crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
i am a mom and an old medical grad .
i gave up my medical career for my husband's American dream almost 10 years ago. It was certainly a hard decision for me. i want my own career , a job i enjoy.
I realized that it might be hard for me to fullfill this goal in USA. I have a full time job, frequently takes me over 10 hours a day, plus some weekends. in addition, i might also need to study medical English while trying to recall medical knowledge i learned many many years ago.
But i decided to give a try. i would not have any regret at least .
So, here is my plan. i will use kaplan notes and start with anatomy. Just start something , it is my today's goal...
|
| unique1
InGodITrust
Topics: 19
Posts: 1,405
|
Hey crane,
Your situation sounds much like mine. I am also a mom and an old medical grad. Now when my youngest one is also ready to go to kindergarten next year, I want to persue my career. I know it is not easy but just as you said, want to give it a try so that do not have any regrets later.
I am on my first read ,doing pathology right now and still left with pharmacology , anatomy and behavioural science. I am mainly doing Kaplan but have to consult text books very often to recall my forgotten concepts.
It is a long journey but I must say I am enjoying it so far. Although at times it seems like an unreachable goal but I have complete faith in almighty. If we have passion, we can achieve our goal.
Wish you all the best with your efforts.
___________________
I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
|
| Nan
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 159
|
Go for it! Believe in yourself! Wish you all the best!
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
Unique1 and Nan,
Thanks for your encouragements.
i got back from work in the afternoon. Finally sat down and started to search Kaplan notes. Since i am not able to have time to join Kaplan and finish all the subjects in 3 months, i will have to use review books for now.
Will start to read Lippincott's Pharmacology first. i will look up some words in the dictionary today and see how many chapters i could finish tomorrow.
|
| dr.mum
Forum Senior
Topics: 5
Posts: 134
|
I am a mom and work full time too. Welcome to our group. I just started 1 month ago. I plan to finish one subject in one month. Yeah, very slow. But I have to do lots of translation, and I even can not guarantee 4 hours a day. Anyway, I have been waiting for several years already, I don't mind wait for 1 more year. I will take the exam by the end of 2007.
Keep studying. We can do it.
___________________
God granted me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people I had to kill.
|
| GoodGirl
.
Topics: 93
Posts: 1,217
|
Welcome Crane ! This is a right idea to start your own diary, to see your own progress and it is always good to have a cheering friends ( you will find them here) around you !!!!
You can do it !
___________________
Prioritize & simplify.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
Hi, good girl,
Thank you for visiting my journal. Yes, we can do it.
Dr. mum,
Read your jounal today. very impressed. Hopfully , i could finish one subject each month too.
I could not study everyday last week. Took 2 days off. One day, i studyed for my job. The other day for my kid. I tried hard to be a responsible and understanding mom.
Last Sunday , I finished reading some immunology chapters just for fun.
Finished fist reading for Pharmacokinetics amd pharmacodynamics, which are OK for me. However, when i read cholinergic pharmacology and adrenergic pharmacology .I felt frustrated! i can not remeber those drug names and detail description about each drug. It seems the only way is: keep repeating ! So , i am going to slowing down and repeat again and again.
i really need some fun reading . So i started Biochemistry. Finished 3 chapters so far. They are fun. I will do a quick reading again to make sure i got it.
Will try to finish Biochemistry by the end of November and Pharm by the end of this year.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
I went for trick-or-treating for my kid yesterday evening. It was fun. I almost canceled that for study. I am happy I did not do so eventually. So did not study a lot yesterday.
Today, I studied for 1 hour before went to work and 1 hour before dinner. I am going to studying biochemistry for another 2 hours. 4 hours total for a day, which is great.
OK, here is what I did so far for biochemistry.
8 chapters total for first reading. Among them, I finished 5 chapters 2nd quick reading. So called quick reading, still took me an hour for each chapter. Need to be more efficient. I will see if I could finish the rest 3 chapters tonight.
|
| dr.mum
Forum Senior
Topics: 5
Posts: 134
|
Hi Crane, my hubby took my son to trick or treat yesterday. He had fun. And today, he had nap with his candies, when he woke up, he asked for another trick or treat today with his daddy. So funny.
I just finished chapter 8 of Lippincott. Which book do you use? Kaplan or Lipp or others? I am not good at biochemistry. I can not remember those chemical formular and names. they are killing me. But I guess, when I do the pharmacology and microbiology, I will be killed by them for sure.
