I had my first medical school exam this past Monday, 9/10/2012.  It will forever be a huge milestone in my journey into Medicine.  It’s really incredible how much I have learned over the past month.  The amount of material has been crazy in volume, and it only will increase and grow!  I studied my butt off, putting in 4-5 hours everyday and even more on the weekends.  I’ve already put in a couple of 12 hour sessions over the weekend leading up to the first exam.  The amount of hours I’ve put in would have put me through undergrad and my master’s two times over or more.  But the awesome thing is that I’m enjoying it.

It sounds crazy, but I absolutely love it.  Studying sucks at times, but I really feel so fortunate to be able to have that opportunity to complain about when I feel like it.  It’s silly, I know.  But having gone through the application process twice and having to take a big detour in my original life plans (although I’ve already realized that it was a welcome detour), it’s good to be back on track.  The stuff I’m learning is all so interesting and even though some lecture days are like being pelted in the face with bricks, it’s fun nonetheless.  

My favorite part so far has to be Anatomy Lab.  Aside from helping save me some time in studying by giving me a first-hand view of major structures in the human body, it’s just incredible to actually see all those parts in person.  I’ve held a human heart in my hands.  How many non-medical people can say that?  I now know a great deal more about the Thorax, about how the spine is put together, and why a doctor is always moving his stethoscope when he listens to your heartbeat from the back.  Each day I learn more and more about things I’ve seen before, but never full understood.  That is so gratifying and it keeps me going.  It gets slow sometimes, but it’s still awesome.

Aside from my classes, my classmates have all been incredible.  Although we happen to be a bunch of geniuses (90% test average, holla), we all know how to have fun and everyone gets along so well.  I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by some many intelligent and bright individuals.  It gives me more reason to push myself to excel, simply to try and keep up with my peers.  It’s an environment that I thrive in and I can already tell that I will love Med school even more for that reason.

First third of my first class is over and I’m working toward the 10/8 test date for my second exam.  An additional 12 lectures compared to the last exam along with things revving up in Intro to Clinical Medicine will make this second block much more difficult.  But I welcome the challenge and I look forward to what else med school has in store for me.