Midterm

We had our first exam last week. Most people (including me) were stressed about it because there was a lot of material, and we weren't sure what to expect. In any case, it turned out fine. I thought it was a very fair test, somewhat harder than undergrad tests. There was a three-hour multiple choice section, with the distribution of questions reflecting the amount of time spent studying those topics. We also had some short answer questions, one of which was on adrenergic receptors. In the afternoon, we had an anatomy practical exam. Luckily, they had a practice practical the week before to familiarize us with the protocol. They have a large circle of cadavers, each with two flags marking organs, anatomical structures, vessels, or nerves. We have 45 seconds for each flag, and each minute and a half, we switch from station to station, frantically trying to locate and identify the marked structures. It's quite an experience. Sometimes, the body is covered such that it's not easy to tell whether it's the front side or back side of the patient, or the right half or the left half. It's definitely a medical school experience. You learn to compartmentalize things, use landmarks, and recognize structures that look different in different people. As a whole, I learned a lot, felt the test was fair, and did okay on everything.