But any way, if other people can do it, we can do it. Maybe we need more time, but definitely it's doable.
keep going.
___________________
God granted me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people I had to kill.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
Well, did not study well this week . Only finished Chapter9 first reading and 2nd reading for those 8 chapters.
Monday after 2 meetings, i could not finished work on time. I had to stay late to finish work. Tuesday, took my kid for trick-or-treating . Felt tired in Thursday evening , fell asleep while reading book before 10pm. I felt guilty and tried to get up early on Friday morning at 3:30am. I was stopped by my dear husband , who laughed at me: a crazy woman. Although I spent time on studying yesterday, not the efficient way I like.I should cut some work, so I would have some time and energy for study during weekdays. But how? My boss is taking 1day off next week. Before he left, we discussed what I am doing and what I should finish these days.
Anyway, I will try to study hard this weekend.
|
| GoodGirl
.
Topics: 93
Posts: 1,217
|
I stopped by to look how are you doing and say hello. Actually you made me laugh, I once tried to get up around 5 am to do some reading . And my husband laughed at me too. They are really '' supportive '' sometimes.
Please , try to balance the work, family and books. Don't kill yourself, but when you study , just try to make the best out of it . Good luck to you.
___________________
Prioritize & simplify.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
Got sick this week. It always turned out to be a family event, one after one. This time, started from my daughter. I guess the symptoms of flu such as headache may also involved many biochemical reactions . A new discovery from this week's study is: studying metabolism of Biochemistry part must further activated those enzymes in the reactions. Because i felt headache was getting even worse when i tried hard to remember all those steps and enzymes.
Well, very slow, slow. Only finished sugar and lipid metabolism . The worst thing is i am not sure if i really remebered all the stuff i learned.
Going to speeding up. will work hard next week.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
kind of finished biochemistry . Very happy, i finally went through the metabolism of sugar, lipid and protein. i always wanted to give up when i studied this part before. But this time i did it ! i do not expect i got everything now, just leave some for later.  i will repeat it several times before exam anyway.
I am going to start Genetics today. Oh, my favoriate subject since high school. i hope i would enjoy it and finish studty this week.
|
| GoodGirl
.
Topics: 93
Posts: 1,217
|
Great you did it ! Biochemistry done , check it out !
Wow, wow, wow, genetics is your favorite subject ?! Hat down . When I will go trough it , than I will come to see you to get some motivation , somehow I always get lost in it .
Keep it up , Crane !
___________________
Prioritize & simplify.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
Thanks, good girl. You are really a good girl.
Finished first reading for Genetics this week .
I took off this weekend for my family. Did not touch step1 at all. When my daughter said thank you, mom, I felt very good!!! I know i am a greedy woman who wants all the goodies in the world.
I will be back to study USMLE step 1 tomorrow again. 2nd quick reading for Genetics.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
Well, i was totally stressed out . Took a long break and did nothing. Now it is time to be back.
Already finished Genetics last Tuesday. Will start microbiology today.
I will be very busy for my current job in the next couple of months. Really need to think about how to deal with everything at the same time in a mentally and physically health way.
I might have to slow down the preparation for step1, but i will keep going ...
Happy holidays!
|
| unique1
InGodITrust
Topics: 19
Posts: 1,405
|
Hey crane,
Feel free to slow down but do not give up 
As they say " slow and steady wins the race "
Have happy holidays !
___________________
I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
I was depressed for a while. Things are not going smoothly as i planed. Well , i can not control everything, sometimes even myself.
Read one chapter of microbiology and anatomy as well as histology seperately. Decided that easy subject will go first . So it is the Histology. Most stuff in histology actually is from cell biology, which i am already quite fimiliar with.
I finished first two chapters of Histology.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
Finished muscle, lymphoid, skin , respiratory four chapters in Histology.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
Finished Histology first time review last weekend .
I am going to do some questions today.
I will keep going.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
Finished early embryology and back nervous system. I do not think i got enough information from what i learned.
spend a lot of time on checking dictionary.
i will keep going.
|
| medocuk
IM-RES
Topics: 26
Posts: 1,499
|
Hey good luck girl.This must be so much tougher for you.But I am sure you can do it.Once you have your mind to it..anything can be achieved.Good luck.
|
| crane
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
|
I have been away for 3 months.
Now i am back.
Started behavior science . Finished first 3 chapters.
|
|
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
