple new links of the Resources Page for which there should be a visible tab up the top right now (I change the blog layout occasionally to keep things fresh).

That's it. Back to cramming with:

• First Aid for the Basic Sciences Organ Systems
• The Renal System At A Glance
• First Aid for the USMLE Step 1
• Lecture notes
• Lecture recordings
• Skimming readings
• Looking at the clinical vignettes from the case study
• Kaplan vids

St John Ambulance induction.

I'm nearing the end of Week 4 with some last minute study at work today and my quiz tonight while I'm on-call (so I hope I don't get disturbed).

This week went ok but I felt I lost too much time somehow. Firstly, on Tuesday at work I think I spent too much time talking to my work colleague, after-all, it was my first shift back in 8 weeks. Wednesday it took my just about all day to go and do the grocery shopping (not sure how), plus I had a sleep-in to make up for lost sleep Monday night.

And yesterday I spent all day at the St John Ambulance Induction Training so I can do placements with them as a student doctor. Idid study on the train on the way there but too tired on the way back plus I was sitting facing backwards which make me motion sick! How I function as a paramedic I do not know.

I already spent a day with SJA doing my Level 1 First Aid, which I think is ridiculous considering I'm a qualified ALS paramedic, but anyway. We did CPR and defib again (just the automatic defib device) and made sure we could make our slings look good lol

Well it should all be worth it as I am doing my first duty at the Rhianna concert in a few weeks, and then I can start putting my name down for the MAT team duties (Medical Assessment Team) which consists of only health care professionals (doctors, nurses, and paramedics) and health care students and looks after things beyond the first aid scope.

Personally, I love doing a bit of first aid because we rarely do minor stuff in ambulance and I get perplexed when someone asks me what to do about a simple sprain, for example.

Anyway, I have to go finish my learnings on fluids and electrolytes. I think I'm spending too much time on acids and bases which is next week but somehow popped up on this week's learning objectives too.

Week 4, here I come

I have a renewed sense of optimism and energy starting Week 4 today.

I really began it yesterday afternoon (Monday) after my quiz to try and get some reading of the case done before the first lecture at 8am on Tuesdays.

I had a big headache and felt tired so I went back to bed for a few hours this afternoon. I have been slack with my diet and eating bread again and drinking a bit of coffee and I really must stop that before I return to work on Thursday.

I sat down tonight with my little exercise journal. I have two weeks until a taekwon-do competition in Mildura, and then only two weeks after that is the Australian Masters Games in Geelong. I went to tkd training last night and I have lost a serious amount of fitness over the past 3 or so weeks. It's scary! I am very motivated to go to training as much as possible, therefore I must study a good 10 hours during the day. Training takes up a huge chunk of time as it's such a long drive to our club and we go to the gym for an hour beforehand to work on cardio, strength, and stretching. The 1.5 hour classes are technique-focused.

Anyway, it's all fluids and electrolytes this week so there is heaps of physiology to understand. I like physiol, but this week is truly daunting.

This is what I'm doing right now:

• This week's learning objectives (this week they came with the answers. Not sure if it was a mistake? Normally it's just a question format, ie "What are the fluid compartments of the body?")
• This week's case. It's MASSIVE. There's about 4 actual clinical vignettes and 25 pages of information attached with it.
• Revision of lecture and slides. I just can't pay attention for 1.5 hours straight so I am trying to go over them again. I have a second lecture on Thursday morning. I feel the quiz questions are covered well in the lectures in this module.
• Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology - the appropriate chapters in the renal section on fluid and electrolytes and also diuretics
• Dr Najeeb lectures on fluids and diuretics. 
• Then, I have 3 required readings to do
• USMLEWorld QBank renal physiology questions
• cross-referencing in First Aid and Kaplan revision sources that I have

Thank you Jesus, Thank you Buddha, Thank you Old Gods

Phew. I just got 80% on my quiz.

I really, REALLY needed a confidence boost and a good score like that was just what I required.

