Finals Week and the NBME!

So Monday and Tuesday I have things that are sort of like finals.

Monday is my histology exam #3, which is "cumulative" in that it "builds on what you've learned already" but not actually cumulative in that I don't have to remember the detail-y details from earlier in the year.

(As a side note, I HATE when professors give that speech about everything being cumulative because it builds. When I ask if a test is cumulative or not, I want to know if there will be specific questions on already-tested material or not. Maybe they do it on purpose so nobody can come up and say "but you said this wouldn't be on the test!" when really basic things are required as background)

anyway. That's Monday. Morning: Go sit in the lab with my microscope, get 10 slides with "unknown" tissue on them. Identify (just for myself) what each slide is and then answer a bunch of multiple choice questions like "On which slide would you find Brunner's Glands?"

Then a professor comes in and gives everyone a piece of paper with (the same) three things on it, and we have to find it, stick the microscope pointer on it, and call him over to check if we got it right.

Afternoon we take a long multiple choice test.

THEN TUESDAY is the part I'm slightly concerned about...the NMBE Histology (National board of medical examiners, or something) It's a standardized test which means I have no idea what the questions are going to be like or IF I WILL HAVE BEEN TAUGHT WHAT IS ON IT!

we just sort of have to hope we know enough to do well on it.

I have this book that's supposed to be a review for it and I'm looking at these questions going "Ihave never heard of this before. I was never taught that. what are they talking about??" and then they give you questions that go on and on about this 14-month old having lower respiratory tract infections and diarrhea and his mom used to have that when she was little and here's the lab tests they did, here are the results, here are normal values, it's probably involved with this protein that bla bla bla interacts with the negative charge on the cell membrane. What is responsible for the negative charge on the cell membrane?

Which is an easy question but you have to sift through a NOVEL to get to the question.

So here I am sitting on my bed reading through this book fa-reaking out so I decided to go complain to one of my roommates and her friend, who are 2nd years. Best idea ever, because they told me that's a typical question, just skip to the end and read the last sentence, you will never have to know the other stuff... and this particular book I have is known to be harder than the actual test, just go through it and if you're able to eliminate some of the answers and get a couple right you will be okay because the actual test is much easier.

So now I am okay.

Plus they had chocolate that someone probably stole from a small child's Halloween stash (how else do you explain a 24 year old guy with a candy bag with "Skylar" written on it?? :-P) so that made me feel better too.

Then I made coffee (also good) and decided I'm going to order myself Thai food tonight (win again!) so this day just keeps getting better. Also it was SO nice and warm today I shut the heat off and opened all the windows. This is how I know Jesus loves me.