Kevin’s Blog

February 20, 2013

So you are interested in coming to Wright State for medical school? Either that or you are one of my family members reading this blog for proof that I am actually doing something productive. Whichever the case may be, let me start by saying that I have never blogged before so I am not really sure where to go from here. I might ramble on about things unrelated to school. Some things you might find funny, others you may not. Regardless, I will try my best to give you a mental image of what life has been like for my classmates and I since starting medical school (with the hopes of not scaring you away). If you have any questions about anything (medical school, life, why we drive on parkways and park on driveways) feel free to email me at bree.2@wright.edu.

Medical school started with Human Development. A two week course devoted to…human development. The exam for this class will be the only time you have to write an essay. Nothing too serious so don’t freak out if you are not an English major. I assure you most of my classmates are not (although some are). Go to class and you will be fine. Next comes anatomy.

During Human Structure you can expect to spend late nights in the cadaver lab with your classmates trying to find the inferior mesenteric artery or learning the brachial plexus. There will come a point (usually after about 3 hours in the lab) when everything that is said becomes “humerus.” See what I did there? That is when it’s time to go home for the night.

Your next class is MBM or the Molecular Basis of Medicine. You are going to have several professors for this class but the notes are a great supplement for the lectures. If you want to shadow, take guitar lessons, learn to cook, or build a rocket ship, do it during MBM. You will have more free time during MBM than in any other course as a first year.

When the New Year comes you will start CaTOS, which is referred to as Cells, Tissues, and Organ Systems NOT Cells and Tissues, Organ Systems. I guess CTaOS didn’t have the same ring to it. You will put in a lot of time during this course but I feel like it is the most rewarding course we have taken so far. You are going to be amazed at how much you will learn in this class. I mean how cool is it to be able to look at a tissue section under a microscope and recite approximately 20 facts about said tissue?

When I decided to come to Wright State one of the main reasons was because of the atmosphere. All the other schools I had interviewed at seemed so competitive. Wright State was the complete opposite. Your classmates and the faculty definitely care about your success. If you aren’t getting something then anyone will help you out. If you just want someone to cry with after a week of non-stop studying I’m sure someone would oblige you as well.

That’s all I have for now. Once again feel free to email me and I will try to come up with a witty (but serious) response to your question.

March 20, 2013

So a lot has happened since I last wrote a blog over a month ago. I’ve gone to tons of club meetings (who doesn’t enjoy free food?), completed CaTOS, and even learned first-hand why it is important to warm a stethoscope before placing it on a patient’s chest or abdomen. As I sit here on spring break (yes, you get a spring break in medical school) watching college basketball, I find it is a good time to reflect and share my thoughts with you. Apologies in advance if there are any grammatical errors but I have not used my brain since my CaTOS final 5 days ago.

One piece of advice I would give to anyone entering medical school is to make time for yourself to continue to do the things you love to do. If you are someone who doesn’t normally study non-stop all day do not change that just because you are in medical school. Don’t get me wrong. You will probably have to study much more in medical school than you did during undergrad but that does not mean you cannot have a life. If you see your classmates studying all day at school it might be a little intimidating. I know it was for me. What you need to remember, though, is that everyone learns differently. For me, that means studying but never missing an episode of the Walking Dead or Dexter on Sunday evenings.

You may also think that you are alone and the only one who has fears about the upcoming exam over 1400 pages of notes. I assure you that EVERYONE feels that way. If you are accepted to Wright State you will have the opportunity to take a class called Healer’s Art. The class meets in small groups once a week for six weeks. You will talk to your classmates about some very deep stuff. I used to think everyone else was so confident with their studies before I took this class. However, I learned I was not alone and made some friends in the process.

The final piece of advice I have for you is to go to as many club meetings as you can. You do not have to be president of seven organizations, have three research projects going on, and work a part-time job while in medical school. That is not the point I am trying to make. What I am saying is that you should go to these meetings to open up your eyes to new fields you may not have had an interest in before (or to change your mind about the ones you WERE interested in). There are organizations for every specialty and attending is also a great way to meet faculty. If that is not enough incentive for you, these meetings usually occur around dinnertime and have free food such as Chipotle and pizza.

I know my blog can be comical at times (at least I hope) but these points of advice should be taken seriously. You are going to feel like you are going insane sometimes. However, all of these things should help you maintain your sanity when you just want to give up looking at the difference between simple columnar ciliated versus simple columnar non-ciliated epithelium at two in the morning.

May 5, 2013

There Is More to Medical School Than Studying

I apologize in advance for such a short entry but a lot has happened since I last updated my blog. I could go on and on about the happenings at Wright State but I will give you a couple of examples. While sitting here reminiscing I am reminded that right now I am four weeks away from being done with my first year in medical school. Where did the time go? Sure, a lot of it was spent studying but there were so many more things that went on this year.

The Boonshoft School of Medicine Talent Show took place a few weeks ago. It was such a fun event and I recommend going next year if you are an incoming student. You can check out all the acts and more here: http://bit.ly/10Lwr1R. 

The intramural softball team that I participated in wrapped up its season. Intramurals are such a fun way to relieve the daily stress of studying. If you are interested in flag football, soccer, basketball, softball, or even water polo I recommend you come to Wright State! Be warned though, my class is quite athletic so you will probably end up getting second place to us in any sport you try to participate in.

The research symposium hosted over 50 posters of students in our medical school who are doing research! Topics ranged from academic medicine to basic science research. Prizes were awarded for the top posters in each category. This was a great way to meet faculty as well since many of them served as judges for the event. There are a ton of research opportunities here at Wright State. If you are interested in research you will easily be able to find someone to work with or you can even start your own project!

These are just a few of the many stress-relieving activities that have happened since I last posted. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me or any of the other bloggers. At the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine there is more to medical school than studying!