The Theory Part Is Over!
Today's exam was most gruelling indeed. Started at 8.30 am with MEQs which went on for 2 hours. I can't remember what MEQ stands for but basically there are 2 parts. U are given a scenario based on a patient and some clues here and there and u need to answer some questions after that. Then, u drop (yes, drop) the paper on the floor (which the invigilator, who is usually a specialist or consultant, will pick up and then give u another paper, which contains the answer to the first paper's questions and a further scenario. This will go on and on till about 4 or 5 "packages" are done after which u will have arrived (hopefully) at the correct answer). I am not sure if anyone understand what I am trying to say. The second paper is similiar, only a different patient with a different scenario.
There are pros and cons to this u see. Well, it's about the only time u will ever get a specialist or a consultant to "bow" to you as they bend down to pick up the "dropped" papers on the floor next to your desk. Another pro is that u will know the answers to the questions, only problem is u know it a little too late. We are not allowed to pick up the paper that has been dropped. So one can only look at it with a forlorn and wish the correct answer was written earlier. Therein lies the "con" of the whole game. If u don't get the answer right each time, the feeling gets sicker and sicker and u will feel a knot gradually tightening around your belly (or neck) as u go along the "packages" and realise just how many mistakes u have made and know that u can't undo them! I swear whoever set the questions were sadists.
After the MEQs, we quickly moved on to the Problem Solving Part where we are given a set of 4 questions and basically we go thru them and try to get the diagnosis right in one hour. Much like how the CSI solves all their cases in one hour, with the advertisements thrown in. Had a bit of difficulty there today and I couldn't figure out some of the answers. Well, to their credit, the CSIs don't crack all their cases in one hour sometimes, they need "part II".
And then after a 3 minute break (barely enough to run to the toilet to pee and clean) we were ushered into a big hall where there are 24 desks, each with a card placed on it. On the card would be a picture or an xray or a CT scan or an ECG or whatever. It's really like musical chair. The trick is to go from one desk to another and try to answer the questions based on what the cards show. Every desk is allocated 5 minutes. So it was more than 2 hours later before I came out, terribly tired, hungry, seeing stars and desperately seeking the toilet!
All in all, I would say it wasn't all that bad. I think I can pass what I went thru today. Tomorrow will be a whole new ball game. Tomorrow afternoon, I will face 4 examiners in a viva voce. They can ask me anything under the sun; medical stuff of course. Not questions like "What's Madonna's new song called?". Btw, what does "hung up" mean anyway? I sure can identify with the beginning of the song...."Time goes by ....so slowly..." especially when u are having an exam.
On Thursday I will have an hour in the morning with a real patient where I have to take a complete history and examine him/her and later spend half an hour with the examiners discussing about the patient. In the afternoon, I will have to see 4 patients in 40 minutes and examine the patients in front of the examiners, look calm and slick, not panic and answer in an intelligent manner. I've had bad experiences in this part in the previous exams that I took. In one of them, the examiner practically threw me out of the room and shouted at me "You DON"T KNOW ANYTHING!!!! GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!!!!" Oh the pain, the pain.
Now I just want to rest a while and start studying for the viva tomorrow. I wonder what they will ask....
Today's exam was most gruelling indeed. Started at 8.30 am with MEQs which went on for 2 hours. I can't remember what MEQ stands for but basically there are 2 parts. U are given a scenario based on a patient and some clues here and there and u need to answer some questions after that. Then, u drop (yes, drop) the paper on the floor (which the invigilator, who is usually a specialist or consultant, will pick up and then give u another paper, which contains the answer to the first paper's questions and a further scenario. This will go on and on till about 4 or 5 "packages" are done after which u will have arrived (hopefully) at the correct answer). I am not sure if anyone understand what I am trying to say. The second paper is similiar, only a different patient with a different scenario.
There are pros and cons to this u see. Well, it's about the only time u will ever get a specialist or a consultant to "bow" to you as they bend down to pick up the "dropped" papers on the floor next to your desk. Another pro is that u will know the answers to the questions, only problem is u know it a little too late. We are not allowed to pick up the paper that has been dropped. So one can only look at it with a forlorn and wish the correct answer was written earlier. Therein lies the "con" of the whole game. If u don't get the answer right each time, the feeling gets sicker and sicker and u will feel a knot gradually tightening around your belly (or neck) as u go along the "packages" and realise just how many mistakes u have made and know that u can't undo them! I swear whoever set the questions were sadists.
After the MEQs, we quickly moved on to the Problem Solving Part where we are given a set of 4 questions and basically we go thru them and try to get the diagnosis right in one hour. Much like how the CSI solves all their cases in one hour, with the advertisements thrown in. Had a bit of difficulty there today and I couldn't figure out some of the answers. Well, to their credit, the CSIs don't crack all their cases in one hour sometimes, they need "part II".
And then after a 3 minute break (barely enough to run to the toilet to pee and clean) we were ushered into a big hall where there are 24 desks, each with a card placed on it. On the card would be a picture or an xray or a CT scan or an ECG or whatever. It's really like musical chair. The trick is to go from one desk to another and try to answer the questions based on what the cards show. Every desk is allocated 5 minutes. So it was more than 2 hours later before I came out, terribly tired, hungry, seeing stars and desperately seeking the toilet!
All in all, I would say it wasn't all that bad. I think I can pass what I went thru today. Tomorrow will be a whole new ball game. Tomorrow afternoon, I will face 4 examiners in a viva voce. They can ask me anything under the sun; medical stuff of course. Not questions like "What's Madonna's new song called?". Btw, what does "hung up" mean anyway? I sure can identify with the beginning of the song...."Time goes by ....so slowly..." especially when u are having an exam.
On Thursday I will have an hour in the morning with a real patient where I have to take a complete history and examine him/her and later spend half an hour with the examiners discussing about the patient. In the afternoon, I will have to see 4 patients in 40 minutes and examine the patients in front of the examiners, look calm and slick, not panic and answer in an intelligent manner. I've had bad experiences in this part in the previous exams that I took. In one of them, the examiner practically threw me out of the room and shouted at me "You DON"T KNOW ANYTHING!!!! GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!!!!" Oh the pain, the pain.
Now I just want to rest a while and start studying for the viva tomorrow. I wonder what they will ask....
posted by Jimbo @ 11/23/2005 08:07:00 AM
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