Massive PHEW.

I forgot to write last week that I realised I had TWO lectures per week, not just one. I missed the second one for the first two weeks, but luckily they've changed the policy so you can watch the recordings if you miss them. I have no idea how I didn't realise it before week 3. I was really kicking myself, I felt so down on myself: "Oh you can't even figure out when your lectures are, let alone pass the course".

So far, I've gotten over 80% in all my modules except Neuro (due to illness), so I shouldn't really be so hard on myself. I have written about this before, but I will say it again, med school can be really hard for a lot of students becuase they come from a previous background of everything being easy for them. I know for me, even if I didn't study much in other courses, I could still 'wing' and exam and still do quite well. This is NOT the case for med school at all. It is one of the reasons why I wanted to do med, to really push myself and do something that did require me to put in a little effort. It can be uncomfortable at times, and I question my abilities ALL the time. I don't know why. I should be more confident. I heard that being confident can boost your IQ by 10%!

I'm also really really glad to have gotten a good score this week because now I can stop telling myself:

1. You only did well in the Week 1 quiz because the first week is always the easiest
2. You only did well in the Week 1 quiz becasue you can do ok for short periods, but do not have the stamina for a long course
3. Even if you didn't have technical issues in the Week 2 quiz, you still would have failed it any way
4. The academic coordinator thinks your a liar and you made up the technical problems with the quiz and when you fail the 3rd one as well this will prove it to him

Gee it sounds like I'm really negative. I'm actually a really positive person. My old cranky GP who didn't think I could make it in med school was right about one thing: it really does require a lot of strength.

Dichotomy of knowledge

I've been using USMLEWorld QBank as an additional resource to help me prepare for my weekly quizzes, and I found http://usmle-score-correlation.blogspot.com.au website to see what my QBank score would mean on the USMLEs.

It goes like this: The stuff I'm good at, from being a paramedic, ie cardiovascular/respiratory anatomy/physiology/pathology etc, I do really well in. Enough to get into what I want to get into. The stuff I don't have a background in, ie renal, isn't even good enough to pass. I haven't dared looked at my biochem scores for a long while.

Right now, what I'm not good in is outweighing what I am - too much.

I have a lot of work to do.

I'm gonna go read the renal sections of some of the books I have on my shelf now I've completed the allocated readings. It's a Sunday afternoon and I haven't left the house for days. I take no more than an hour off a day plus meal breaks.

Oh, and PS: my academic advisor doesn't count doing the readings as "study". Apparently I'm to read 100-200 pages per week, do all the lectures and meetings, and THEN do 40 hours of extra study on top. This could be where I've been going wrong. I've been doing 40 hours total, you know, a mere 7 hours, 6 days per week.

Back at work

Well I've just had 4.5 weeks off work and have return a few days early to do an overtime shift at a far away branch!

I just got home from Tasmania last night at midnight and got woken by a phone call from rosters this morning offering me an OT shift. I said yes as I am performing (and therefore being paid for) higher duties for this month. I really need to get some cash for med school.

While driving into work I was thinking to myself how I'm really happy to be gong back to work and how much I really enjoy my job. It kinda made me question again why I'd want to change careers with the good money I'm on and all the perks such as the 5-on/5-off rostrer and 10 weeks annual leave, but then again, I need to study something to keep my sanity. Tending to the herb garden just isn't stimulating enough for 40 hours a week.

I didn't realy take any photos in Tassie this time. I just chilled and slept a lot, eat food from Mum's vege garden, and just ate more food. Luckily, when you're a vegan you don't really put on any weight. Phew.

Being vegan is easy...

...but being raw is harder.

I find being raw vegan, especially on the 80/10/10 is quite easy. I barely get any cravings, but occasionaly I do crave cooked "comfort" food such as bread etc. I rarely crave animal products any more, and if I do, say cheese, I simply think of what it actually is (ie solidified animal secretions) and that turns me off straight away.

I have a day back at work to do and an assignment over due for International Health, so I guess I know what I'm doing today.

