Chan Weng Kit's Blogspot: Molecular Medicine

Sunday, 3 December 2017

DAY 458/459/460

Dec 2, 3 & 4

1) So the day has finally come for our JC3 end-of-semester exams. Looking back, it doesn't feel like four months have passed since we started our second year. But now it is time for us to put our knowledge to good use, as we brave through the roughly two-week long exams. While there are admittedly fewer modules this semester (compared to JC2), a couple of them are actually 2-in-1 combos, and in the case of our OSCEs, the content increased dramatically.

2) Nothing of interest has been going on the past couple of days, except for loads of revision in the library. The library staff were kind to offer us some sweet treats to destress, as well as Post-it Notes to write words of encouragement to each other. In addition, they had a stock supply of earplugs for us to use! But nothing beats the RCSI Gym Team, which offered us a new class called "Recharge", where students come along, get a blanket, and have a nap! While that may be very appealing to some, I personally prefer dozing off on the desk where I do my revision. I'm just that lazy to go all the way downstairs... XD

3) Our first exam (tomorrow) is the Data Paper, which combines our ICP (Intro to Clinical Practice) skills from the previous semesters. Lots of slides to go through, and lots of uncertainty on what sort of questions to expect. Next up is OSCEs, followed by our Molecular Medicine module, Anatomy Practicals, Neuroscience module, and finally EBH (Evidence Based Health)/ PHE (Public Health and Epidemiology) module. It is not going to be an easy two weeks ahead, but at least I can look forward to a nice, long holiday afterwards. That has been the summary of the past couple of days, and thank you for visiting. Have a nice week ahead, cheers!

RCSI Expo Stage

Thick cut chips for a buck?

Yes, please :)

Post-it notes!

Wednesday, 15 November 2017

DAY 441/442

Nov 15 & 16

1) Here I am, staring at a blank screen, wondering what to talk about my daily life. These days, in particular, have become a lot less exciting due to the upcoming end-of-semester exams. Less than a month from now, we would actually have finished our exams, and I will be looking forward to spending my second Christmas away from home.

2) As I mentioned previously, we had Quiz 2 the very next day after I returned from UK. Suffice to say, I did not do much revision and ultimately, my results were subpar. I have three weeks to fix that, hopefully. But before all that, I had time to attend the RCSI Journal Club's Event - welcoming Prof. Arnold Hill (Chair of Surgery), in presenting two of his research papers. It was fascinating how one of the papers, "S100B as a serum marker in endocrine resistant breast cancer", was the culmination of the past 15 years! I can only imagine all the ups and downs that the research team had to go through to get to this stage. A truly remarkable feat, I might add.

3) Today was Oman's 47th National Day! Many of my Omani friends had set up the Expo Stage at the New Academic Building, complete with photo booth and traditional snacks. There were two large posters detailing all the wonderful tourist destinations and points of interest. We took many photos at the booth, and I even got the chance to write a congratulatory note on the board. It was fun learning a bit more about the cultures and traditions in another country.

4) This evening, we had our Small Group Tutorial. Separated into three groups, each group had to tackle a question regarding the "Molecular Medicine" module. We were asked about Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's Disease. After some deliberation, we managed to get something written on the canvas provided. Finally, I had to go up and present for my group. It wasn't easy trying to remember lectures which were given at the very beginning of the semester, but at least we did a decent job.

5) The rest of my day has been a repetitive cycle of studying a little, getting distracted, and then just pacing about. I need to get my head back in the game, so to speak. And on that note, I'll end my blog here. Thanks for reading, and have a good day. Cheers!