Med School Diaries: I am alive, I survived block 3!

I can’t believe that Block 3 is over and done with (until revision in five weeks). I am beyond grateful that it is over and feel very fortunate to survive it! The week has shown me how strong I am mentally since I have recovered from my burnout. I am totally prepared to get block 4 up and running and really get to grips with the anatomy and physiology. 

Its been a weird week, plenty of library nights which means I often have little to write about. I’m in the middle of a mass clear out… selling clothes I don’t wear on Ebay and trying desperately to curb my addiction to pretty note pads. I am using up all my spare change and trying not to buy any new food since I am going home this weekend. 

I have numerous pieces of coursework due in the next week or so. One is a reflection based on our recent visits to patients in the community. The second is a case report on a hospitalised patient. It is essentially an anonymised clerking in of a patient, similar to what is done on admission to hospital. It’s a great way to get practise in how to do it for placement next year, however the lack of information on the subject is borderline stressful and really not helping me understand it. Though it is something I will have to figure out on my own.

I also have my MOSCE coming up, having missed it due to illness in December. To say I am nervous is an understatement. Though I am not worried out the content, I am pretty certain I can do it to a passable standard; I will be surrounded by fourth years taking their actual OSCE’s… which is a stressful though in itself. 

This week coming up is a new block. I am determined to prove to myself that I can achieve good results in anatomy and physiology. That I will be okay in the exam. This block is about bones and muscles of the limbs; hopefully this chunkier anatomy will be easier to retain than the minuscule complexity of block 3. I am also going home this weekend! Definitely excited about that, I am looking forward to a few days of piece and quiet-ish… or a little less Medical School for a few days.