Faculty of Medicine in UiTM Sungai Buloh Year 1 (Pre-clinical Year)

Hello, to future juniors and anyone who's remotely interested in reading this. In this post, is what I go through and ye know, my opinion and thoughts, so if you don't like it, e-mail me or something.

I am a student of the institution stated, and I have decided to share a few things.

Medicine is considered quite a sacred profession I guess, as we try to heal people, or at least, ease their burden of pain. 

But believe it or not, it's not quite what I wanted to do. 

Well, I didn't know what I wanted to do, and for those of you who are in similar boat, it's okay, because it actually grows on you. Much like, how an annoying friend will be missed if she's not there. Bad Analogy? Perhaps. 

FIRST thing you must understand, 

for those of you who was chosen to be here, understanding the concepts of your studies would not be too much of a problem if you ask questions or open the textbook, or even go on youtube. 

HOWEVER, by the time Finals come around, your worries will centre around remembering every single thing you have had learnt by the end of the semester. 

So, in Medicine, quantity is your main worry and how you overcome is up to you. 

I have friends who..

• Study everyday, Memorize everyday, and always Re-calling.
• Study intensely last minute (a week before exam, believe me, that is the shortest time you need) for one round - mind you, she has a good memory, but she is also very focused.
• Study 2 weeks before a test, but also still quite relaxed, making a 2nd round to enforce the memory. (me, I go easy on the first round)
• And of course, there are the one who only memorize without understanding, these people.. Well, it's not good for you to do that because that would mean after a month or two, you won't remember a single thing. With understanding, you, at least, would remember your basic concepts. I have friends like this as well. 

But this is mainly for the small tests not the finals (Progress Test, or End of Module Test)

Please score an A or B for this tests, it would help during Finals, I beg of you. 

For the finals, I would hope you did a good job studying during your progress test so that you wouldn't have trouble understanding what you are studying during your study week (1 or 2 weeks).

Remember, time is of the essence. 

You have near 140 lectures to cover in Sem 1 and 100 lectures in Sem 2. 

And these lectures, are only for two papers during your finals which is 

1. Short-Answer Questions (SAQ, the answers are not short) - mostly pathogenesis
2. Problem-Based Questions (PBQ, this is where a few subjects is mixed into 1 scenario, with tiny questions underneath)

So, we are still talking about finals. 

Another two test that would concern you is MCQ (Multiple-Choice) and OSPE (Lab Exams).

1.  MCQ, is not like any other MCQs you have ever done. 
• It's a play of True and False. One big statement, with tiny statements (where you answer true or false)
• A Correct answer will give you 1 mark
• a Wrong answer, will result in negative marking (-0.5). 
• So it is pretty hard to score (But with good re-calling practice and some tactic, you'll get through. Put all TRUE if you literally don't know anything for the question)
• During your small tests, they will ask you what they want you to know, or what they have emphasised in class/lectures, 
• BUT during FINALS, they can ask you ANYTHING from any of your lectures throughout that semester. So... Well, use some of that strategical thinking, it will somewhat help. I mean, I survived mostly on that tbh. 
2. OSPE. 
• 30 stations, for you to diagnose the disease, using diagrams/slides and of course, a scenario with hints. 
• Diagnosis, Complications, Risk Factors. These are pretty important in Sem 2 (Pathology, Microbiology, Parasitology) while in Sem 1, anything goes I think. 
• You'd also have stations with no need for diagnosis like Anatomy - where you have to know every muscle in the body, or every bone (for Gross), or identify what type of cells you are looking at (histology). 
• I'd focus on Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology (BUT THAT'S ME, because I find it a bit easier). Some people just focus on Pathology and Anatomy, which makes sense because they have the MOST stations.
• You'll have your own preference by the end of your semester because you would know which do you like the most. 
• (Like I said, have some tactic. Of course you'd wanna score everything, but it's always better to score full marks in certain subjects rather than just getting a few marks in all of it, which might or might not help)
• BUT study for everything. Focus on your preferred disciplines. 
• Out of the 30 stations, Anatomy and Pathology will take almost half of it. And Physiology and Biochemistry will have the least (this is the norm, but Parasitology went missing during my Sem 2, so we wouldn't know to be sure really). 
• But Anatomy and Pathology WILL NEVER go missing. 
• Oh yeah, OSPE will garner MOST OF YOUR MARKS FOR FINALS. So focus. Never dilly dally on this one. 

So that covers your exams and some idea of what you might go through.

Oh yeah, if you end up in UiTM, we also have Problem-Based Learning (which is why you have your PBQ test).

1. You are in a big group.
2. You have a lecturer as your moderator.
3. You have a case to study.
4. YOU MUST TALK. Or else you would have no marks. Yes this is a part of the grading system.

This is the basic idea, you would be discussing ideas on the diagnosis (again), and the pathogenesis, sign and symptoms, etc etc. 

Some of my batch were pretty surprised they had to talk. I mean, well, figures. Most of us did come from the type of anti-social/nerd in high school. This type would have some problems, but, believe me, it will be easy by the end of everything and you would wonder why you were worried about it in the first place. Get over your fear of interaction, literally everyone is in the same boat. 

Try and you'll know how to get better. 

*Oh speaking of which, speak in English during class, your Doctors will insist on it (depends). 

Some tips that I'd like to share as a student and for your own sanity when you officially become a medical student. 

1. Find a good friend. Never attach yourself to a bad source of vibes. 
2. Be a good source of vibe yourself, it will attract other good vibes. 
3. Remember God is there for you too!
4. Never think you're on top, because at the end of the day, pre-clinical is still about exams. You're not even doctors yet, so shut it. And be nice.
5. Find a way to relieve your stress, be it reading, hanging out, exercising, or just sleeping. 
6. Have empathy or sympathy (2 different things btw) for the people around you. You're not the only one stressing out, everyone else is too.
7. Also, never show off. Don't. You'll end up hurting yourself or someone around you. You don't want either to happen.
8. Oh and for the people who never knew how to study in high school (because well, you didn't study before), your style of studying will come late.... But it will. You'll figure it out. You might fail the first progress test though, because ye know, you thought you had it down but you didn't? Haha (I did that, got an A the next test tho hehe, so yes it will knock you down but you gotta get up and study now!)
9. BE INVOLVED with our college events or even be a part of it. Find a job to do, it's boring to sit around for God's sake. 
10. Oh and show off your talent (singing, dancing, sports or whatsoever). We do have people like that here, and they would love to have you. 
11. Join an Association hehe
12. And last but not least, relax. Study as you have to but relaxing is important too. Don't be so uptight. We're medical students, yes, but we are students who want to live our life too. So get out on the weekends, or have a cheat day filled with your movies. Go to a theme park, or a beach. At the end of the day, you're just a student. 
13. Oh yeah, but do study,  I mean, we're future doctors for God's sake. 
14. And attend all your classes.
15. Oh and do all your tutorials and stuff, c'mon, that's like BASIC. Your finals are based on ALL OF THEM (if you're lucky la). Revise them during finals.

Everything is pretty jumbled up over here, but that just shows you the type of person I am hehe, I mean, I survived year 1 like this, I bet you can too!

Hit me up if you need me to answer your questions!

With Much Love,

Nana

(I'm a part of your welcoming committee or Freshie week btw - for the 2018/2019 batch)

This is le table. It doesn't look like this anymore, this was taken in Sem 1. But it pretty much reflects who I am.
A little messy, pretty much obsessed with reading novels (I don't like textbooks.),
and well, if a person like me could score, you can too!