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Study Blog

It’s my last study day. Tomorrow I may do some flashcards in the early morning but it will not be all day like I have been going. The day after that is boards day

2 days until boards

Listened to a couple more of Dirty Medicine’s Highest Yield videos

Focused on my flashcard set that I made from First Aid with the goal on being aware of the conditions I don’t know well and hopefully being able to identify important connections between them and recognize them on my exam

How the rest of my day went

I am strongly second guessing myself but it’s too late for my to back out

I ate lots of healthy nutritious food today and I’ll do the same tomorrow to have a well nourished brain

Grounded myself and meditated

Studied while my SO watched Beetlejuice next to me and I passively absorbed it

Full moon so I did some witchy stuff

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Study Blog

Focused all day but now I’m exhausted

3 days until boards

Highest Yield videos on Dirty Medicine

Glimpsed through First Aid and made flashcards on weak points for tomorrow (took most of my time but was a good review)

100 Pharm Q TrueLearn

40 OPP Q TrueLearn

Reviewed VSR and Chapmans

How everything else went

Worked out and did some cardio

Took care of my plants

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Study Blog

It was my love’s birthday today so I got a little off pace

5 days until boards!!!!

40 OPP TrueLearn Q

45 GI TrueLearn Q

50 Review TrueLearn Q

Immuno Disorder Study

EKG study

Leukemia/Lymphoma study

High Yield Practice Qs Dirty Medicine

150 Micro Anki cards (focus on parasites cause I forgot those)

100 Pharm Anki cards (focus on antiarrythmics cause I suck at those)

50 Anatomy Anki cards

150 Image Anki Cards

How life is going

Couple walks, it was ridiculously hot

Made my SO breakfast and dinner (Austrian pancakes, chicken pot pie, pumpkin pie)

Lots of stressing seeing how close I am (mostly I hear other students being really nervous and I feel like I’m missing something for feeling okay right now)

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Study Blog

We’re starting to accept our fate and calm down a bit.

6 days until boards

50 image Anki cards

100 anatomy Anki cards

100 micro Anki cards

100 pharm Anki cards

64 TrueLearn Q

40 Heme TrueLearn Q

Videos on familial hyperchestermia and vasculitis

How life is going

Gym day! Felt pretty weak climbing but I felt confident enough to start working towards doing chin-ups and I went hard on cardio (I’ve never been able to do a chin up as hard as I’ve tried but I feel pretty inspired this time around)

Everything shower

Meditation and yoga

Dinner with my SO to spend some quality time and bond

Bought some more plants and seeds that I don’t have room for

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Study Blog

One week out!

7 days from boards

175 Anatomy Anki cards

200 Pulm + Repro Anki cards

200 Micro Anki cards

100 Pharm Anki cards

50 Image Anki cards

Dirty Medicine High Yield Questions

Watched videos on Multiple Myeloma and cogaulation cascade + bleeding disorders

64 Q on TrueLearn

How life is going

Long morning walk before the rain came

Grocery shopping (foods for the dogs who have upset tummies)

Midday cat nap

Cleaned the house a bit (took care of the plants)

Relaxing evening watching TV and reading, letting my brain rest

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25 Lessons From My 25 Years (Part 2)

6. If you want it, do it. Life is so fleeting. It slips through our fingers like sand. If you want something, go get it. There’s no waiting. We don’t have time for that. Do not get complacent. Check in with your inner self regularly.

7. Labels can slow you down. Labels do have power. Identity is important to people and it can help you find community. But at the end of the day, don’t get so caught up on labels that you leave parts of yourself out. You do not have to perfectly fit into a box. You were not made to fit in a box.

8. Do it tired. You’re going to be tired. Life is hectic. Things fall apart. One of the most important skills I have developed is being able to get up and get moving when I’m tired. Being able to energize myself to do the tasks that are important to me.

9. But know when your body needs a break. On the flip side of “do it tired”. This also applies to getting yourself out of bed and into a warm bath, to a hammock in the sun, to the couch for some trashy TV. A break is not always lying in bed scrolling on your phone. Your brain and soul was designed for active mindful rest.

10. Romanticize your life. I used to think this was cringey. I felt like seeing myself as a protagonist was a grandiose delusion. However when things get tough, you need to the mental fortitude to keep going. In this world, that may mean acting like a star students academic weapon when studying or an athlete training for competition day at the gym. This can mean adding cute toppings to your coffee and flowers to your bath.