Productive day(s)

Well, I just want to tell the whole world how my Chinese Medicine Foundations exam got graded incorrectly and I found myself and extra 20 points on my exam, just by taking the time to go and review it!

It's a pain in the bum at some unis, and some don't allow you to at all which was a major gripe of mine with OUM changing their exams, to review your exam. Well, excuse me for wanting to know what questions I got wrong just in case I ever have a patient with the same complaints but here I am not knowing what I know and what I don't know.

My CM school is quite small, so this week they allow students to drop into the office and have a look at their exams. This is great because you can take notes of where you need to revise so for the rest of the course and career you know what you're doing.

Anyway, I've felt like the biggest dumbass for the past 3 weeks, thinking I only got 51% on my exam! Turns out, I got 71%.Geez. So my final grade for the subject jumped from 64 to 77 or something like that. That's a Credit to a Distinction. I ended up with D's across the board, thank you very much.

Today - just now - I finally submitted my assignment for Herbal Medicine. I quite enjoy this subject on Skin and right now I want to be a dermatologist (if anyone's been following this blog for the past 2  years I've gone from emergency physician, to general practitioner, to paediatrician, to emergency paediatrician, to integrative medicine, and now to dermatology.)

I also saw an advertised job for an alternative health dermatology specialist with a salary range of $80-100k. This is where I'm aiming to hit with a cruisey 9-5 M-F job, not an insane any time of the day or night all weekends and public holidays in any weather job. Of course, if and when I ever become a registered doc I should clear that no worries, but it's good to know my other options in the world of alternative health.  I feel like I need about that much to comfortably pay off my mortgage, to maybe get an investment property (for my retirement), and to take one overseas trip a year (not an expensive one though), and to do be cringing at the thought of bills being higher than expected or stressing because the price of petrol rose 10c. Yes, I am still striving towards a self-sufficient and sustainable life-style.

In 1.5 hours I return back to work. Well, actually I'll probably go in half an hour earlier to get myself organised. I start on-call tonight. Eek. It's difficult coming back. I have to admit, I'm starting to get over the adrenalin rush of paramedics and look forward to the day I am chillin in my clinic. But, I need to go back to work to study - sounds funny. Since having my stressful episode at the beginning of the year, I have been conscientiously practicing only studying at work, and never after work at home and rarely on my days off. This is much healthier and I do a lot of study at work as I know that is my only time to do it. So, I need to go back and get back into it and I'm really looking forward to that aspect of returning to work actually.

Well that's all as I have to go get ready. 

Coconut oil for hair and skin (and general update)

I bought some raw organic coconut oil from the organic grocers the other day. It's the stuff which is solid at room temperature. I bought it to ?cook with ...even though I'm trying for 100% raw...anyway, I bought it and I used it in my hair as an overnight treatment (well, originally I thought I rinsed it out but it needed shampooing out the next day) and it worked amazing - better than any other salon treatment I've ever used, and I used to be a hairdresser. I tried massaging some into my scalp and it seems to have helped my dandruff for sure.

As I was in the bath, some got onto my skin through it rinsing in the bath water and my skin looks amazing too, so I thought I'd put some just on the dry patches on my face, and they looked and felt amazing too. So I thought I'd put it all over my face and neck last night and I woke up with beautiful skin. So this morning I "washed" my face in the coconut oil and I am loving it. I never have nice skin.

I'm also currently using beetroot as a blush (the fresh stuff, not canned) and I love that too. The mixed blackberry and spirulina powder works good as an eyeliner and ok as a mascara. I got these tips from Megan Elizabeth.

Perhaps my skin is looking so good because I'm at the end of my fives weeks off work, I went to Bali in the sun and surf, or that I've been eating 100% high carb raw vegan for a week (minus one big mishap yesterday afternoon which I'm leaving in the past). Probably all of these combined I'd say.

