Exams exams exams!!!

The time table for next month's final exam has been out for some time already. A glance at it shows nothing special about the exam. The exam starts on the 11th of May till the 22nd when the results is announced.

Here's the timetable:
May 11 9.00 -11.00am MEQ 1
2.15 -4.15pm MEQ 2
May 12 8.30 - 11.00am OSCE
May 13/14/15 8.00-4.00pm Clinical
May 18 9.00 -12.00pm MCQ 1
2,15 -5,15pm MCQ 2

Well, looks simple enough doesn't it? People who are in the dark about our condition might say, "Well, give me a month's time to prepare, and I'll get a distinction!" But if you try and ask any of my course mates, they will tell you that even a month is barely enough. Seriously!

When I first stepped into the medical school, I was thinking, "It shouldn't be too hard. As long as I keep my head down and work hard, it should be a smooth sailing." And then came the shock! The lectures came thick and fast. Time management was a problem as there well simply too much to study. When the end of the first year came, it was time for the final exam. A fail would've doomed me to a repeat of the first year's study. I had PLAYED hard for the whole year instead of STUDYING hard and judgement day was fast approaching. I had some help and somehow managed to scrap through with a B.

A)The workload then (1st year)
The notes have a height of approximately 50cm when stacked up!

Looking back at it, it was so much more easier to pass the exams in secondary school. I mean, sure, there was quite a lot to read to prepare for exam, but it was nothing comparing to medical studies. Now, I'm facing my 2nd finals. Unlike for most other courses, where their subjects change each semester(which means that some of the things they can just forget about it), medical studies includes everything you done before this. This means that for this year's final, I'll have to recall everything I've learn since my first year here! Ouch!

B) Newly introduced material for 2nd and 3rd year.
Another stack of notes with a height of 50cm.So A+B =notes to revise.

Exams really makes a mess of one's life. To prepare for an exam, I've made a mess of my room with books and notes all around. The table which was empty had suddenly become occupied with papers , books and the writing equipments. Even the bed is full of my books. Sometimes, I even sleep with the books!

My table before and during exams...
















And here's my bed...

With the end of semester exam coming up next week just three weeks before the final exam, I just hope that everything will be well and in order. Studying medic is really a painful experience in some way... :P Good luck to all my course mates out there and others who are taking their exams soon. Ganbatte and 加油 !