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Study Blog

Nice calm day of study, slept in a lot

8 days until boards

50 Epi/PH Q on TrueLearn

50 Pulm Q on TrueLearn

50 OPP Q on TrueLearn

25 Review Q on TrueLearn

50 Review Q on ScholarRX

150 Pulm Anki cards

50 High Yield Image Anki cards

How life is going

I'm starting to get real nervous about boards, I am constantly switching between feeling like I'm fine and I'm screwed

Went to a little cafe to study and get in the zone

Watched some Below Deck with dinner and loving that mindless 2010's drama

Got a birthday present for my SO

Couple long walks today

Tried to do a little calisthenicsworkout but evidently I'm sorer that I thought from yesterday at the gym

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Study Blog

Let’s get boards 👏

9 days until boards

Single digits are so scary!

Took a practice exam and I have a good chance of passing but I’m also nervous so I’m not letting up

50 Anatomy Anki cards

259 Repro Anki cards

Dirty Medicine High Yield Q Videos

Pathoma Pulmonary Playlist

25 TrueLearn Public Health Q

How life is going

Had a bit of a rest day to get myself in order

Grocery shopping and bathroom stocked

Long walk

Rock climbing

Treadmill at an incline

Little nap in my hammock

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Study Blog

We’re getting close and honestly I’m feeling nervous. I have another practice exam tomorrow and I am concerned I’ll do worse than my last official practice test

10 days until boards

350 pharm Anki cards

200 image Anki cards

100 Reproductive Anki cards

Pathoma Chapter 13 and 16

50 Epi Q on TrueLearn

50 Repro Q on TrueLearn

50 Renal Q on TrueLearn

50 Osteopathic Q on TrueLearn

40 Renal Review Q on ScholarRx

Dirty Medicine Pulm playlist and reproduction videos

How life is going

Long morning walk before it got warm

Played a session 0 for DnD with friends

Took a nap

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25 Lessons I’ve Learned in My 25 Years (Part 1)

1. Growth is not linear. I had my life together at 21. I fell apart at 22. I picked up the pieces at 23 and I excelled by 24. I will likely have an off year again. That’s okay.

2. Everyone has their own story. By learning their story you may be able to understand their actions. Understanding their actions does not mean you need to justify their actions.

3. Some people stay around for life, some people stay around for seasons. Enjoy your friends while you can. I’ve moved across the country twice. There are so many people that have touched my souls for a summer or a night and have disappeared. Enjoy those connections while you can. Foster those connections. Even if you know things won’t be long term. Don’t be afraid to reach out.

4. There’s no point in being “too cool” for things. At the end of the day, you’re the only opinion that matters. The things that make you seem soft make you human. Small talk with your neighbors. Invite others to events. Talk about your passions. Try things that you aren’t good at. Keep at things even if you aren’t good.

5. Everyone is faking it til they make it. You never really grow up. You never really know all the answers. You can grow a lot with life experience and introspection, but plenty of established adults are missing one or both of those. Take lessons from everyone but realize just because someone is older than you does not mean they’re more mature, or knowledgeable or wise. Be open to hearing them, but use your own judgment.

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Study Blog

It’s my birthday! So I let that get in the way of studying a bit.

12 days until boards

Watched Pathoma Chapter 12

Reviewed Pathoma Chapter 1 and 3

Took NBME and got a lower score than I would like again but I am aiming to only take COMLEX so it makes sense my skill with the USMLE styles questions is worse (it did help me realize my weakness in epi and how I need to review it)

Watched Dirty Medicine Renal

How the rest of life went

I celebrated my birthday!

I took the dog on a long morning walk and got a coffee

My parents sent me a donut delivery which was very sweet but I also kind of hate donuts as an adult (I did eat one though, anything on the fried side really upsets my stomach, my SO will happily claim the other ones)

My best friend sent me a bottle of wine (it is such a smooth red blend, I love wine tasting, it feels a bit pretentious but you can do it with any wine. I buy the cheapest wines but I love the mindfulness it gives me to take time to note the texture and guess the notes in the wine)

My SO took me to dinner which gave me an excuse to dress up (everything was so tasty)

I spruced up the house a bit throughout the day as I’m seeing some friends from the next city over tomorrow and they may be dropping by

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Study Blog

Happy Beltane! Spent my day studying and enjoying the sunshine

13 days until boards

200 pharm Anki cards

250 neuro Anki cards

Watched Dirty Medicine neurology videos

Sketchy Pharm Anti-arrythmic drugs, Ca Channel Blockers, and GI drugs

20 UWorld Q on Heme

40 UWorld Q on Neuro

40 TrueLearn Q on Neuro

60 ScholarRX Q on Neuro

How life is going

Went on a walk in the morning

Made vanilla custard

Got a wonderful book from my SO

Felt creative in the evening and did some writing

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Study Blog

Another productive study day though I did get a late start

15 days until boards

Watched Pathoma Chapter 18 and 19

Sketchy Heart Failure drugs

300 Anki cards on derm and msk

150 Anki cards on pharm

50 ScholarRx Derm and MSK Q

50 TrueLearn Derm and MSK Q

How everything else is going

Grocery shopping in the morning

Made all the health appointments I’ve been lacking on (dentist, PCP, ob/gyn)

Cleaned up the back yard

Walks with the dogs to make up for the past couple days

Made a delicious dinner and dessert (chicken parmesan and strawberry vanilla cake)

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Study Blog

I'm feeling back in my routine. The weather has been amazing. I am starting to see progress when taking my practice questions.

