Well, it's been awhile since I have been on SDN. For the record, spring semester of 2nd year is hella busy.
Second year was very trying. For the most part I got the hang of the studying thing and academically I was okay, not at the top of the class, more mid pack, but Gfliptastic said it best, "Live on in the mean of the bell curve and enjoy it!" Most of the stress was from school policies. Briefly, at the start of second year, my school started a new policy where everyone below a certain GPA was put in special "group." If you are in this group you are considered at high risk for failing. It is basically a permanent problem student label until you graduate - the school has stated clearly that you can never be removed from this group. Being in this group has several ramifications - differences in your choices of rotation assignments and required monthly meetings with an advisor until graduation. I was also held back this month. While the rest of my class started rotations I was mandated to stay and study for boards an extra month with the rest of this special group and give up my OMS-3 vacation month. Apparently, I have to come back to campus next year to study for Step 2 for a month, also. Anyway, I will live through this, I try to keep telling myself it isn't a big deal, but I am furious about this "label."
All of you know about my struggles last year. I did fail two classes in first semester of first year but I remediated both successfully on the first attempts. The PBL curriculum at my school means that all the science is lumped together in one 27-30 credit course each semester so if you get a C it really damages your GPA. In first year I had a 78% in PBL each semester - Cs but nowhere near failing. I think I had one other C but everything else in first year was an A or a B. First year wasn't great but it isn't as if I kept failing.
This year, I am proud to say that my transcript has nothing on it but As and Bs for the entire year. But yet, I will retain this problem student label until I graduate. Though I shouldn't care what others think, it's a small school and it's pretty clear to everyone who is in this "special group." I try not to think about it, because it makes me so angry after how hard I have worked.
I keep telling myself it is just for 22 more months.
I try very hard not to speak ill of my medical school because they were the only school that accepted me after many, many other schools turned me away. Sometimes, though, the school admin here makes it so they are very hard to like.
In five days I take COMLEX Step 1. I am confident I will pass but I am not happy with my practice scores - I think I will likely end up with a below national average score which makes me sad.
I worked hard and did two question banks with 4,500+ questions. I am registered for USMLE but I am delaying that for now. I want to see my COMLEX score and I need more time to study biochem. For those of you that may not know, I am a DO student so I have to take the COMLEX board exams. I can opt to take the MD exams, which are the USMLE exams. Doing so can allow more flexibility in applying to MD residencies, some of which may not accept COMLEX, but it isn't strictly necessary.
Well, that's it, for now. I hope to do a better job of staying connected on SDN as I start third year rotations on July 1st!
Wish me luck!
