2014; though
gone, but it was definitely the rate limiting year of my medical training. Reason :
It was the year I wrote the second Professional Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor
of Surgery (MBBS PART 2 ) examination in
Anatomy, Physiology & Medical biochemistry.
Failing all three or
two courses in the first
attempt leads
to the withdrawal of one from medical school.
Here is a fact
file of event in the year;
JANUARY: The
preclinical arm of my medical school (College of Health sciences, Ebonyi State University,
Abakiliki, Nigeria) runs 4 semesters on the
courses to be taken in the MBBS PART 2 exam.
Returning from a
6 months strike by our lecturers, we faced the greatest reality of the year. We
took 4 regions (Thorax, Abdomen, Pelvis and Perineum) of Human body in gross
anatomy. I was shocked to my spine on hearing the news.
FEBRUARY: Rumors
about the proposed date of the exam started poking the ears
of those that have ‘long legs’. Some said October, others said July. Who cares? October or July, I was quietly
preparing. I became a regular face at Night class. My life became a triangle.
From Hostel to church and then to Library.
MARCH: Coming out
of the hall after writing the last in course assessment test, many of my
classmates wore gloomy face. Trust Nigeria lecturers they tested us on what
they didn't teach.
"That you were
not taught is not an excuse, you have the textbooks. Were you waiting for us to
tell you when to read them. Go and prepare the main exam or be ready for a surprise
" exclaimed one of the lecturers. Mogbe!!... Surprise ni..This is not MTN surprise.
Your surprise package could be having to resit the exam, repeat the year
or worst shown the way out of medical school. How will I tell my parents if I
got any of those surprise?. I remember
my mother is no longer Mama Chukwudi. No. Her name changed when I got admitted
into Medical School.. She is now addressed as Mama Doctor by her friends. She
would half smile whenever they call her that name. I knew I had to study. if
for nothing but to ensure she is still being called that name.
My preparation tactics changed. I started
attending
fellowships more
often, sow seeds in church, left my girlfriends and even as far as switching my phones during some hours of
the day so as not to be disturbed.
APRIL: Vasogenic
warm shock hit
me this month. The bullet was released. Timetable for the exam out. . Mock test
May 12th. Main exam June 9th. My heart was in my mouth. Goose pimples were competing
for space to sprout on my skin. Senior colleagues assured us that we would be
given three months to prepare for the
exam after the final in course assessment. But that was not the case.
Basically, I was hypertensive
throughout April. It has happened. I was always trembling while reading. whenever I see my
classmates discussing what I have not read
(trust me they know how to do this perfectly)
I would be lost in thought. This is medical school. We don't play here. My
classmates would willingly use what they have read to intimidate me. God be
with you if you have not read that part of the book. The experience is better
imagined than experienced. As though that is not enough, my roommates in 100
level will start discussing the areas I have not read. When I look oblivious ,
his reply: ‘don’t worry, you don’t need it. You know you are too big to fail’. I
started dry fasting by force, remembering God how many years I have spent so
far in the
medical school (4years) and that I can’t afford to fail else my mother's name will return to mama
Chukwudi.
MAY: This month
came and left unplanned. The morning of the day I was to commence my mock exam with Medical biochemistry was very scary. Imagine, I still have two regions untouched. I have not eaten,
am trembling and time is ticking very fast. From this month till when the exams ended, time was no longer my friend. However, the month left unplanned because I was thinking the ‘almighty’ 2ND
MBBS Exam which was going to be a die-hard thing . The exam was even easier than some in
course assessment I had written in medical
biochemistry.
The other two
courses (physiology and anatomy)
went just fine.
JUNE: This month
was more spiritual than I thought. I started praying against the spirit of overconfidence, gleaning my weakness together and converting them into a stronghold. I devoted more time to the things that matters most which I had neglected before(Discussion sessions, night classes and tutorials).I prayed as if it depended on it(always going to the school football
field by 12am and
praying till dawn; making earnest heartfelt prayers) and also read as if it depended on
it(reading from dusk till dawn). I must confess, I
didn’t read all and acknowledged that I cannot
read all. Some
of my classmates took their toothbrush and
dentals stuff to class even as far as squatting
with some friends in the school hostel all in
the name of ‘MTN wide coverage’-trying to be a master of all. The exams
came and left well, as
planned.
JULY: This month
came with great trepidation of heart. This month, we will be appearing for the oral examinations(viva voce) and also results will be
released. It was my best
month ever in 2014 and also the worst, because it created an
indelible mark in my heart. On the eight day of this month, I appeared for the
viva in the three
departments and I was happy when the external
examiner in Anatomy from the University of Calabar
Teaching Hospital (UCTH) told me that I have been invited for a
Distinction viva, making it the best month of the year.
I prepared
earnestly that night, buttressing on the areas she tested me on. I never knew I was taking the wrong course. The next day I
appeared for the distinction viva. She
immediately gave me a warm smile and motherly words,
reminding me that I shouldn’t be tense because I
have already been awarded the
distinction
stressing that the entourage confronting me was just protocol. The questions came
in friendly for about
10minutes, then she unleashed her vast knowledge
of anatomy on me, testing me on gross anatomy(muscles
of the layers of the foot precisely) which she didn't
test me on the previous day.
I was quivering,
my heart was racing and I had the urge to urinate.
She asked me to leave and in that very moment I dawned on me that I had lost the award,
making this month the
worst and creating an indelible dent in my fragile
heart. Results were to
be released at the close of office that day 4pm. My colleagues and I left the room by 3:30pm and headed to the notice board.
By then, we all have developed cold feet
and
hands and also a
visible, palpable tachycardia. For me they were caused by my poor performance in
medical
biochemistry both in the mock and viva. Results were finally released and I was very happy, yet sad. I was happy because I passed but sad because I lost the distinction award. The month ended with happiness, freedom and holiday.
AUGUST: This
month was filled with extracurricular however, it was almost spoilt when the
clinical arm of my medical school summoned
us for clinical orientation on the eighteenth day
August. But it was postponed so enjoyment
galore continued. I travelled to delta, Lagos and Abia
state. I made new friends from within and
outside the country and started reading willfully. I also
wanted to invest on my physique so I met some nutritionist and was placed on a regime which didn’t last
long, because I craved for immediate
gratification-wanting to get results immediately.
SEPTEMBER: I got
tired of the holiday. I started gearing up for resumption and I noticed some
little gain in weight. I was happy.
OCTOBER: This
month went well too but the holiday was getting more
annoying.
NOVEMBER: This
month was superb because a classmate tied the knots and we resumed school officially.
DECEMBER: It went
well with academic stuff and personal life. Although, I had a an emotional and traumatizing encounter specifically on the 7th . I have longed moved on with
life and left my the past behind me.
In all; God, hard
work and persistence helped me scaled through
the year and helped me achieved my basic goals for
the year. Yes, I lost the distinction award which was a big blow but am stronger. It thought me a lesson-‘’DON'T COUNT
YOUR CHICKS BEFORE
THEY HATCH’ ’. I
relented by not
doing a little revision on those areas the external examiner tested me on. That changed my story for the year. However, l am very much grateful to God for helping me pass the 2ND MBBS examination, particularly Medical Biochemistry.
By
Chukwudi Agbor.
Department of
Medicine,
Federal Teaching
Hospital (FETHA),
Abakiliki, Nigeria.
Loool @ "This is not MTN surprise".
ReplyDeleteNice Post....
ReplyDeleteThis is very helpful. Thank you for the post.
ReplyDeleteTop GRE Classes in Pune
Nice article!
ReplyDelete