Puppy class observers: Done
Summer research: Done
Bacteriology final exam is on Tuesday, then there will be neither Bacteriology nor 8am classes MWF. I made it through last week, only have several small breakdowns, which were usually resolved by remembering the importance of deep breaths.
Things that have got me thinking recently include Old Exams: when, why and how to use them.
This stems from the fact that our professors allow the vet bookstore to give out old exams. They also don't really change their exams from year to year. As a result, I find myself studying all the information in sort of a general way, but then going through the old exams and highlighting the infromation that I really "need to know".
Arguably, I need to know it all. There is little that we are being taught that we won't use or see again in some way, shape or form. Knowing the mechanisms will help us understand new therapies or emerging diseases. Knowing the information in detail will give us the knowledge that we need to explain to our clients the processes going on inside of their animals, the treatment options and what to expect. It will also help us predict and understand side effects of everything from drugs to tumors.
But is that all really information that I should be able to have on the tip of my tongue right now? I won't see clients for another year and a half, and even if I can spout it off now, what are the chances that it'll stick. I'll also need it for boards, which are about 2 years from now. I think that simply being familiar with the information, and being able to apply it when the situation arises (using at textbook, of course!) is really the important part of my education. And for now, I'll use the old exams to keep my stress level reasonable and make sure that I GET to the point where this information will become pertinant.
Next post: Mini-rotations, hanging around in the hospital, and getting to know people who may someday write me good letters of recommendation.
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2 comments:
gwjust my opinion. i am a 2nd year vet student - and like you, we have the old tests too. but i find that relying on those is useless. while yes, some of the tests are the same - what knowledge are you gaining? remember, learning is not knowing something for all time. learning is measured on how long it takes you to figure it out the 2nd and 3rd and 4th...times you come to it. in the end, it's better to have learned it thoroughly once than to have learned it badly many times. i speak from experience. i try to focus heavily on learning and understanding mechanisms, without so much the rote memorization. and this year, my grades are very very good. my classmates, who memorized notes and old tests - whether right or wrong - are struggling. just my opinion, of course.
I guess I didn't really explain myself very well. I spend a solid week or so before the exam studying the notes and the textbooks, and then a day or two before the exam I take the old exams and my summary notes and see where they match and where they don't. This way I can make sure that I get all of the pertinent information that I've missed while summarizing, as well as familiarizing myself with the test style and questions.
And, at least for our classes, enough of the old exams are the same that I really seem to do myself a favor by studying old exams on top of my summary notes, because the take-home points are driven into my skull!
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