Will I be ready for my upcoming clinicals?

My LAST first mini is over... wow. Never again!!! After the exam, I just couldn't help to think that now it is downhill - the first mini is just about at the half-way point in the semester (odd I know) but next week is week 8 of 12. Then exams and done! The mini I think went well - I know I worked hard so I hope it pays off.

So as you all know, I am going home to Michigan for my 5th and hopefully the rest of my clinical education before I can finally receive my M.D. degree. Knowing my clinicals are coming up - it is quite nerveracking! I know it will be 2 years of pimping, along with some self-doubt, times of pride and also disappointment as well. We have learned so much in my near two years that it makes me wonder how much I have retained! I know I have retained alot. With my classes now, so much is being integrated together. For all those that don't believe - biochem DOES return haha. Of course, I'm sure alot of preceptors ask about such details but I would still like to be able to recall them. I'm just so excited to put all I have learned to use and be that person where the others on rounds say "She's the one that always seems to know the answer." I hope that is me.

A week or two ago there was a small private session for our Harvey (patient simulator for cardiorespiratory systems based on different anatomical abnormalities of the heart). After we got into it, I just looked around the room. It was two other girls, myself and three different professors. It was the three professors on one side and us three students on the other. It just hit me and stuck with me that they were passing down their knowledge to us just like one day we will do to others. Just felt like we were that "new generation" of medicine and gave me a bit of excitement.

Even after that I met a great professor who taught us our breast, pelvic and head/neck exams. Dr. K had such a huge knowledge base, could break everything down so easy a chimp could understand and made us feel like medicine was not some impossible task but gave an enjoyable and simplistic approach to it all. After we had him teach us for two hours, we all wanted to know his story - how he got to be a successful doctor that so many people I am sure adore. Another professor who also has been so helpful and wonderful teacher, has taught me on and off for my two years. She comes across as so confident, intelligent and like Dr. K - just a wonderful and personable individual! Who would have guessed it but both of them were gradutes of Ross graduate. I don't know why it surprised me. I know Ross is a great school but it just for some reason took me by surprise. It made me hope that someday people would want to know more about me and my story someday too. I know I will have alot of them to tell!

I am now mere months away from my rotational years and actually - less than that! We do them in 5th semester and even overnight on-call shifts too. So scary but exciting! Before I start I have to take the COMP exam. This exam is taken by all out-going 4th semesters which they must pass in order to register for the Step 1 exam. I will be home to study for this and I will be flying down for my exam (which I have to take in Miami) January 17th. Then it is back to Michigan to begin taking everything from my 1st and 2nd years and applying it to my patients (or my residents' patients that I have to do the scut on, haha). Will I be ready? I hope so. I hope I can be someone patients want to come see and students that actually look forward to my teachings. Until then, keeping the nose to the grindstone so I can get my butt out of the classroom and in the hospitals helping people - where I belong.