I am so stressed!

[DOtobe]

I am in the process of studying for my first test as a medical student and I am taking a short (about five-minute) break to visit SDN. I need some advice from you guys - how did you handle your first exam in med school? I am so stressed out right now it is horrible. I feel like I haven't even studied anything and the test is MONDAY! Any advice on how to handle first time test stress would be greatly appreciated...
Wish me and my fellow LECOM Class of 2005 SDNers good luck!

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[DaNugget79]

Relax, you'll be fine. You know the stuff. Just look over IPAQ. If you know the objectives for all the lectures, you're money. Relax. Deep breaths. You'll be ok. Studying last 12 hours = short sentences. Don't know why. Sorry. See you Monday...but I guess I'd have to meet you first though. Good luck.

Nugget

 

[NurseyK]

She sits next to me....

Kat

GL on Monday!

 

[bustinbooty]

KCOM MS1
We had 4 hours of lecture Thursday, our first day. Quiz Friday, covering pretty much everything I learned in Cell Bio in Undergrad. Here is my little epiphany:
Remember, med school is a marathon, not a sprint. Get in endurance mode, not panic mode.
Best Of Luck!! Hang in there!! Remember what you are doing this all for!! Keep sight of the big picture.

 

[DOtobe]

I have (slightly) calmed down...we'll see tomorrow though. Good luck everyone!

(And Nugget, I think we met before at the Big Brothers/Sisters picnic. I think you sat at my table.)

 

[muonwhiz]

Go get 'em DOtobe! AZCOM starts classes this next Monday, so tests can't be far behind. I'll be right there with you psychologically! Let us know how it goes with you!

 

[Diane L. Evans]

On August 18 1999 I was sitting in my first week of medical school drawing along with Dr. Grebe the first 8 weeks of embryology, red for endoderm yellow for mesoderm and blue for ectoderm then there was orange for cardiac... It was mind boggling. I remember the frustration and waded through the first 6 weeks in a fog.

I then realized that studying in a group was very effective and promted me to relax and comprehend the material. Find some people to study with and use your schools tutoring/conseling system. Review books can give you the "BIG PICTURE", a favorite is First AID for the USMLE Step 1. While it is tempting to LEARN every detail you need to focus on the big points. Read the lecturers notes 2 pages at a time then stop ask yourself what you read and then take out a blank piece of paper and write down a skeleton of the key facts (no peeking) then review the 2 pages with your skeleton and in a different color add in the details you missed. This system is the PQRST Preview Question Read Study Test method. It works well for those trying to digest large amounts of material.

John Pelley wrote an awesome book called Sucess for Types for Medical Students it uses personality typing to gear you to a correct study method. Order on line: www.dce.ttu.edu/el/pubs
or order from your bookstore
ISBN#0-9665049-0-9
As he says "learning in medical school is like tring to drink out of a fire hydrant"
Hope this helps
Diane

 

[M00se]

Take comfort in the fact (and it is a fact)that everyone around you is just as stressed. Whether it be about the same subject, or their girlfriends, or their parents, or thier roommate. Medschool is hard on us all. And not just because of the subject material. It is such a unique experience that it is almost impossible for you to explain it to anyone who has not been through it. But the truth is that there are people all around you going through it too. And so many more that came before you that felt just as overwhelmed as you.
Yet so few drop out. Those that do rarely do so for academic reasons. You did not get here through a clerical error in your favor! You belong here, and you will make it. You will be stressed, but do not feel alone. It is as natural as the grass to be stressed in medical school. Learn to trust in yourself( and study like hell)

 

[DOtobe]

Well, the test went well for me. Thanks for all the advice and support!