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I've bargained with myself that if I get >1500 words of my assignment written today I'm allowed to go shopping for an outfit to wear this weekend for the BF's birthday. I'm trying to reward myself as bargain for eating well as I can usually study no probs, but on annual leave from work I'm finding it painful to be at the home desk instead of...anything else!

I wouldn't normally buy a brand new outfit for an occasion, especially not form a high street retail store, but the BF requested it so instead of arguing my case I've decided to "let go" of being right and instead by loving.

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Med school update: I've requested a deferral from OUM so I can figure out what I'm doing. I'm still waiting on a letter of recommendation to finally submit my application to IUHS. It's unfortunately all come down to finances. I'm so glad that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel re my finances so it will be a matter of re-grouping and going again. I'm really super-keen, but I can't do what I can't do and I still haven't won the lottery....

I've now purchased the Dr Najeeb videos as they are currently on sale, so I will be doing those at work daily when I go back next week.

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Fitness it on the back-burner right now but I'm hoping it will make a come back soon as the weather improves along with my heath.

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Container house: we have our first one on our land now! Yay! It needs some work but I'm hoping to start semi-living in it shortly when I'm at the BF's farm.

That is all and I better go finish this assignment.

Back to reality

I'm back in my routine, although I still have about another two weeks before I return to work. I am, however, back at uni x3 (Chinese Med, Herbal Med, and International Health). I have a total of four subjects this semester. My to-do list is rather lengthy.

I want to go raw vegan again, so I started my morning with banana with coconut and cinnamon and a rose hip and hibiscus tea. I can't wait to buy a Vitamix blender, an Excaliber dehydrator, and a good juicer. Then I should be set. For now I'll have to make do with my crappy juicer, my cheap blender, and no dehydrator. It's a zucchini and tomato with fresh basil and pine nuts salad today, maybe some lemon juice and shredded coconut too and perhaps some spices....mmmm I'm so hungry.

I'd like to buy more organic. Right now after returning from holidays, my funds are a little low, and the nearest organic grocer is 40km away. There are some organic veges in the supermarket near CM school (I thought there were more but I was duped by the plastic "wicker"-style baskets they normally put the organic stuff in which was all in one place but only a few of the baskets had organic veges in them). Anyway, here is a link to the Clean 15 which are the fifteen fruit and veges you don't have to buy organic as they usually contain very low levels of pesticides. This is an American list, but I'd like to think that the foods that don't require pesticides it's fairly universal. Well, the list is a start anyway. There is the partner list, the Dirty Dozen, which lists the worst food i.e. the ones you should only buy organic.

Ok off to make my salad......

Countdown to Bali

I've had a few days off work and I am so in holiday mood. I've signed up for the online theory for the PADI scuba diving Open Water course but I so can't be bothered! That's not like me at all! I might do a bit here at the tv on my iPad. So, basically, I'm trying to just rest and get organized before going overseas.

Studies

I've started studying a Master Health Science (Herbal Medicine). It's basically Western Herbal Medicine, i.e. herbal medicine but not Chinese herbal medicine or Ayurvedic herbal medicine etc.

Because I began mid-year, I've started with the research subject and an elective. The unit does trimesters (great concept) abut only does the first two per year (strange). So, anyway, I'm off and running in Herbal Medicine.

I am claiming a credit for the research subject and that leaves me with the elective only this year. I chose a dermatological one which is quite interesting and I figured it might be good for my medical studies as the pre-clinical units skim over dermatology yet it is one of the most common complaints of patients presenting to their primary health care practitioner. I also believe the skin reflects whats happening internally. So far, I'm three weeks ahead already (after one week of term) and I've begun my first assignment (not due for 4 more weeks but I hope to have most of it down before Bali).

The Master of International Health begins in two weeks time (along with Chinese Medicine). I'm only doing one subject, mainly to keep things ticking-over, but also because it's a research subject which can be difficult, slightly boring, but also this subject is very similar to ones in both the Herbal Medicine and Chinese Medicine courses (so I can get credits). There's about another 3 research subjects remaining in my International Health course including a project. The subject I'm doing next semester I was enrolling in but withdrew last year, so I still have the notes for it so I've begun studying for that already and I've currently 2 weeks ahead.

