Learning is a Gift

Another block down! It's only been 2 blocks (about 2 months), but it feels like it's been 2 years! So...much...information! Sometimes I wonder how it's possible to keep going and to keep learning all of this material, but I just have to take it one day at a time. So after being quite disappointed with my block 1 results, I changed things up a bit and adjusted my study habits, and I did really well on the block 2 exams! I was so relieved that all of my hard work finally paid off. I wouldn't say that I studied harder, because I studied pretty hard during block 1, but I studied smarter. I paid attention to details, and focused my studies on the professors' testing patterns. I outlined each lecture in a way that I could understand, and tried to pull out the important details. One thing I learned from block 1 is that details are important! But I think what helped me most was the help of my wonderful wife! She spent hours with me on multiple occasions (especially the weekend before the big tests) quizzing me and helping me learn the material. I wouldn't have done nearly as well without her help!

I also should mention that a lot of prayer went into this block. I couldn't have done it without the help of my Heavenly Father. I prayed hard to be able to perform well on my exams and to remember what I studied. I wasn't visited by any angels during my test telling me the answers, but I did have a feeling of love and peace knowing that I wasn't alone. I  know that I have a Heavenly Father who cares about what I am doing and wants me to be successful.

On a lighter note, maybe another part of my success in block 2 was a little bit of good luck from my "Block Beard" haha! Since I spent so much time studying, I didn't take the time to shave, so I had a pretty good beard going into the block exams (good for me at least since I never grow it out!).

And just for fun here's a pic of my general study setup:

I used to study on campus, but the AC there is freezing, and the library smells like a musty locker room, so I started studying at home. Maybe that was another reason for my block 2 success! It was a lot more relaxing to study at home on the couch than in the library. Plus if I ever needed a snack or a study break, it was a lot easier to do at home and much more convenient. I can't have food in the library, but I have a fridge here at home. I can't make noise in the library, but I can play with my baby girl or talk with my wife and make all the noise I want during my study breaks at home! This strategy might not work for everyone, but it works for me!

And even though block exams are very challenging (harder than my finals in undergrad), I look forward to them; especially because finishing blocks means GOING TO THE BEACH! 

I'm very grateful that I don't have to deal with winter or cold during medical school (Although I do wear a jacket every day during class because the AC gets so cold! But outside it's beautiful weather!)

And speaking of being grateful, after blocks were over I saw this inspirational Mormon Message video by Elder Russel M. Nelson of the Quorum of 12 Apostles. It's all about how incredible our bodies are. In med school I am starting to appreciate this more and more every day. Elder Nelson was a former heart surgeon so he knows what he's talking about! I realized that everything he talked about in the short video we've discussed in blocks 1 and 2 (just in a lot more detail haha)! Here it is, it's quite inspirational:

Speaking of inspirational videos, check this one out too from ESPN. We just learned about the microbiology behind this rare genetic disorder known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. It is well worth your time:

http://espn.go.com/espn/e60/news/story?id=5781989

Well, back to the books (aka power points, pdf's, and online textbooks haha - we live in an electronic world!). Block 3 has already begun! There are no breaks in med school! Even though it's really tough, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn all that I am learning. There are many who would do anything just to be able to attend medical school. In fact, I've found myself a few times thinking, "I'm really excited to go home and study!" What I'm learning truly is a gift.