DAY 407/408

Oct 12 & 13

1) Today was our first Card Signing of the semester! Quick recap: card signing is like a viva/oral exam, where an examiner asks each student content on anatomy. Bones, prosections, X-rays, CT scans, the cadavers themselves – anything can be tested, depending on which surgeon prosector you get.

2) Anatomy practical classes last 1.5 hours; our time slot for today was 11.30-1.00pm. I remained in the anatomy room after that, right until our card signing at 2.00pm. It may seem a tad extreme, but I was joined by many students who were eager to run through their anatomical knowledge one more time, just before the test.

3) For our card signing, we got a new examiner (someone who hadn’t taught our group before). She reassured us that everything would be fine, and told us not to panic. And so it began! Eight or nine lectures on the anatomy of the head and neck, each lecture densely packed with info – all condensed into a Q and A session lasting less than 3 minutes.

4) And the best part? Card Signing is worth only 1.25% each! The difference between an A and a B is less than half a percent! So why bother so much? It all comes down to two things: a) the herd mentality, and b) preemptive/ prophylactic planning. When everyone is studying so hard (both in the library and in the anatomy room), it is difficult to lax about and as a consequence, our peers constantly keep us on our toes.

5) What do I mean by prophylactic planning? At the end of the semester, there is a full anatomy practical exam, worth around 12.5%. This is the real reason we go through all the lectures so fervently – to prep for this practical, as well as all the MCQs and SNQs which test the limits of our knowledge. It is not an easy task, but thankfully, with a lot of peer collaboration, as well as student assisted learning (by our seniors), things are not as bleak as they seem.

6) In the end, I did reasonably well for my oral. All the hard work had paid off. And what do we have immediately after card signing? You guessed it - more lessons. Until 5.00pm, to be exact. There just isn't a break, is there? XD Jokes aside, I've spent the remainder of the day finishing up various tasks, and didn't touch any of our lectures tomorrow. That has been my day, and I hope you enjoyed reading about it. Have a good one, and see you next time. Cheers!

With Panchanit "Ice" Horsaengchai - just before anatomy lessons today

Nothing like a full Irish breakfast to get ye olde noggin' runnin' XD

As if one skeleton wasn't enough...

My illegible notes

DAY 176

Feb 24

1) So today has been a really awesome day for me! For starters, we got through our first Card Signing, which is the culmination of a week's hard work. Our surgeon prosector today was Dr. Jane Holland, who frequently gives us lectures on anatomy as well. I was extremely lucky to get an A- for it. Granted in terms of marks, literally nothing separates an A from a B, but as my friend Gavin so tactfully put it; an A- is still an A.

2) There were two more lectures after Card Signing, but the elation of having finished our test meant that I wasn't paying much attention to the lecturer. Nevertheless, it was still a great lecture by Prof. J. Docherty, and he's one of the very few (if only) professors who can elicit a round of applause from the audience after each of his lectures. Fun fact: if you're Malaysian and were present during his lecture today, you'll feel a sense of pride knowing that the inventor of propranolol and cimetidine, Nobel Prize winner Sir James Whyte Black was once senior lecturer at none other than University of Malaya! But then things were a lot different than it is now...

3) Anyway, I went to the library after lessons ended, stopping by Dunnes to pick up some groceries. For dinner, Khee Heng and I went out together to Boojum; my first in a very long time and made all the more special since it marks the beginning of our Reading Week! That's right - no lessons till the following Monday, although we have Principal Seminars right after that XD. Seems that there won't be an end to my hectic schedule, although I'm getting used to it.

4) The rest of my night was spent completing some unfinished projects, as well as completing my daily use of the Headspace App. So far I've been using it for three days and there's not much to comment on, although I'm remaining positive that there will be noticeable improvements after some time. And on that note, I think I'll end my blog update for today. But I haven't explained why I called today awesome at the beginning of the article. Sure, the results as well as the holidays are great, but the real reason why today has been awesome for me?

It's my dad's birthday. Happy birthday dad!! From your son all the way across the Atlantic YAMD

Morning toast

Sampling my recently cooked batch of pasta :)

Today we celebrated Kuwait's National Day at RCSI ^^

(their 27th Year of Independence)

An assortment of local delicacies from Kuwait

I never got round to ask what sort of game this is...

Anyone willing to help me out? :D

Cakes in the color of the national flag of Kuwait

Stalls were set up just in front of the O'Flanagan Lecture Theatre, on the main Concourse

Boojum tasted so good after a long time <3<3<3

DAY 78

Nov 18

1) Today was a mentally draining day. Woke up for breakfast, before preparing the last of my notes for the day's Card Signing. During the first lecture, I noticed a splinter in my left hand. Luckily, after a few futile attempts of my own to remove it, my friend Stephanie offered to help and with her longer nails, managed to remove it. It felt so good haha... Attended lectures from 9.00am till noon, before heading over to Dicey's for lunch.