And, Chinese Medicine. I downloaded the Manual of Acupuncture by Deadman (what a name) from iTunes. It was only $39 and the hard copy text book is $135, so I will try and get away with just the app for now and borrowing the hardcopy from the school's library. It has tutorial videos embedded in it too. It is so exciting getting into acupuncture. I was also doing some additional reading about Substance P and how they think acupuncture works. I have begun reading some of the basic introductory stuff in Deadman about Cun measurements and angle of needle insertion. There is SO much in that book it's slightly overwhelming. No wonder most courses do either acupuncture of herbal medicine but not both. I'm only doing two subjects next semester as I gained credits for the others.

Western medicine - I will be doing self-directed study of Dr Najeeb's lectures. My goal is to work my way through and makes notes of all of them. I haven't found anything else that meets my requirements which is I seriously need to refresh my basic sciences, and I need to do it at a foundations level and not just a revision level. I intend to do these before going back to Western med school. I'm hoping this course, and getting a bit more on-top of my finances, will alleviate a lot of the stress I found going to med school. So far, I've begun with the free lectures on his website and if I get through them I'll start the full course which is about $400 for two years access.

Well, that's my update on my studies. I'm technically only doing 4 subjects right now, so with my ability to practically study full-time at work, this shouldn't be too difficult.

Subjects this half of 2012:

1. Acupucnture 1 (CM)
2. Chinese Medicine Diagnosis (CM)
3. Current Issues in Skin Biology (HM)
4. Research and Evaluation Methods in International Health (IH)

Additional:

1. Dr Najeeb lectures (WM)

What to do between study periods

So I'm in between study periods of my Chinese Medicine and International Health courses, and I am likely deferring med school until the new year. Today is my first day of annual leave from work. I go to Bali in a week, so what to do until then?

Apart from obviously catching up with sleep and friends, I real like to get organised between study periods. This really helps alleviate stress - both now and when I go back to study.

Today, I've began organising my study room. I'm going through the cupboard which is the most packed cupboard in my house (besides the pantry). I houses my stamp collection, my craft projects currently 'in progress", recycled bubbles wrap and wrapping paper for who-knows-when, two sets of Chess pieces, the uniforms I never wear and some other clothes I hardly ever wear and don't want them in my wardrobe (formal dresses and the like), pictures and certificates that need framing or are in a broken frame, and some other random stuff I didn't even know was in there!

Also, I've cleaned my Mac screen, keyboard and mouse so they look good-as-new. Walls are getting a wash and then eventually I'm hoping to slightly re-arrange the furniture. I hope the change will be stimulating and I've since obtained a second desk for the BF so he can study when he's at mine. At the moment, the desk configuration could be more optimal.

That's about it.

I've also marked in my diary the due dates and term dates for what I know now (I have all the term dates but now all the assignment dates).

Ready to roll again in two weeks time!

Professional student

I'm a professional student, I've decided. It's official.

Today - paged to one patient. Job took about an hour. Rest of day - studying. I do love it. Is it possible to be addicted to studying? I guess that's what professional students are. I always considered them people who liked living off Austudy. Not me - I NEED the full-time wage.

Today I will get about 10 hours study done if it's an average day. That's the equivalent of a week's worth for one unit and that'll be the MIH subject today (research) and the MHSc (adv dermatology) one tomorrow, or more likely both spread out over the weekend with a dash of MD revision (neurology) and CM pre-reading (acupuncture), oh and paramedic revision too.

Currently enrolled in the following courses of study simultaneously:

• Doctor of Medicine - full time alternating terms
• Bachelor of Health Science (Chinese Medicine) - part time - two subjects only this semester thanks to credits
• Master of International Health - part time on-line - on subject only this semester (due to bored with this course so trying to slowly finish it)
• Master of Health Science (Herbal Medicine) - part time on-line - one subject only this semester thanks to credit

Mad?

