Experiences of a West Indian Medical Student

This year presented an interesting paradox in which time seemed to fly by yet stand still in moments where it felt like we'd never arrive at this point. The race wasn't for the swift but for those who endured with fortitude and perseverance. I will admit it was without a doubt the most mentally taxing year which required a holistic perspective at all times. After all it is easy to have tunnel vision but because you have so many components simultaneously you cannot afford to dedicate all your attention to one thing at a time or you'll definitely be unprepared for many upcoming course assessments, quizzes, clerkships and PBLs. And let's not forget OSCE or OSPE!  Adaptability is the name of the game. It can be confirmed that our entire experience for Year 3 was done online with the exception of two in person Skills practice sessions, one each semester. The practice sessions were really just that --practice. In my experience you had to be quite familiar with the list of sk...

  Spoiler Alert: It wasn’t a bad semester, one of my most consistent concerning keeping up during the semester and getting those coursework marks where I wanted. If only the final exams were the same…  This semester required more from me in terms of managing my workload and ongoing research project, honoring leadership commitments, and forging new friendships. Each pruned my ability to prioritize, sacrifice and sharpen my vision on what’s important.  One of the most important concepts I have gained a greater appreciation for after this semester is Opportunity Cost . According to Investopedia, Opportunity cost is the forgone benefit that would have been derived by an option not chosen. This pretty much means, by doing one thing and spending time on this commitment, endeavor, and/or responsibility you automatically deny yourself the ability, time, and/or benefit of doing something else. Now can you see how prioritization, sacrifice and knowing what’s important was tested a...

  The only typical thing about this semester is that it started in early September and finished in late December, usual Mo. This semester started as a breath of fresh air and served as a much-needed revival of my passion for medicine.  During the two month break after Yr1 Sem 2, I jumped at an opportunity to become more financially literate. The need to develop those skills as early as possible can only be an asset to a young person, therefore, I try to cultivate that knowledge whenever I have free time on my hands (which in med gets lesser and lesser as time goes by). Any investment in yourself pays more dividends than you can ever imagine at that moment and may be as simple as reading a book. To be quite frank as much as I see the importance of doing these things and being intentional about it, it still requires tons of discipline and self-motivation because it’s not my passion. Medicine is where my heart is and I couldn’t wait for this break to be over. This momentum follo...

The truth is COVID-19 did not solve my problems, it simply put a pin in them and came with its array of mess that I needed to  address. School was no longer a building but an application, and the most challenging part was no longer getting to class but being in class; present and focused. The second semester came in phases and so did this pandemic but the consistent  underlying rhythm was the persistent uncertainty on what happens next… The transition to online classes took a week on the part of the administration to put things in place. Once the ball was rolling many questions were still unanswered and seemed to be floating in mid-air as we tried to make sense of what we were doing and how we were going forward. But as I said there was a persistent uncertainty which arguably was unavoidable; it was  unprecedented circumstances.  PBL (problem-based learning) was interesting, to say the least, if you’re familiar with the process you would u...

We all should’ve seen this one coming, the culmination of my first semester’s experience.  Interestingly enough I have been putting off writing this article.    I guess it was because I was so relieved to be over with the whirlwind of exams. So you may be wondering why am I writing now. Let me clear the air while I’m ahead, it’s not because I’m ready to make a New Year’s resolution or start reminiscing of all my accomplishments this year.  Strangely enough it’s because of a movie I just watched, Patch Adams, which reminded me of why I even want to become a doctor. I was able to relate to Patch and everything he stood for. I don’t want to be a spoiler but Patch found himself so passionate, enthusiastic and ready to impact the life of each patient in a system where his peers were notably more focused on grades and his superiors saw each patient as a disease rather than a person. Oddly enough, though the movie was created in 1999 and based on a true story, the sa...