16 days until boards

Finished Dirty Medicine Biochem and Genetics playlist

Watched Pathoma Chapter 7 - Vasculature

Watched Sketchy Autonomic Drugs, Anticoagulants, and Dyslipidemia Drugs

500 Pharm Anki cards

200 Neoplasia Anki cards

30 ScholarRx Q on Immuno

25 TrueLearn Q on Review material

40 TrueLearn Q on Immuno and Micro

How life is going

Foot and ankle situation is still rough so yet another day being ridiculously frustrated by not being able to do my normal walks

I did try and walk around a park and it was a big mistake

Got some new makeup and tried some new looks with a bold dark lip

Took a bit of a nap around midday

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Study Blog

The roller coaster of life goes up again and it feels like things are sorting out

17 days until boards

Took an NBME practice exam and did not get a score I liked, I also believe this had a lot to do with me taking my exam in the afternoon around the time where I get very tired and being in a very distracting environment and it being after a day of studying (this did teach me that before I take my boards I am going to want to have a little mental break the day before so this sort of exhaustion doesn’t happen for the real test)

Watched Pathoma Chapter 4, 5 and 6

Watched Dirty Medicine immunology videos as well as all videos portaining to hematology (my undergrad research was in heme/onc and while I love the subject medical school sucked it out of me, I hope to get it back one day)

Sketchy Pham on cancer drugs

100 Anki cards of pharm

50 Q on TrueLearn Heme

30 Q on ScholarRX Heme

25 Q miscellaneous on TrueLearn

How life is going

Made a matcha to get the day going

I aggravated an old injury in my ankle and foot yesterday so limited walking (and I have to postpone the gym)

Had sushi I got yesterday for lunch (legit my favorite meal)

Deep cleaned the kitchen and the closet while listening to Pathoma (I have found that I retain the information better if I’m moving around, but I’m also running out of things to do while listening given that my foot is out of commission)

Cleaned my altar, felt very spiritual today

Picked up two bookshelves that were being tossed, perfect for showing off all of our books (the one in the living room has all of our nonfiction from my undergrad and medical school as well as my SO’s schooling, and the one in the bedroom has all of our fiction)

Got some chocolate at the store around the corner with my SO to get out of the house for a bit

Dyed and cut my hair (black w the sharp bangs obviously)

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Study Blog

We’re doing slow work

18 days until boards

100 GI and heme Anki cards

100 anatomy Anki cards

30 Endo Q on TrueLearn

25 review Q on TrueLearn

40 GI Q on TrueLearn

Chapter 10 and 11 on Pathoma

Some Heme Dirty Medicine videos

How’s life going

I feel like I’m going so slow and I’m ready to go hard tomorrow and keep to a schedule

Went to the Asian market for matcha and rice paper

Picked up some cork wood with my SO for his lizards

Ate some good ramen

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Study Blog

Not much actually studying but I am okay with that.

20 days til boards

100 anatomy Anki cards

100 micro Anki cards

250 cardio and endo Anki cards

Watched some GI videos from Dirty Medicine

How life is going

Today was such a hard study day! Yesterday I felt myself taking much longer to get through content and retaining less of it. Today sitting and working through anything went painfully slow. One of my goals for this year was to work on knowing when my body and mind needs rest and to participate in active rest. Therefore as much as it pained me, I mainly rested today with the hope that tomorrow I’ll be reinvigorated and ready to focus

Ate nutritious food (tons of water, fruits, veggies, liver. I know many people aren’t a big fan of organs but my grandma conditioned me that when you’re feeling worn down you eat liver to get your energy back)

Walked in the sun (about 5 miles today, enjoying the sunshine and the birds with sunscreen and protective wear)

Sat on the back porch and watched the birds

Called my parents and caught up on things back home

Took a 4 hour nap on top of sleeping 7 hours last night (I have talked to my classmates and learned many of us are finding ourselves sleeping a lot due to how much studying we are doing daily)

Got ube ice cream with my SO after a hard workout at the gym (I am so proud of my gym progress even though I wasn’t as strong as I normally am today, and the ice cream was amazing after the workout)

Got groceries for the week and straightened up my room and the kitchen (so I can be ready for the coming days)