I love it.

Except my back hurts from sitting. Think I need a fit-ball to sit on.

My future is in my hands

Despite the title, this isn't an update on which med school I've chosen to go with.

I had my palms read by a girl at TCM school. Turns out my suspicions were confirmed and there are a number of people with extraordinary talents in my class.

So apparently my palm(s) says something like - my career has completely changed from what I began out as (a hairdresser to paramedic/med student - confirmed), the person I am with now or just started seeing I will be with for life. I will have one or two children and possibly one is adopted. I will have a solid career in my current path but much later in life I will change course again but I will still use everything I have learnt from my current course.

Also, I will make changes to my health in the future which will provide me good health for the rest of my life.

I can deal with that.

another person in my class is a little bit psychic and I wanted to know about my Spirit Guide(s) and she said I had heaps and they were all good. I asked about the child one I felt I sensed once and she said it's an old soul and from a past life I lost a child. She then said in regards to West vs East that her spirit guides said I was to "swim in it". lol Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning in it. But, yes, full immersion is a good way to describe my relationship with health care and study.

Under pressure

Wow - what a weekend. Been at the BFs again. Got spoiled by him a lot. We also picked up a baby miniature donkey to foster for a while on his farm. So cute.

I'm back on the 12wbt bandwagon. I'm glad to say that missing last week didn't have any majorly negative effects.

This week - I'm at work all week until Sunday night. I will be: working out in the back room, cooking up a storm, studying for next weeks exams, and preparing my house after work for my parents who are coming to stay next week.

Today, I made a nice berry smoothie for myself and my housemate for breaky and a nice Thai pumpkin soup for myself and my workmate for lunch.

Oooh - exciting news. My blood pressure is down to 115 (systolic) now! Yay! Hibiscus tea must be working. I had a massive weekend (alcohol+++) and am feeling under pressure with these exams and my parents coming to stay, and I was nervous to have my BP read again, and I haven't been taking the three cups of hibiscus tea per day like they did in the study, but still I'm so glad to be "normal" again.

Meh

So, today I'm back at work. So far I've revised my revision from yesterday and I will be continuing to look at my CM Literacy stuff and Foundations stuff.

I also have to cook my 12wbt food and so a workout, although my motivation for this is low despite me reading my "Commitment" that I wrote to myself in the pre-season.

I'm also trying to sort out my application to IUHS that I've sort of put on the back-burner for a bit but now I need to get stuck into it.

I'm also dealing with buyers remorse after a stupid internet impulse purchase last night, but oh well. I'll have to suck it up.

PS I have a new label "med school". Before I was just using "study" but now I need the new label to differentiate between TCM school, the Masters, Western med school, and all the other things I'm doing.

Aura

I got my aura photographed and read at the Mind Body and Spirit festival on the weekend. I was amazed at how accurately it represented me right now. For anyone that knows me or has been reading this blog, how much does this sound like me; *Large yellow "thinking/intelligence" aura over head meaning I think a lot *Orange aura to my right meaning I'm currently ambitious and highly driven *Purple aura to my left meaning a more spiritual side of me is coming in *Yellow aura over my heart indicating a good heart So, yeh, the lady reading it said something like "Are you in (internal) conflict right now?" She could tell my mind was grappling with the two sides of me - the scientific and the spiritual. When I explained how I'm studying western med and Chinese med and natural medicines she said the aura describes me trying to come to terms with them. Her sage wisdom was that I would eventually be able to find a way to make sense of the scientific and sporitual and have them coexist in my mind and that I'd be able to apply my combined knowledge in my own unique way. Excellent! So now I feel reassured that my path is, although slightly unconventional, at times hypocritical or conflicting, and perhaps hectic from the outside observer, is my path. So excited. Ok back to revision for my TCM foundations exam. I have two TCM books in front of me, a biochem text and a molecular bio text too for when I need to mix things up in my own special brew.