Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Why I Chose Medicine

 
~Happy Tuesday~

With the first exam out the way and the semester off to a great start I wanted to share with you all how I ended up at this point in my life! Why medicine?

All throughout middle school and high school I wanted to be a teacher like my mother. I took courses in middle school geared towards elementary school teaching. In high school I fell in love with history and senior year set my major as History with the goal of becoming a history teacher.

During my teenage years I suffered from acne. My mother took me to the Dermatologist my senior year of high school. Her name is Dr. Yvonne Knight and I was instantly drawn to her practice. She was the first African American physician I had ever encountered and I admired the professionalism yet grace and poise she carried herself with. As the months passed I would ask her various questions about medicine and by the time prom rolled around my face was flawless! Little did I know that these visits would impact my life greatly.

Before starting my undergraduate studies I prayed about my career path. I still vividly remember that summer day. I rushed downstairs to tell my parents that I wanted to be a physician; that's what God had placed on my heart. During undergrad I saw peers shy away from medicine and switch their major to something other than biology but something within told me to keep going. I had to repeat organic chemistry and struggled with biochemistry but something told me to keep going. I took the MCAT once....and then twice....and then a third time but something within told me to keep going. I've sat down with more admission officers and attended more medical school visitation days than I can recall  but something within told me to keep going. I realize now that something within was the Lord directing me to my appointed purpose in life. I was so happy the day He opened the door up and allowed me to begin my medical education at Ross University. Although it has not been a cake walk He has not failed me yet. Despite what statistical data says I'm here in my 2nd year of medical school and I know it's only by the grace of God.

That something within resonates with me daily now and I'm glad that despite setback after setback God was working everything together for his glory even when I didn't realize it. Through it all I have to thank my parents. They have seen me struggle, my tears, my determination and not ONCE did they ever talk down or try to change my mind about my dream. What they did do and still continue to do is pray with me and offer their full support. I would not have made it this far without them. They've taught me how important it is to always keep the Lord first in whatever I do.

I said alllllll that to say: Listen to the voice of God. Trust the plan and purpose He has for your life. If you feel passionate about something to the point where you can't stop thinking about it, go after it. If you've failed repeatedly and feel that all hope is lost know that with God you can do all things. I was discouraged when I didn't get straight into medical school after grad school. I continued working full-time at CVS pharmacy for a year. Little did I know that this opportunity would prove to be one of the Biggest blessings! Medical school pharmacology is that much easier....especially after filling over 600 perscriptions per day for two years!

Peace and Blessings to all....Keep Going!!!!




Dr. Knight

Tired but smiling! Don't worry be happy cuz every little thing.... <3


 What my life looks like pretty much everyday after lecture.....my cubical, lol :)

When I need an energy/mood booster= Chocolate!


Saturday, September 12, 2015

Books I Used to Tackle My First Year of Medical School

During your first year of medical school it is easy to spend hundreds on books that you may never glance at. Early on you will quickly find other students that have all the books on PDF and will gladly share them with you. However, if you are like me (old school, lol) you learn best with an actual textbook that you can carry around and highlight in....it's something about physically turning the pages!

Below is a comprehensive list of what I purchased for my studies. Clicking on the book will take you to where I ordered it with reviews.

Anatomy
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582558566?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
I would definitely recommend purchasing this book. It's great for practical exam preparation. I could not make it into the lab tutor sessions every evening and this book provides photos that are neatly labelled.
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604067454?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00
I found this book to be helpful. At Ross we learn the entire anatomy in one semester so it goes by FAST! This went more in depth than the PowerPoint notes and I was able to connect the dots with this text.
 
 
Cardiovascular and Respiratory
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451187955?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00
This book is amazing! It literally condensed everything my professor said into easy to digest pages. My lecture notes matched this perfectly, great for reading before bed. The questions were extremely helpful. I would recommend this to anyone.
 
 
Neuroscience
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451187955?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00
Unfortunately, this was a book that I did not take full advantage of. This block went by so fast and the lecture notes were enough. However, the recommendations on this book was very high so it must be somewhat helpful, I wish I used it more.
 
Gastrointestinal
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451187955?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00
This is my go to book! Once again, it condensed all of my lecture notes into high yield points. I read it at night and did the questions. It comes in paper back and it is fairly small so it's easy to carry around. A must read for any student taking physiology!
 
Endocrinology
 
http://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-USMLE-Step-2015/dp/0071840060/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0JCEYM68HCKK6FEM3Z06&dpID=51R7ASoA35L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR125%2C160_
This was my last block in the semester. It helped me weed out what was high yield for the course and it also provided me with additional information that although was not in my notes proved to be high yield for Step.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Ziplining, Snorkling, Hiking...and a Hurricane?

Greetings From Dominica
I am safe, my prayers go out to all those affected by Hurricane Erika. 


It was literally non-stop action from the time my brother and sister arrived to when they left. The evening of their arrival we dined at Sunset Bay with friends; their lobster and mussels were amazing! The next day we had a tour guide that showed us around the island and showed us major landmarks such as the capital, Roseau, Scottshead, the Botanical Gardens, and Trafalgar Falls. We literally had to climb over massive rocks to get to the waterfall, but it was so worth it, we got to stand underneath it! While they were here I celebrated my 26th birthday and my birthday wish was granted....ziplining! The hurricane arrived during the night and we didn't realize the extent of the damage until the next day. All the phones and wifi went down over the entire island, we could not reach loved one's back home. My brother had to swear into the Coast Gaurd and my sister began grad school the following week, the airport was completely destroyed. Their resolution? They hopped on 2 ferry's, made it over to another island with an international airport and made it home in time to do both! I was amazed, that definitely takes spunk! It is a vacation that I will never forget and I'm sure they won't either. Hopefully, my older brother can visit before my time here is up, the island is beautiful!