2) Today I tried the sirloin steak, and it was really really good! Nothing like a hearty meal before an important exam. Came back to RCSI, where there were some students from Oman who had a booth set up to celebrate their 46th National Day today! They offered everyone traditional snacks (called halwa), sweet dates, and their very own version of coffee. They even dressed me up in the traditional turban, and presented me with a lovely souvenir in the form of a badge of Oman. What a lovely group of friends!

3) Soon after that, it was time for Card Signing, so I entered the Anatomy Room. Our surgeon prosector was Mr. B. E. Lane, the first prosector we met in the Anatomy Room. My turn came soon enough, and he held nothing back, going so far as to ask me anatomy from the previous card signing. I tried my best, and in the end managed to get a B. I think it was a fair reflection of my performance, and I'll try harder next time...

4) We had two lectures after that, but my mind was already gone long before that. It was all I could do to stay awake, as the clock ticked away minute by painful minute... And then it was over, for now. I still have a Histology exam on Monday, which is worth 10 marks. I will be preparing for that soon, but right now, I need a break from all that cramming haha. Anyways, the rest of today is pretty much the same as before, so I'll just leave it as that. That's all folks, thanks for reading. Cheers!

The splinter after just after being removed

(the reddish area directly below my ring finger)

Dicey's Menu for today

Sirloin steak with pepper sauce

46th National Day for Oman!!

Me posing with a turban :D

Cake! ^^

Oman friends

Sweet dates and halwa <3

My dinner today :p

(Forgot to thaw the frozen meat today)

DAY 33

Oct 4

1) Today I woke up extra early, so I could have breakfast before going to class. As usual, lectures starting at 8 a.m. are annoying, but at least tomorrow it starts at 10 a.m. We have anatomy practical sessions every Tuesday and Friday, which is very frequent compared to other universities. In fact, some schools have decided to do away with cadavers and use plastinated models or slides to teach anatomy. I can't comment on that, but I personally think that the intrinsic skills that we acquire by using a real cadaver - who generously donated their bodies that we medical students may research upon, are more than enough reason to continue with this method.

2) Our surgeon prosector today was Paul J Farrell, BSc, MB, MCh (NUI), FRCS, FRCSI, FRACS. He was extremely kind and jovial in manner, and even related to us stories of his children who ended up smoking, despite him as a doctor trying his best to prevent them from doing so. Anyway, anatomy was on the thorax, with some revision involved, since my group's first card-signing is due next Friday. Time to get prepared then haha.

3) Lunch was at AK. Henry's as usual, before another two lectures to end the day at 4 p.m. By the end of the day, most of us were mentally drained, and some even dozed off during lectures! I did my best to keep awake, and luckily I had finished studying the modules the night before. Went back home after lessons, made a quick dinner, and signed up for the Run in the Dark, a 5km or 10km race for charity (research for a cure for spinal cord disease). I chose the 10km option. Hopefully I will be fully prepared for my first run in Ireland. That's all for tonight, and thanks very much for reading. Have a great night!

The sandwiches at AK. Henry's are really really good...

But they can't lay a finger on MY cooking haha

My registration for the Run in the Dark

Event starts 16th Nov 2016 (8.00 p.m.)

DAY 26

Sept 27

1) Today can be summed in one word: exhausting! Woke up at 7 a.m. (still don't know how I do it), before having a light breakfast and hurriedly watching the dissection video for anatomy practical today. Attended lectures beginning at 9 a.m. Immediately after the first lecture was dissection time (our second anatomy practical so far). Our surgeon prosector was Mr. Daniel Kelly, MCh, FRCSI. He lectured us on the inner workings of the thoracic cavity and neurovascular bundle. It was a lot to take in, as the information was almost overwhelming. But I will find a way to remember all this (I hope...)

2) After anatomy class, my mind was in a whirl and I couldn't think anymore, so we went for lunch as  usual. Tried the jacket potato today. It was really filling since it consisted of a WHOLE potato! At least I felt completely full afterward. Next, three consecutive lectures were to occupy our remaining time slot for today. Suffice to say, I was happy when the last lecturer finished her lecture.

3) Walked back home to Leeson Street Lower, where I immediately cooked rice. Today is my first time trying out the basmati rice I bought at Asia Market. It is a long, slender-grained aromatic rice which, in my opinion, tastes better than the rice I have been consuming all this while. I also discovered I can prepare, cook, eat and wash up a meal in less than an hour, every single time. So I need not worry about cooking being too time consuming.

4) Finished dinner and wanted to have an orange, but the last remaining orange I had seems quite unusual. The skin is at least doubly thicker than any orange I've had, and there's hardly any juice left. I decided not to have it, for fear of an upset tummy. Instead, I had a small praline for dessert. Satisfied, I returned to my room, had an hour's nap, and here I am typing this out. It has been a long day, and I need to revise some things the lecturer told us today. Cheers!

The ice hockey match in Belfast this Saturday!

Baked potato with rice and sauce on the side, €3.95

The usual suspect (Basmati rice, minced meat bolognese 

and mixed vegetables)